Hosting FAQs

Hosting an Endow Group does not require any special degree, qualifications or credentials. Expert knowledge of the Catholic faith is not necessary—your role as the host is to accompany women, facilitate meaningful discussions, and foster a supportive community where women can learn. The study itself serves as the expert and is designed to lead your group through the material. Trust in God’s guidance and the Endow team to help you host with confidence and compassion. Please read our brief Host How-To Guide to help start your journey. 

Yes, absolutely! Some Endow women find that co-hosting is a great way to share this beautiful experience. A co-host can help with organizing, leading discussions, or handling the logistics of the group. This allows you to focus on your areas of strength, whether it’s facilitating conversation, offering hospitality, or guiding prayer. Working together allows each of you to support each other, exchange ideas, and create an even more enriching experience for your group members. Plus, it’s a wonderful way to build friendships and grow in faith together as co-hosts! 

Begin by praying to the Holy Spirit to place women in your heart, mind, and on your path who would benefit from Endow. Write down the names of women as they are revealed to you. When reaching out to women, face-to-face or phone calls work best for a more personal invitation, but emails and texts can work, too. 

Options for forming a new group: 

• Suggest an Endow study to an existing book club, prayer or Bible study group 
• Connect with Endow Women in your area who are also interested in joining a group 

• Find women through your parish or other Catholic churches; contact the parish religious education coordinator about starting a parish group or about the possibility of an established women’s group joining you. 

• Post a message on Nextdoor inviting Catholic women in your area to join your group 

• Start a virtual group with friends or relatives who may not live in your area. 

• Plan a virtual study and post an invitation on a Catholic Facebook group or other online platform. 

Invite moms to attend a weekly meeting after drop-off or before pick-up (if you have school-aged children). 

If you’re just starting with Endow, we recommend beginning with our most popular and foundational study, Letter to Women. Written to all women of the world for the occasion of the 1995 Fourth United Nations Conference on Women, this letter, written by Pope St. John Paul II, is the perfect introduction to the Christian concept of woman and her indispensable role in the Church, the family, society, and the world. 

For groups seeking something specific, we offer studies on the writings and lives of the saints, Our Blessed Mother, Catholic Social Teaching, and the Holy Rosary among others. If you’re unsure, browse our Complete Endow Library and download Chapter 1 of any Endow study for free. 

No. Endow studies vary in content, length, rigor, and format. Thankfully, our Endow Leadership Guide is a helpful, planning resource, no matter which study you choose! Aside from that, the study itself is all you need to facilitate a fruitful Endow experience.  

A welcoming environment where women feel comfortable praying, sharing, learning, and growing in faith together is the best place to gather your Endow group. This could be a woman’s home, at your parish, at a coffee shop, or a library, provided it meets these criteria. Each of these spaces offers unique advantages, such as the intimacy of a home environment, the sacred atmosphere of a parish setting, the relaxed ambiance of a coffee shop, or the serene surroundings of a library.  

Groups that do not share the same general location can choose to meet virtually. If this option appeals to you, be sure to check out the short module on Tips for Effective Online Endow Meetings. 

A sample agenda for an Endow meeting is listed below. Please adjust this schedule based on the needs of your group. 

Staggered Arrival/Socializing – Dedicate time for socializing before the meeting begins. 

7:00-7:15pm – Opening Prayer – Meeting begins. Start each meeting with prayer, inviting the presence, participation and guidance of the Holy Spirit. You can also ask women to share prayer intentions and recite the Prayer for Priests during this time or at the end of the meeting. 

7:15-8:45pm – Read Aloud and Discuss – This is where the group should spend most of their time. We recommend a balance between reading and discussion. If the discussion is rich and fruitful, do not be afraid to allow more time for discussion. If the discussion veers off course and becomes unproductive, feel empowered to gently yet firmly call the women back to the study.  

