Mantle of Elijah

Why the Name Mantle of Elijah?

We are all aware that a mantle was the outer cloak worn by adults in the ancient world.  The term has become synonymous with offering protection and positions of leadership.  We know the scripture passage about the passing of the mantle from Elijah to Elisha from the Second Book of Kings.  We are all familiar with prayers that ask for us to be kept under the mantle of God's power and protection.   The image of passing or bestowing the mantle from one person to another is an image of giving and receiving wisdom, sharing of authority, or the bestowal of an identity.  As experienced priest-pastors are called forth and trained as Mentors for their dioceses they become equipped with a vision of formation that is personal.  It is one that establishes a one-on-one relationship which engenders trust and opens avenues for personal and priestly growth.   Elijah left his mantle to Elisha so that Elisha could draw on the wisdom and spirit of his Mentor in order to continue to serve the People.  So this program seeks to empower priest mentors to pass on their wisdom and experience to a new generation of priests and for the service of the People of God.

Where Did This Program Come From?

In its origins, a group of mature priests gathered to tell their stories of supporting the recently ordained and the pitfalls or successes they encountered in so doing. The spirit of life emanating from these men led to a recognition that a gold-mine existed in the wisdom these servants brought to priestly identity and pastoral excellence.  Within a short year of collecting stories, a structure of training priest mentors emerged that has served as the foundation of the priest-mentor training seminar known as the Mantle of Elijah. This training calls forth the best from priests who are soon to be mentors and focuses their attention on methods of support, encouragement, and challenge.

In the Bishop's pastoral on the ongoing formation of priests, the Mantle of Elijah represents one segment of the proposal to secure the goal of becoming life-long learners. The Mantle of Elijah encourages dioceses to consider the art of mentoring as a crucial component in a priest's ongoing formation. It is the hope of the Mantle program that mentoring will affect higher rates of stability and satisfaction for priests in transition such as newly ordained priests, newly appointed pastors, and recently arrived international priests. The program desires to affect higher rates of stability and satisfaction in a changing church landscape that calls priests into new collaborative ministerial relationships and new systems of delivery.

The Mantle program is an effort to integrate the formation dimensions of Spiritual development, Pastoral development, Intellectual development, and Human development as a priest moves into a new phase of his life. The mentor does not replace the Spiritual Director or the other coaches he may have in his personal and/ or professional life. Rather, he works alongside those to help integrate these new experiences into the protégé's priestly identity.

Contact Us
Vatican II Institute
(Located on the grounds of St. Patrick's Seminary)
320 Middlefield Rd.
Menlo Park, CA 94025

Rev. Jim Myers, S.S.
(650) 325-9122
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