The Fidelis Program
The heart and fullness of Fidelis is a parish sponsored multigenerational program inviting girls in grades 6-12 into sisterhood with women, young and old, leading each other to Christ.
Fidelis is in complete communion with the Roman Catholic Church and shares the beauty of her teachings with women and girls through our program materials. With the intent on capturing the heart of a young woman, we use our Fidelis Program books, media clips, activities, and games to teach virtue, all in the context of mentorship and sisterhood. Fidelis draws girls into the heart of the Church by connecting discussions on virtue to the Sunday Mass readings, the Catechism, and lives of the Saints. These lessons come to life during weekly Fidelis Nights, Ceremonies, three seasonal Retreats, and our summer Inspire trip where Chapters from around the country gather. The pinnacle of the program is Coronation, where a Fidelis Sister or Mentor chooses to publicly accepts the invitation to a life of Virtue.
Fidelis is all about "mentoring the mentor." Not everyone is a certified Catechist and not everyone feels equipped to guide young women, but we are all called to lead the next generation. So, Fidelis aims to equip the mentors with all they need to feel confident to share themselves with the other women and young ladies in a parish community. We do so with an initial in person training, weekly mentor emails with all they need for the upcoming weekly meeting, and a monthly formation via zoom, as well as by offering programming for them at Inspire - our week long Adventure Retreat. Our goal is to empower the women in the parish to live out their feminine genius by journeying alongside each other from Sisters to Saints®! We are not an "out of the box" program, but a real sisterhood made up of real women who are anxious to serve you, your mentors, and the young ladies of your community!
FIDELIS NIGHTS
Fidelis chapters gather weekly to study one of the virtues. Each Fidelis Night includes sharing a meal, playing a game, viewing a media clip related to the virtue, a King's Message given by a mentor, small group time to discuss the virtue and how to apply it in our daily lives, and then ends in Night Prayer.
Virtue
Over the course of the year, we study each virtue in 1-2 units, each unit consisting of 3-5 weeks of content. We focus on one virtue for a few weeks at a time so the girls can dive into the beauty of each virtue and how it applies to their lives.
The King's Message
Mentors sign up a few weeks in advance to give The King's Message, which is a short talk and personal testimony about that week's virtue in action. We send out content for each lesson ahead of time so that mentors have time to study the virtue, pray about their talk, and prepare the King's Message.
Small Groups
Mentors lead small groups with assistance from the Fidelis book. With guided questions and thoughts from the saints, the girls have the opportunity to dive more deeply into the virtue and discuss with their sisters how they plan to work on the virtue that week.
CEREMONIES
Initiation - Accolade - Coronation
Ceremony is the necessary outcome of the twofold nature of man, intellectual and sensible, on account of which, as St. Thomas Aquinas says (Contra Gentiles, III, cxix), he must pay God a twofold adoration, one spiritual, which consists in the interior devotion of the soul, the other corporal, which manifests itself in the outward form of worship, for there is no inward sentiment or feeling which man is not wont to express outwardly by some suitable gesture or action.
RETREATS
Truth - Beauty - Goodness
Retreats are vital part of the Fidelis program, which is why we offer content and guidance for 3 retreats each year. Retreats offer an opportunity to escape from the day-to-day, while spending more concentrated and quality time with Our Lord and our Fidelis Sisters.
SERVICE
Encounter - Friendship - Love
As women, we are created to give of our bodies in love for the protection, growth and nourishment of another. Only through the labor of a woman can a uniquely human soul be brought into the world, a soul created for Heaven. This is uniquely feminine, yet mirrors the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross, as He gave of His Body for the salvation of souls.
It is through our sacrificial service for others that we can bring souls to Christ for Eternity, therefore Service is a key component of the Fidelis Sisterhood.
MENTOR
FORMATION
Investment - Formation - Sisterhood
One of the goals of Fidelis is to “Mentor the Mentor.” We want to be able to equip the Fidelis Lady with resources and support she needs to effectively guide and mentor the Fidelis Sisters in her Chapter.
We do this in multiple ways:
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New Chapter Training
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Ongoing Mentor Formation
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The Weekly Fidelis Mentor Email
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Resource Site
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Director of Mentorship
INSPIRE
Fidelis chapters from across the country gather annually for a week of summer fun in the mountains of East Tennessee. By offering the Sacraments, outdoor activities, small group time, and more, this weeklong camp and retreat is the perfect opportunity for Fidelis sisters to grow in virtue and sisterhood.
Prayer
By beginning and ending each session in prayer, attending daily Mass, Adoration and offering Confession throughout the week, Inspire remains sacramentally focused so that the sisters learn how to live lives of prayer.
Sisterhood
Fidelis sisters grow in community by praying together, learning together, participating in activities and games, spending time in small groups, and sharing meals together.
Adventure
Our days are jam-packed with fun-filled activities including ziplining, whitewater rafting*, ropes courses, swimming, hiking, outdoor recreation, crafts, and more. There is an activity for everyone!