About Sabbaticals
QCPPA encourages principals to access their professional renewal entitlements to grow in knowledge, skills and leadership capabilities, as well as attend to their spiritual formation as a leader of a Catholic school community.
Each diocese has its own process for accessing this fund and time, and we encourage principals to enquire.
Hear from some of our principals about their professional renewal leave experiences.
Title: A “Do It Yourself” Guide Following the Path of Ignatian Spirituality.
We constructed this DIY Sabbatical in 2016. It was approved at the time by BCEC and its content still holds true today. It is based around following the development of St Ignatius of Loyola and his subsequent interaction with Jesuit Spirituality. Much it was reflecting on and visiting sites that were influential on St Ignatius and his life.
Accommodation and travel expenses were organised privately as opposed to using a provider, but this worked out well and gave us flexibility as we moved to different venues. This movement was not in chronological order based on Ignatius’ activities, but was based on travel expediency. This did not affect what we saw and did.
Camino and Saints Tour of Italy – Gavin Rick 2023
My wife and I wanted to experience being a pilgrim, as the early Christians did. We therefore embarked on one of the many routes of the Camino de Santiago, Spain.
Our pilgrimage was organised by Glenyce of Wandering the World. To find out more click here Wandering the World – Spain.
We chose to walk from Sarria to Santiago, some 127km over 6 days. With a day backpack and our private accommodation booked, we took our time walking at our own pace each day. Our luggage was taken to our accommodation each night.
The encounters with other pilgrims and the spectacular ancient paths and countryside made for a healing and soul-refreshing wander. The walk is dotted with cafes and towns to refresh along the way.
The entry into Santiago, and the arrival in front of St James’s Cathedral was a moment I will remember and cherish forever. Attending the pilgrim’s mass with the iconic ritual of swinging the famous botafumeiro of Santiago de Compostela Cathedral topped it off for us.
Italy is full of Catholic heritage and history as well as a place of splendid beauty. For this reason, we embarked on a Saints Tour of Italy. We visited Florence and the Tuscan countryside, Rome and the Amalfi Coast. We based our tour on one developed by the Tasmanian principals, led by their Bishop.
The experience had three main sectors:
- The first was based around Barcelona in Spain. From there we took local trains to Montserrat (pictured) and Manresa. The spectacular Cathedral at the Monastery of Santa Maria de Monserrat was where Ignatius laid his sword on the altar and vowed to give up his former life. It and the caces where he lived in Manresa are easily accessed from Barcelona.
- We then moved into Basque country and based ourselves in the beautiful seaside city of San Sebastian (Donostia) . From here by driver, hire car or local transport you can visit
– The San Ignatio de Loyola Monument in Pamplona which celebrates
where Ignatius journey to a new spirituality began.
– The Sanctuary of Loyola which is focussed on his birthplace.
While in San Sebastian we also took the opportunity to use their
splendid, serene cathedrals (especially the Basilica of Santa Maria) to read and reflect on (and practice) some of the aspects of Ignatian spiriuality. Try “Just Call Me Lopez” by Margaret Silf (Loyola Press: Chicago: 2012) - For the final stop, we moved to Lisbon and visited the Church and Museum of Sao Roque. Promoting instruments in Jesuit formation, the museum is excellent and the spectacular cathedral has six separate chapels including The Chapel of St John the Baptist and one honouring St Francis Xavier. A fitting end to the program…
All in all, a very worthwhile experience.
The Monastery of Santa Maria de Montserrat
Presented by Trevor Doyle – Former Area Supervisor & Senior Leader (Brisbane Catholic Education).
Title: A “Do It Yourself” Guide Following the Path of Ignatian Spirituality.
We constructed this DIY Sabbatical in 2016. It was approved at the time by BCEC and its content still holds true today. It is based around following the development of St Ignatius of Loyola and his subsequent interaction with Jesuit Spirituality. Much it was reflecting on and visiting sites that were influential on St Ignatius and his life.
Accommodation and travel expenses were organised privately as opposed to using a provider, but this worked out well and gave us flexibility as we moved to different venues. This movement was not in chronological order based on Ignatius’ activities, but was based on travel expediency. This did not affect what we saw and did.
Camino and Saints Tour of Italy – Gavin Rick 2023
My wife and I wanted to experience being a pilgrim, as the early Christians did. We therefore embarked on one of the many routes of the Camino de Santiago, Spain.
Our pilgrimage was organised by Glenyce of Wandering the World. To find out more click here Wandering the World - Spain.
We chose to walk from Sarria to Santiago, some 127km over 6 days. With a day backpack and our private accommodation booked, we took our time walking at our own pace each day. Our luggage was taken to our accommodation each night.
The encounters with other pilgrims and the spectacular ancient paths and countryside made for a healing and soul-refreshing wander. The walk is dotted with cafes and towns to refresh along the way.
The entry into Santiago, and the arrival in front of St James’s Cathedral was a moment I will remember and cherish forever. Attending the pilgrim's mass with the iconic ritual of swinging the famous botafumeiro of Santiago de Compostela Cathedral topped it off for us.
Italy is full of Catholic heritage and history as well as a place of splendid beauty. For this reason, we embarked on a Saints Tour of Italy. We visited Florence and the Tuscan countryside, Rome and the Amalfi Coast. We based our tour on one developed by the Tasmanian principals, led by their Bishop.
The experience had three main sectors:
- The first was based around Barcelona in Spain. From there we took local trains to Montserrat (pictured) and Manresa. The spectacular Cathedral at the Monastery of Santa Maria de Monserrat was where Ignatius laid his sword on the altar and vowed to give up his former life. It and the caces where he lived in Manresa are easily accessed from Barcelona.
- We then moved into Basque country and based ourselves in the beautiful seaside city of San Sebastian (Donostia) . From here by driver, hire car or local transport you can visit
– The San Ignatio de Loyola Monument in Pamplona which celebrates
where Ignatius journey to a new spirituality began.
– The Sanctuary of Loyola which is focussed on his birthplace.
While in San Sebastian we also took the opportunity to use their
splendid, serene cathedrals (especially the Basilica of Santa Maria) to read and reflect on (and practice) some of the aspects of Ignatian spiriuality. Try “Just Call Me Lopez” by Margaret Silf (Loyola Press: Chicago: 2012) - For the final stop, we moved to Lisbon and visited the Church and Museum of Sao Roque. Promoting instruments in Jesuit formation, the museum is excellent and the spectacular cathedral has six separate chapels including The Chapel of St John the Baptist and one honouring St Francis Xavier. A fitting end to the program…
All in all, a very worthwhile experience.
The Monastery of Santa Maria de Montserrat