The FIND curriculum is designed to ensure that by prayer, study, supervision and experience, students will be prepared to serve as spiritual directors and leaders in spiritual formation.

 

Overview

The curriculum focuses on these areas:

• Prayer

• History of Christian Spirituality

• Psychology of Spirituality

• Practicum

• Individual Spiritual Formation

 

The first two years emphasize academic material, spiritual formation, and practical exercises in personal spiritual development and the art of spiritual direction.
 

The third year emphasizes practical experience in spiritual direction and spiritual formation.  Students select whether to focus on the spiritual director track or on the spiritual formation tract.

Students are required to meet regularly with a spiritual director while in the program. Those on the spiritual director path are required to have a spiritual directee in the third year, with faculty supervision. Those on the spiritual formation path are required to plan and execute a special project for a group or community, with faculty supervision.

 

The following provides an idea of the courses offered by year:

Year One:

Traditions of the desert mothers and fathers

Listening skills I

Prayer and temperament

Stages of faith

 

Year Two:

Mystical spirituality of the eastern Christian tradition

Planning retreats and quiet days

Enneagram

Spiritual direction in adversity, grief, and loss

 

Year Three:

Celtic spirituality

Supervision

Contemplative prayer according to Thomas Merton

Cultural awareness in spiritual direction