8:45-9:00pm – Closing Prayer– Invite the women to reiterate earlier prayer intentions or to add any reflections or intentions that were prompted by what you just read. Recite the Prayer for Priests here, unless it was done at the start. To ensure your meeting ends on time, let each woman know how long they have to share their intentions. 

Socializing/Goodbyes – Dedicate time for socializing after the meeting ends. Those craving fellowship and deepened connections (the Marys) may linger behind while those with many undone tasks (the Marthas) will be grateful that you stuck to the schedule! 

Review the suggested agenda above.  

• Prior to each meeting, send reminders via text or email on the meeting start time and communicate clear (but positive) expectations regarding punctuality and participation. 

• Establish a routine including time for socializing, opening prayer, reading, discussion, and closing prayer as participants like to know what to expect.  

• Gently guide the group back on track if discussions veer off course. “I could chat with you gals all night, but let’s dig into the study now.” 

Be willing to allow the group to linger on a topic if the discussion is fruitful and life-giving. When the Holy Spirit is on the move, it is best not to get in His way, even if that means you are not able to complete that chapter that week. You can always pick up where you left off next time. Flexibility and discretion are key! 

Encourage each group member to participate in the following ways: 

1. Build trust by making it clear that anything shared by another member is considered confidential and should not be shared outside the group. 

2. Invite everyone to contribute during each conversation—not necessarily to each question. 

3. Always address women by name when asking them to respond to a question or to add on to another woman’s response.  

4. Actively listen to participants and affirm their responses when appropriate, demonstrating that the group is a safe place to share. 

5. Encourage quiet reflection and personal journaling; some women may feel more comfortable expressing themselves through writing first to clarify their thoughts before sharing aloud. 

6. For participants who may be hesitant to open up, begin with a low-pressure approach by inviting women to share a single word or phrase that resonated with them from the reading. 

7. Model vulnerability by sharing your own thoughts, questions, and struggles, but be mindful not to take on the “teacher” role.  

If you notice a woman consistently hesitating to participate, follow up with her privately. Offer to listen to her thoughts or concerns one-on-one and provide additional support as needed. 

While having women of similar ages and life stages can foster relatability and shared experiences, diversity within the group can also enrich the study experience. Different ages, perspectives, and life experiences can lead to greater insight into the text and deeper discussions. Our studies are designed for women of all ages. Ultimately, the most important factor is creating a supportive environment where all women feel valued and respected, regardless of age or state in life. 

Endow studies are written for women 18 and older. For younger women under the age of 18, Endow offers studies for middle school and high school. We also offer a bilingual Quinceañera formation program. 

Yes. Endow studies are designed for each woman to have her own copy, so they can interact with the text, take notes, circle, highlight, underline, easily read aloud, and answer the questions directly in their books. They can also return to it for reflection after each session as well as after their study ends. Having their own copy allows women to personalize their study experience and fully immerse themselves in the material. 

1. Challenge: Women reading the material prior to the meeting. 
   We recommend that women do not read the material before the meeting. By inviting the Holy Spirit through prayer and reading the material aloud together for the first time, participants may gain insights and inspirations that could be missed if read individually beforehand. Reading the material aloud during the meeting can evoke an incarnational experience. During the meeting, the group engages in a dialogue with the words of the Church or the words of the saints, fostering a deeper connection that may be missed if the text is read ahead of time. 

2. Challenge: Socializing too long. 
   Women attend Endow groups for both formation and fellowship. The fellowship naturally grows from Endow’s formational studies; however, if study time is limited due to extended time socializing, the purpose for the meetings may be lost, which could negatively impact attendance and commitment. Set expectations ahead of time regarding the schedule. We recommend building in social time both before and after the meeting to accommodate those who like to socialize a bit longer. 

3. Challenge: The “Oversharer.” 
   At times, you may encounter a woman who has an answer for every question and the expertise to solve every problem. While it’s wonderful to have a participant who is highly engaged, an “oversharer” typically crowds out the quieter participants and can make the group uncomfortable for some. The Endow host must gently manage the “oversharer” to maintain balance within the group. You can use a simple phrase to redirect: “Mary, thank you for sharing your insights about ________. Kate, what do you think?” Additionally, at one of your first meetings, consider coaching  participants to offer advice only if they are specifically asked for it. 

