Governance and Leadership

Dual Accountability

  • Each formation stream is overseen by a specific governing body responsible for theological standards, program fidelity, and accreditation.

    • ACU La Salle Academy: Governs the Spiritus Leader Formation stream.

    • Spiritus Youth Ministry International (SYMI): Governs the Spiritus Youth Ministry stream (formerly CSYMI).

    The Spiritus International Council exercises non-executive canonical stewardship to safeguard the movement's charism. Unlike the governing bodies, it holds no academic, operational, or financial authority. Instead, it ensures the ACU La Salle Academy and Spiritus Youth Ministry International Board remain faithful to the Spiritus vision and Church doctrine.

  • Spiritus Youth Ministry International acts as the competent governing body for the youth ministry stream. Its specific responsibilities include:

    • Stewardship of Methodology: Overseeing the "Four-Phase Curriculum Model" and youth formation pathways.

    • Program and resource Development: Managing youth ministry programs resources, events (such as SHINE, LEAD, and ILLUMINATE), and staff training.

    • Certification: Spiritus Youth Ministry Educators

    • Licensing: Issuing organizational authorisations via Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) to schools or systems wishing to implement the program.

  • The ACU La Salle Academy exercises international executive and academic governance over the Spiritus Leader Formation stream. It provides strategic leadership and theological oversight to ensure fidelity to the Spiritus charism.

    Key responsibilities include:

    • Program Stewardship: Designing and delivering formation pathways (Parts 1–3).

    • Accreditation: Authorizing individual leaders who demonstrate competency to deliver programs.

    • Quality Assurance: Establishing formation standards and evaluating mission impact.

    • Partnerships: Overseeing collaborations with dioceses and universities.

    Click here to learn more about the role of the ACU La Salle Academy

  • While SYMI and ACU handle the "what" and "how" of formation, the Host Organisation (a local civil entity such as a diocese or system) manages the legal and financial "vehicle" for delivery. This includes staffing, human resources, insurance, and local safeguarding compliance. This separation ensures that the governing bodies remain focused on the charism without being entangled in the varying civil liabilities of different countries.

    Click here to learn more.

  • The Moderator is the canonical leader of Spiritus, entrusted with the stewardship of the movement’s charism. Serving as the ex officio Chair of the Spiritus International Council, the Moderator convenes meetings and fosters ecclesial communion across all formation streams and regions. While the role is non-executive and does not involve operational, financial, or academic authority, the Moderator facilitates dialogue between Spiritus and the Church’s hierarchy. Key responsibilities include ensuring fidelity to the Spiritus vision, confirming leadership appointments, and accompanying the movement’s development in new regions.

    Click here to learn more about the role and responsibilities of the Moderator/s

    The Spiritus International Council exercises ecclesial stewardship of the Spiritus charism in accordance with the Statutes and under the authority of the competent ecclesial authority. This stewardship is distinct from executive, academic, operational, civil, and financial governance.

    Click here to learn more

Meet the Spiritus Youth Ministry

International Board

  • Peter Woods

    Founding Director and Chair

  • Michael Exton

    Principal, St Ignatius College

  • Matt de Dassel

    Lead, School Evangelisation, Mission Services, Catholic Schools Office, Lismore

  • Monica O'Brien

    Head of Curriculum and Assessment at Catholic Schools NSW, overseeing educational standards, policy development, and assessment.

  • Elizabeth Keogh

    Deputy Principal, Mission Mt Lilydale Mercy College, Lilydale

  • Susan van Zyl

    Deputy Principal at Aquinas College in Tauranga. Hamilton Diocese New Zealand

  • Lorraine Willis

    Principal, Catholic College Wodonga

Professor Br David Hall fms is the Dean of ACU La Salle Academy which serves as the international governing body for the Spiritus Leader Formation stream. It exercises full executive, academic, and strategic oversight to ensure programs remain faithful to the Spiritus charism and the mission of the Australian Catholic University.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Program Design and Stewardship: The Academy is responsible for the development, delivery, and quality assurance of the Leader Formation pathways, specifically Spiritus Parts 1–3.

