The Saint Vincent Seminary Institute for Ministry Formation is offering six online courses this spring.
Helene Paharik will teach IMSD-650 Sacramental Theology and Ecclesiology for Spiritual Directors from 7:20 to 9 p.m. EST on Wednesdays. This course explores the nature of the Church from the sacramental, missional, and spiritual perspectives. Students will appropriate the doctrinal heritage of the Roman Catholic Church by developing a particular familiarity with Parts I and II of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The documents of the Second Vatican Council as well as the writings of recent pontiffs will provide a theological framework for fostering communion and mission in the Church through a full and active participation in her sacramental life. Topics include The Trinitarian Origin and Destiny of the Church, The Scriptural Foundation of the Church, Belief in the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, The Church as the Sacrament of the Divine Mission, Roles within the Mystical Body of Christ, Living the Sacramental Life, and the Church as Mother and Bride. This course will equip spiritual directors to help their directees grow in the Christian life through believing, celebrating and living the paschal mystery of Christ in the sacraments of the Church.
Dr. Michel Therrien will teach IMSD-660 Moral Theology for Spiritual Directors from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m. EST on Thursdays. Spiritual directors are called to help Christians grow in holiness. This includes an aspect of catechesis as described by the Catechism of the Catholic Church in CCC 1697: “Catechesis has to reveal in all clarity the joy and the demands of the way of Christ. Catechesis for the ‘newness of life’ in him should be: a catechesis of the Holy Spirit, … a catechesis of grace, … a catechesis of the beatitudes, … a catechesis of sin and forgiveness, … a catechesis of the human virtues, … a catechesis of the Christian virtues of faith, hope, and charity, … a catechesis of the twofold commandment of charity, … an ecclesial catechesis.” 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.
Dr. Tim Heck will offer IMSD-700 Psychology for Spiritual Directors from 6 to 7:45 p.m. EST Tuesdays. 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.
Father Nathanael Polinski, O.S.B. will teach IMTH-740 Johannine Literature from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. EST Thursdays. This course introduces students to the literary, historical, and theological study of John’s writings, especially his Gospel. The objective is to gain a deeper knowledge and appreciation of the Johannine writings, including their use in the Church’s Tradition. Special attention will be given to the use of the Gospel of John in the in the Catholic Christian celebrations of Christmas and Easter.
Father Ed Mazich, O.S.B. will offer IMTH-745 The Epistles from 6:30 to 9 p.m. EST Tuesdays. This course demonstrates how these texts taken together as a corpus display the mutual development of orthodoxy and orthopraxis. The course will study how the Pauline and apostolic teachings lead to and are rooted in the prayer and worship of the early Church, and how these beliefs and practices lead to later moral, pastoral, and ecclesial developments.
Helene Paharik will teach IMTH-770 Pastoral Care of the Sick from 7:20 to 9 p.m. EST Mondays. The course will begin with an overview of the Catholic theology of suffering and then explore a mystagogical theology of the Sacraments of Anointing, Communion to the sick and homebound, and Reconciliation revealed in The Pastoral Care of the Sick Rites of Anointing and Viaticum. Catholic moral teaching on end of life will be embedded throughout the lectures. Students will learn the best practices in parish ministries of accompaniment and develop the necessary pastoral skills to enable them to engage effectively in this work of mercy.
For additional information contact the Seminary IMF at imf@stvincent.edu.
