IMCA-600: Principles of Prayer and Catholic Spirituality (2 credits)
The contemplative dimension of catechesis is necessary for fostering the proper disposition in the heart of the catechist. The catechist must be a person who knows Jesus Christ personally. “The heart of the mystery is the kerygma, and the kerygma is a person: Jesus Christ. Catechesis is a special space for fostering a personal encounter with Him.” Only one who knows Him can create “a special space for fostering a personal encounter with Him.” Furthermore, as the 2020 Directory for Catechesis states regarding the formation of catechists in 135a: “it is vital that the whole formative process be permeated by the centrality of spiritual experience in a missionary perspective.”
This course covers stages of spiritual development including the traditional three ways– purgative, illuminative and unitive. The course also explores the developments in personal prayer, including vocal prayer, meditation, contemplation. Since all prayer in the Catholic Christian tradition is Trinitarian, students will learn about the personal relationships that are possible with the three Persons of the Trinity. Since all prayer in the Catholic Christian tradition is also Incarnational, the humanity of the one who prays is also brought up into those relationships. Lastly, students in the course will learn to identify mis-directions in prayer and false mysticism.