4. Challenge: The discussion goes off track. 
   If the discussion veers off topic, gently guide it back by reminding participants of the study’s focus. Encourage them to relate personal anecdotes or questions back to the main theme. Emphasize the importance of staying on track to ensure everyone benefits from the study’s content. Redirect by saying: “How does Sarah’s comment relate to what JP II is saying in this passage?” 

5. Challenge: The material is difficult. 
   Endow studies can be challenging, but the Endow method is designed to make the material accessible to woman of all ages and educational backgrounds. The questions are meant to be explored and answered through the collective intelligence and experience of the group, not by any one participant. Together, the women work through the material, helping each other gain a deeper understanding of these rich Church documents. 

6. Challenge: Frequent absences. 
   Absences are unavoidable and will occur; however, there are best practices to ensure regular attendance: 
   • Be Proactive:  
     • When setting up your group, clearly communicate the dates and times and encourage participants to prioritize this commitment. 
     • Ask women to communicate with the group if they cannot attend.  
     • Remind women that the group is committed to each other and not simply to a study. 
   • Maintain Connection:  
     • Utilize group text chats, emails, or social media platforms to maintain connections between meetings, share inspirational quotes, scripture, reflections on the study and prayer requests to keep everyone connected.  
     • Sharing reflections from the last meeting can help absent members feel included and engaged.  
     • Send individual messages of support to women who may be struggling and need the extra nudge to attend. 

Pope St. John Paul II advises handling conflict with wisdom and grace, emphasizing the potential benefits of conflict when grounded in the pursuit of truth.

• He suggests finding the kernel of truth within the conflict and building upon that.  
• In the presence of a clear falsehood, hosts should address it directly but respectfully, acknowledging its inaccuracy.  
• Maintain respect for the other person, even amidst tension, and refrain from leaving the discussion or room.  
• To navigate forward, consider a phrase like, “Let’s pause this discussion here, keep moving through the study, and come back to this topic later,” to gracefully redirect the conversation. 
• Emphasize the importance of maintaining a spirit of love and unity, even amidst differences of opinion. 

Embrace challenging questions as opportunities for growth and exploration. If you’re unsure how to respond, acknowledge that and offer to research the topic further. Either during or after the meeting, a quick Google search leading to a reputable Catholic site can answer many questions. You could also ask a parish priest for some guidance. If you still cannot find the answer, please send your question to the Endow team at [email protected]. Once you have found an answer, follow up with your group via email and/or at the next meeting. 

It’s normal to feel nervous when trying something new, especially when leading a discussion on a topic that feels challenging or unfamiliar. These feelings often arise because, when the task at hand is important, we care deeply about doing a good job. As the host, you’re not expected to have all the answers. Instead, see yourself as the facilitator, bringing women together for the opportunity to learn and grow in Christ. Be sure to communicate this to your group. 

Navigating a challenging discussion is a beautiful opportunity to practice humility – be honest from the start and admit if you don’t know something. Trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit and rely on the content of the study, which should be viewed as the group’s primary teacher. The collective wisdom of the group can often fill in any gaps, as each woman contributes her unique insights and experiences to the discussion. 

If a question arises that no one can answer, simply acknowledge it and offer to research an answer. If your search doesn’t provide clarity, feel free to reach out to the Endow team ([email protected]) for further information or guidance. 

An aspect of the feminine genius is our motherhood- biological and spiritual – and we are called to live out this gift. As a way for Endow women to rebuild the Church and entrust her priests to Jesus through Mary, Endow encourages each of its groups to spiritually adopt a priest! The cards can be used during the meeting (either during the opening or closing prayer) to pray for our priests. 

If you have any questions or concerns not addressed here, please schedule a host mentor call via phone or Zoom. We’re here to support you in your hosting journey!