Spring 2023 Courses
Course registration is still open, but classes are filling. If you’re considering taking a course with us this Spring, see directions below on how to register!
IMSD-601 – SD1: ART OF ACCOMPANIMENT
Tuesdays 7:45pm-9:00pm ET
Fr. Boniface Hicks, OSB
Take SD1 over the course of the semester and online in the Spring semester, or as an intensive 5-day course in-person in the summer. The participants will learn the foundational dynamics of spiritual direction through reading, lectures, and discussions. SD1 will serve as a foundation for those who wish to continue learning the practice of spiritual direction. It is also a stand-alone course for those who wish to learn the “art of accompaniment”.
IMSD-650 – SACRAMENTAL THEOLOGY & ECCLESIOLOGY
Wednesdays 6:30pm-7:45pm ET
Helene Paharik
This course gives an overview of sacramental theology and ecclesiology for the formation of spiritual directors. Through this course students will appropriate the doctrinal heritage of the Roman Catholic Church by developing a particular familiarity with Part II of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and they will also acquire the capacity to communicate this heritage.
IMSD-660 – MORAL THEOLOGY FOR SPIR. DIR.
Mondays 6:30pm-8:15pm ET
Dr. Michel Therrien
Spiritual directors are called to help Christinas grow in holiness. In this course, students will learn principles and applications of moral theology, with a special focus on the teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church Part III, that will assist them as spiritual directors to help their directees grow in the Christian life.
IMSD-696 – DIRECTED RETREAT
Arranged by Retreatant
A directed retreat of at least 8 days or the Ignatian 19th Annotation, taken after some introduction to the spiritual direction program. The retreat must be cleared with the Director of the Spiritual Direction program before registering. The student will be required to reflect on the retreat experience for credit in the course.
IMSD-698 – SPIRITUAL DIRECTION PRACTICUM II
This practicum enables students to grow in their practice of the art of spiritual direction under the supervision of a mentor. Building on lessons learned in IMSD-697 (pre-requisite), the student will meet with additional spiritual directees to expand their experience of offering spiritual direction. The mentor will meet regularly with students, one on one, to shape their practice of spiritual direction. The practicum also helps students to grow in self-awareness, sensitivity, compassion, and understanding, while being challenged to reflect on their faith understanding, theology, and experiences in relation to those to whom they minister. Evaluation will consist of verbatims, oral examination and written reflections at the discretion of the mentor.
IMSD-700 – PSYCHOLOGY FOR SPIRITUAL DIRECTORS
Tuesdays 6:00pm-7:15pm ET
Dr. Timothy Heck
In this course, students learn to recognize some basic psychopathology and to know when and how to refer directees to psychotherapy professionals. This course also covers some aspects of psychology that will be helpful for spiritual directors.
IMTH-710 – CHRISTIAN ANTHROPOLOGY
Tuesdays 7:00pm-9:00pm ET
Fr. Edward Mazich, OSB
*This course is required for the Catholic Theology Certificate*
This course presents a systematic study of the person and mission of Jesus Christ as found in Scripture and Tradition. It traces the historical developments of how the person of Christ came to be understood within the various theological traditions of the past and present. This course also examines the human person in the light of Christology , and focuses upon such themes as the fall and redemption, grace and freedom, and sin and conversion.
IMTH-746 – LOVE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
Thursdays 7:00pm-9:00pm ET
Helene Paharik
This course will explore the theme of love in the Gospels of Mark and Matthew, in Luke-Acts, in the Pauline corpus, and most especially in the Johannine literature through a semantic field study of the words and concepts affiliated with love. The notions of love in the Old Testament as well as in ancient Greek philosophy will be discussed. Students will examine commentaries across the ages including several from the Patristic era, Thomas Aquinas, and the more recent scholarship of Ceslas Spicq OP, Francis J. Moloney SDB, Pheme Perkins, Luke Timothy Johnson and others. This course will require students to write an exegetical paper engaging the tools and methodology of modern Catholic biblical study. At the conclusion of this course students will be better equipped to convey through their teaching, worship, and witness the essence of the life of a disciple: loving God and neighbor.
If you are currently enrolled as an IMF student, visit the student portal at mysv.stvincent.edu to register for next semester.
To apply and register as a first time student, click here.