Mentor Training

The Institute for Priests and Presbyterates' Mentor Training Program trains seasoned pastors who have been chosen by their diocese to help recently ordained priests, newly appointed pastors and newly arrived international priests transition successfully into their new ministry assignments.

A well-trained mentor introduces the mentee to his new role and helps him avoid unnecessary obstacles and pitfalls. Training provides the mentor with advanced communication techniques and listening skills to help his "mentee" develop his "best self" for ministry. The fraternal bond that develops between the members of a mentoring relationship helps to build more unified presbyterates.

Contact the Institute for Priests and Presbyterates for more information and to schedule training for your diocese.

Training goals

The goals of mentor training are to:

• Help mentors define and understand their unique role

• Assist mentors differentiate the distinctive aspects of mentoring in comparison to other relationships, such as coaching, counseling and spiritual direction 

• Teach and develop specific communication skills for successful mentoring

• Provide additional resources and strategies for successful mentoring

Topics covered

Topics in the training program include:

• Shared reflections on pastoring

• Empathic listening 

• Modeling proactive vs. reactive behaviors

• Case studies and role-playing

• Your diocese's goals, expectations and processes for mentoring

Getting Started

If you are organizing your diocese's first priest-mentor program or restarting a stalled program, begin by downloading and completing our resource for Diocesan Mentor Program Directors.

Additional Information

Cost & Scheduling

Testimonials

Archdiocese of Denver

• "I think the mentor program is a good program. More convinced of this now than before I attended the training."
• "The resources that were presented - out of this world!"
• "I enjoyed the time and call to be part of this ministry."

Diocese of Kalamazoo

• "Great! To the point! I enjoyed it, learned a lot."
• "Overall it was a wonderful presentation on mentoring and it was worth spending the time."
• "I had the opportunity to be listened to in context of who I am as priest."

Diocese of Richmond

• "Good energy in the room with the priests. The conversation about the material was very fruitful and helped me to understand certain issues of which I had not been aware of previously."
• "We were given ideas on best practices which was great!"
• "Fr. Tom DiFolco was very good at facilitating our group - very effective."

Diocese of Savannah

• "Helped me to understand the importance of recognizing the mentoring moments in day to day interactions."
• "The program and discussion were excellent. It was very informational and I do feel better prepared for my role as a mentor. I pray this will be a benefit to our young priests making them more effective ministers to God's holy people."
• "A professional day that was grace."