2026-2027 Sponsor Formation Program

Getting Started: Key Actions Before March

Welcome to the Sponsor Formation Program 2026-2027.

To prepare for our first session, please complete the following:

  • Ensure foundational knowledge of Catholic health care and sponsorship. Prior to beginning the Sponsor Formation Program, it is important to have a foundational understanding of the Catholic faith, Catholic health care and corporate structures. One of the program’s requirements is that participants are grounded in these core areas. This can be accomplished through your supporting system or by enrolling in the CHA Foundations of Catholic Health Care Leadership Program. We recommend completing this foundational preparation prior to our first session in March.
  • Engage with the self-paced Sponsor Journey learning series to gain an initial understanding of the ministry of sponsorship, its definition, responsibilities and models. Each session includes short videos, reflection questions, scripture and supporting resources. During our orientation session, we will revisit this content and provide you with an opportunity to share your initial insights or questions. A CHA web login is required to access this series. If you need assistance, contact the CHA Service Center.
  • Meet with your Conversation Partner. Your ministry will recommend a Conversation Partner to accompany you throughout the program. We encourage you to schedule your first meeting with them before session one in March 2026. This first conversation is a valuable opportunity to ask questions, share insights and express any concerns as you begin the program. As the program progresses, Conversation Partners will receive session summaries to help guide meaningful discussions and support your journey.
  • Build a community by creating your participant profile. We invite you to complete a participant profile and ask that you send a JPEG photo of yourself to Brenda Hudson. We will create a photo roster of participants, which will help us stay engaged with one another.

FOUNDATIONS

SPONSOR JOURNEY

Program Schedule

  • Orientation: Foundations of Sponsorship
    Feb. 11 or 17, 2026
    1 to 2:30 pm ET
  • Session One: The Call to Serve
    March 18 to 20, 2026
  • Session Two: To Serve Within the Church 
    Oct. 7 to 9, 2026
  • Session Three: Living our Tradition
    March 17 to 19, 2027
  • Session Four: Companions on the Journey
    Oct. 6 to 8, 2027
Note: All in-person sessions begin at 4 p.m. on Wednesday and conclude at 11 a.m. Friday.

Between Sessions

During intervals between in-person sessions, participants will gather for one-hour Zoom calls to further explore session themes on the following dates:

  • June 30, 2026 
  • Dec. 1, 2026 
  • June 17, 2027 

Program Overview

Feb. 2026 to Oct. 2027

CHA's Sponsor Formation Program for Catholic Health Care prepares individuals for service as members of Juridic Persons to carry out the health ministry of the Catholic Church. In addition to a rich grounding in the theological and canonical principles that apply to all sponsorship models, CHA's formation program offers participants opportunities for spiritual development personally and as members of a community that share a deep commitment to advancing Jesus' healing mission in the world today.

The program consists of four two-day sessions in the fall and spring. Gatherings focus on developing and enhancing critical competencies for sponsorship through a combination of reflection, participant involvement, group interaction, and presentations by nationally recognized ministry leaders and speakers. After each in-person meeting, participants will join a virtual session to continue the conversation, share reflections, and explore insights from their in-person experience.

The curriculum weaves biblical, theological, and spiritual aspects of sponsorship ministry into a model that incorporates adult learning methods within a framework of ministry formation. Participants are expected to fully engage in a formational experience that enables them to articulate and integrate the foundational elements of Catholic healthcare sponsorship.

The purpose of the program is to prepare individuals for the role of sponsor by enabling them to articulate, integrate, and implement the foundational elements of Catholic health care sponsorship.

Download the Brochure

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.
ACTS 2:1-4
New American Bible, Revised Edition