Are you a full-time Catholic missionary or youth/campus minister looking for a time of restoration? As former FOCUS missionaries and having worked in various apostolates and parish settings, we understand that sometimes mission can leave you feeling drained and exhausted. You are not alone, and this may mean that you have been pouring your whole self into the ministry God has given you.
Starting this summer (2026) we will be piloting our very first “sabbatical” program as a way to help rejuvenate Catholic missionaries and ministers. If you feel burned out and worn down with the daily grind of mission life and are looking for a temporary change of pace and location to focus more intentionally on prayer, formation, discernment, and cultivation of rest, holy leisure, and spiritual friendships, this could be a good fit for you.
What will I do?
- Pray a holy hour or more each day.
- Meet with a spiritual director of your choice each month.
- Go to confession every 1-2 weeks.
- Attend daily prayer services (Liturgy of the Hours, Mass, etc.) and always the Divine Liturgy or Holy Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation.
- Attend a weekly small group for growth in virtue and friendship.
- Receive weekly formation in the Catholic spiritual and intellectual tradition.
- Participate in ongoing permaculture (CPR) education and skill-building, not being afraid to get your hands dirty with God’s creation.
- Assist with retreats, workshops, mission trips, the summer formation program, and other initiatives as directed. Typically retreats and workshops will be about once a month.
- Assist local Catholic families with various tasks as needed (helping with projects, childcare, a meal, etc.). This will be discerned once on site.
- Maintain a support team of mission partners or else self-fund your sabbatical program. We offer a basic fundraising training if needed.
- Read books, exercise, unplug, slow down, and foster a healthy, holy and restorative culture that brings your humanity back to life in Christ
FAQs:
- Where is this located? Cranberry, PA (about 1.5 hours north of Pittsburgh)
- What are the financial logistics? Missionaries will pay for their own living expenses (housing, food, etc.) and salaries as needed. The St. Spyridon Center will help coordinate nearby housing. Paying for living expenses is primarily done through fundraising. If your organization allows you to remain on staff for this sabbatical program, then you will continue to do fundraising and be paid as normal. If not, you can ask your mission partners to transfer their donations to the St. Spyridon Center via the Xavier Mission Fund and come on staff this way for the duration of your sabbatical. If you are new to fundraising or do not want to be paid for your sabbatical (i.e. enter into the program as a student/volunteer) then you can simply ask mission partners to give money to you directly (this type of donation would not be tax-deductible), or simply pay for your expenses from your own pocket.
- What is the schedule? (Coming soon)
Application Process
To apply, or for any questions, please fill out the inquiry below and we will be in touch. We will be conducting interviews on a rolling basis beginning in March. The cap for this first year is between 6 and 8 people.
We are looking for a priest/chaplain to be available for this program, so if you are a priest, or know of one, please reach out if this is something you would be interested in helping with for a time.
St. Spyridon Center 