  • Accreditation: It grants individual authorization to educators and leaders who demonstrate the competency required to deliver Spiritus programs.

  • Theological Oversight: It ensures all content maintains high theological standards and aligns with the Church’s magisterial teaching.

  • Systemic Implementation: The Academy partners with dioceses and Catholic education systems to embed evangelisation within professional leadership pathways.

  • Ecclesial Accountability: It provides narrative canonical reports to the Spiritus International Council regarding mission fidelity and doctrinal integrity.

While its primary focus is on forming educators and school leaders, the Academy collaborates closely with the Spiritus Youth Ministry International Board to support coordinated, whole-school evangelisation.

Spiritus Diocesan or Educational System Leadership

Where a school or diocese or education system, such as one founded by a religious order, begins to embrace the Spiritus vision and model, a suitable person working in the Catholic Education Schools Office in the area of evangelisation, mission formation and/or religious education needs to be appointed to act as a diocesan coordinator.

This person supports the implementation and development of Spiritus Youth Ministry and Spiritus Leader Formation and their respective programs within the diocese. They lead or support the organisation of combined school events. The Diocesan Coordinator/Project Officer is the person to whom SYMI or ACU La Salle Academy sends relevant information and communications related to programs.

The Spiritus Diocesan Coordinator/Project Officer works with school leaders implementing Spiritus Youth Formation and Leader Formation. School leaders should have regular opportunities to share and support each other in the various stages of the implementation and development of Spiritus.

School leaders wishing to implement various Spiritus programs need to make a commitment to ongoing professional learning and formation within the Spiritus Leaders Network. Diocesan and school leaders should seek to complete relevant online courses introducing and overviewing Spiritus.

The Moderator

The Moderator of Spiritus International is the single or joint ecclesial office entrusted with the canonical stewardship of the Spiritus charism and the service of communion within the international movement. Serving as the ex officio Chair of the Spiritus International Council, the Moderator convenes and presides over meetings characterized by prayer and synodal discernment.

The role is distinctly non-executive, meaning the Moderator does not intervene in the academic, operational, or financial governance managed by the formation stream governing bodies. Instead, the Moderator:

  • Fosters fidelity to the Spiritus vision and mission across diverse cultural contexts.

  • Facilitates dialogue between Spiritus and competent ecclesial authorities, such as local Bishops and the Holy See.

  • Confirms key leadership appointments and accompanies the movement's expansion into new regions.

  • Ensures the movement operates in faithful communion with the life and teaching of the Church.

The Spiritus International Council

  • The Council’s authority is strictly canonical and focused on the unity of vision and mission. It does not exercise the academic, civil, operational, or financial governance that remains the sole responsibility of the respective governing bodies

  • The Council ensures that the activities of both governing bodies remain faithful to the original Spiritus charism and the teachings of the Church across different cultures.

  • The Council receives narrative canonical reports from the governing bodies concerning mission fidelity and doctrinal integrity. However, it does not receive financial reports, which are submitted directly to competent ecclesial authorities.

  • The Council confirms key leadership appointments made by the governing bodies, such as National and Regional Coordinators, to ensure these leaders represent the charism appropriately in the canonical forum.

  • The Council resolves governance questions that may affect the unity of the charism between the two streams and offers advisory recommendations regarding the development of Spiritus in new regions.

  • The Moderator, who chairs the Council, facilitates ongoing dialogue between the governing bodies and the competent ecclesial authorities, such as local Bishops and the Holy See.

The Spiritus International Council serves as a non-executive, non-juridical canonical authority that provides stewardship over the movement’s charism without intervening in the day-to-day operations of the governing bodies.

The relationship between the Council and the governing bodies (ACU La Salle Academy and the Spiritus Youth Ministry International Board) is defined by the following key functions: