Our mission
The mission of a Seton Teaching Fellow is to imitate the love of Christ the Teacher for students, families, and each other in underserved communities and beyond.
The STF program accompanies, develops, and challenges Fellows to live out this mission with fidelity and joy.
THE STF CHARISM
Our STF Charism is to lead an integrated life as an apostle of Christ the Teacher, learning from Him through imitating His life, just like the first apostles.
Relationship between our Mission and the STF Charism
Our charism is the character or personality by which we live out our mission. Our mission is WHAT we do, and our charism is HOW we do it.
Christ the Teacher
A teacher is someone who leads someone else to Truth. Fellows model their lives after Christ, the ultimate Teacher. To be good teachers, we must first be good students. As good students of Christ, we strive to imitate every facet of His way of life. Fellows model their lives after Christ, the ultimate Teacher, who is Love. This means we strive each day to be effective teachers, but also transcend our duty to teach by being a conduit of Christ’s love to each student. We model and teach children how to lead well-rounded and virtuous lives.
formation
Our Fellows are formed to lead an integrated life in community and in the apostolate of education. Fellows are centered in their identity as a son or daughter of God, which enables them to exemplify the love of Christ the Teacher in the world.
An integrated life means that every aspect of one’s life is touched by Christ’s teaching. To grow toward leading an integrated life, the STF program includes Integral Formation. Integral Formation invites Fellows to intentionally pursue Truth, Beauty, Goodness, Unity, and Fidelity. This formation empowers Fellows to love everyday on mission and beyond.
FORMATION STRUCTURES AND PROGRAMMING
All Fellows receive explicit and implicit formation in order to participate in an integrated life by:
- Intentional community living, often in the neighborhood of their placement school
- Intentional simple-living in a faith-based community with other Fellows
- An STF Rule of Life that grounds the unified missionary lifestyle all Fellows are expected to strive towards together within prayer, community, and the apostolate
- Service and professional development in the apostolate of Catholic education at an innovative Seton partner school
- One-on-one mentorship with a formator who knows the context of the STF mission and lifestyle
- Seminars, small groups, fellowship, and additional geographical service opportunities
- 3 annual retreats
- Connections to local partners (e.g. priests, religious, lay persons) who understand the context of the STF mission and lifestyle
- Support for post-STF discernment beyond the mission year
intellectual
Fellows are given regular opportunities to grow in conviction of matters of faith, morality, and Church teachings.
sacramental
Fellows have opportunities to nurture deep personal prayer lives and grow in relationship with Jesus Christ through weekly adoration, Mass, and other sacramental encounters.
communal
Fellows are encouraged to answer: Who am I in relation to self, God, and others? Community formation is grounded in agape love and a shared faith life.
apostolic
Fellows are charged with answering the call of the New Evangelization, to properly integrate faith with life, and to share Christ with others.
