Emmaus Encounter has a combination of different learning formats, a small-group cohort, and 1-1 mentor relationships. We hope you’ll see the value of different formats and styles and investing in your formation. An investment in your faith formation is one that returns a hundredfold, as you can never exhaust the riches and wonders of the eternal truths of our faith! 

On the road to Emmaus, Jesus intentionally walked alongside the disciples. He explained things to them when they had questions, he helped them understand more and go deeper in their knowledge of Him and formation in the faith. They didn’t even understand right away – it wasn’t until later that they recognized Him in the breaking of the bread. Despite this, He patiently walked alongside them on the whole journey, helping them to grow. This is one model of how we can walk with others in their faith journey and it’s an excellent one to emulate as we intentionally look to grow in our own formation and form those on our ministry teams.

"The Jubilee calls for us to set out on a journey...When we travel, we do not only change place physically, but we also change ourselves." -Theme 1: The Jubilee Year, cccb.ca

Emmaus Encounter is an opportunity to intentionally set out on pilgrimage during this Jubilee Year and experience personal and communal renewal. The Jubilee Year is a time where we are invited to “gain deeper awareness of our call to journey together as pilgrims” and “to reflect on pilgrimage as an essential component of Jubilee.” The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has used the Scripture passage of the Road to Emmaus to reflect on this aspect of pilgrimage and we have chosen the same Scripture as the same foundation for this program to draw out the same spirit of pilgrimage.

The cohort will consist of 15 people maximum to ensure that each person receives a mentor and to maintain a community-like atmosphere. We thank all those who take the time to apply for this program. Successful applicants will be notified by May 2, and upon acceptance more details will be provided to guide next steps.

Franciscan at Home is an online learning tool from the Catechetical Institute of the Franciscan University of Steubenville. It offers excellent formation at your own pace through short videos (5-15 minutes) that encourage reflection and response. The program is designed to be completed with the support of a Lay Formation team mentor who provides guidance throughout your journey.

The pastor or assistant pastor is required to fill out a brief recommendation form and commit to three check-ins with you during the program. This is especially important for the capstone portion, which will involve your ministry team at the parish level. A check-in template will be provided by your Lay Formation team mentor.

We advise setting aside 2 – 4 hours per week to complete the online portions of the program and participate in mentorship check-ins. See full schedule.

The cost of the program (including the weekend retreat)* is $650. Some parishes may wish to cover a portion of the program cost – this can be indicated on the pastor form which is found on the application page. The total program cost of $650 will only be payable once your space in the program has been confirmed (you will be notified about your acceptance and asked to pay the fee by May 2). 

*Program cost includes all expenses for the weekend retreat, based on a double occupancy room. There are a limited number of single occupancy rooms which are available on a first-come, first-serve basis at an additional cost.

The retreat and supplemental workshops are key components to the program as they allow for formation alongside your cohort peers and bring greater depth to the online learning portion of the program. For this reason, it’s important that you attend all the dates. You’ll be asked to confirm this on the application form. If you cannot attend all the dates, we encourage you to still apply and note any conflicts on your application in the field provided.