This course gives a brief outline of the development of Spiritual Direction throughout Church History.
It aims to give a better understanding of the movements of the Spirit and to delve deeper into the process of discernment of the will of God in day-to-day decisions. This course helps in building a better personal relationship with God within different contexts which the director and/or directee may encounter in daily life. Apart from the theoretical part, this course gives practical skills to understand better the way the Spirit of God leads the person.
At the end of the course the priest will be able to make a clear distinction between spiritual direction and other roles within the ministry itself; consolidate where necessary such practices and give insights for better accompaniment in the priests’ ministry as Spiritual Directors.
It is a course that the director will benefit from both on a personal level and in his ministry when accompanying the directee.
Application Closes at noon on the 30th January 2023
This course is intended for priests who accompany persons in Spiritual Direction.
Target Audience Age: 18+
6th February 2023
| Session Title | Speaker |
|---|---|
| Session 1: Welcoming introduction and sharing of experiences | Rev. Ronnie Zammit |
| Session 2: The difference between Pastoral Mentoring, Confession, and Spiritual Direction | Rev. Dr Jimmy Bonnici |
| Session 3: Experiences | Rev. Dr Jimmy Bonnici |
| Session 4: Spiritual Direction from the sources of tradition: the needs which arose throughout the years and the dynamics addressed in relation to spiritual direction | Mr Natalino Camilleri |
7th February 2023
| Session Title | Speaker |
|---|---|
| Session 1: Different prayer methods | Rev. Prof. Mark Sultana |
| Session 2: Spiritual movements: the different experiences which the human being passes through | Rev. Prof. Mark Sultana |
8th February 2023
| Session Title | Speaker |
|---|---|
| Session 1: Welcoming introduction and sharing of experiences | Rev. Dr Jimmy Bonnici |
| Session 2: Living our faith throughout the different stages of life: the call to mature discipleship | Rev. Dr Jimmy Bonnici |
| Session 3: The dynamics and interior struggle of our interior life | Rev. Christopher Vella SJ |
| Date | Session Title | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 13th March 2023 | Spiritual discernment: the spiritual movements | Rev. Christopher Vella SJ |
| 14th March 2023 | Discerning in the process of Spiritual Direction: discerning God’s will in daily life or in taking important decisions | Rev. Christopher Vella SJ |
17th April 2023
| Session Title | Speaker |
|---|---|
| Listening and Communication skills (psychological & spiritual level in the director & directee) | Rev. Alfred Micallef SJ & Ms Jenny Zammit |
18th April 2023
| Session Title | Speaker |
|---|---|
| Session 1: A Short and Quick History of Spiritual Direction | Rev. Alfred Micallef SJ |
| Session 2: What is Spiritual Direction? | Rev. Alfred Micallef SJ |
| Session 3: Myself as a Spiritual Director | Rev. Alfred Micallef SJ |
| Session 4: Bill`s Case | Rev. Alfred Micallef SJ |
8th May 2023
| Session Title | Speaker |
|---|---|
| Session 1: Director Directee Relationship | Rev. Alfred Micallef SJ |
| Session 2: The Spiritual Interview | Rev. Alfred Micallef SJ |
| Session 3: Blockages in Prayer | Rev. Alfred Micallef SJ |
| Session 4: Psychological Dynamics in Spiritual Direction | Rev. Alfred Micallef SJ |
9th May 2023
| Session Title | Speaker |
|---|---|
| Session 1: Feelings in Interpersonal Relationships PC | Rev. Alfred Micallef SJ |
| Session 2: God Talk | Rev. Alfred Micallef SJ |
| Session 3: Dealing with Guilt | Rev. Alfred Micallef SJ |
| Session 4: Accompanying the Sick and the Dying | Rev. Alfred Micallef SJ |
Certification:
This course has two exit certificate options:
- Certificate of Attendance
A Certificate of Attendance is received if one attends all the contact hours of this course.
or
- Certificate of Achievement
To obtain a Certificate of Achievement, students must:
- attend all the contact hours
- and successfully complete an assignment/journal/presentation or case study analysis.
Assessment: Written assignment at the end of the course.
Final Award: Accompaniment in Spiritual Direction for Priests
PFI Level: Level 5
Duration: 4 months part-time (54 hours)
Qualifications: Every application will be considered on its individual merits. The Pastoral Formation Institute accepts a wide range of qualifications, and we always try to judge applications on the basis of academic potential. We do consider a very wide range of academic, vocational, and professional qualifications, as well as work and other appropriate experiences and skills.