Theological UpdateEnlightened by the person of Christ and by his Gospel, lived according to Don Bosco’s spirit, the Salesian commits himself to a formation process which will last all his life and which will keep pace with his developing maturity. [SDB Constitutions, 98]
The Institute of Salesian Spirituality designs programs of ongoing formation of the Salesian Family for the life and hope of the young. To make this hope a reality, each program sponsored by the Institute is made up of five components: the study of spirituality for mission in community, a place of personal growth.
The study component of the ISS revolves around a core curriculum in Salesian history, pastoral or functional theology, and spiritual theology. The Fall Program curriculum is designed with the training of formation personnel in mind; Spring Program courses are geared for those preparing for leadership in apostolic communities.
Courses offered during the Fall Program delve into Salesian origins with a look at the
spirit of St Francis de Sales, and with special emphasis on the vocation of Don Bosco Don Bosco as Founder through a critical analysis of the development of his life and work. The origins are brought to bear on contemporary needs by considering models of Youth Spirituality and various approaches for fostering faith development.The core considerations of the Spring Program highlight the figure of Don Bosco Don Bosco as Builder in articulating and developing the Salesian mission. This calls for a theological investigation into Salesian Identity and Charism, while researching changing paradigms for Leadership and Ministry with and among the Young.
The ISS program cannot be conceived independently of theological updating. In the Fall and Spring semesters, Institute participants are required to take a minimum of one full course (3.0 units) from the wider GTU offerings. Course titles and descriptions are found in the GTU catalogue. The course may be taken from any of the 9 areas of study offered at the Union (historical, systematic, scriptural, pastoral, liturgical, moral, etc.). Students will work out their course choices with the ISS program coordinator or with their academic advisor at DSPT.
Obviously, this minimum requirement cannot satisfy the demands of thorough theological updating, but it is our confident expectation that one’s theological background will be enhanced and enriched.
Wednesdays are non-academic days at the GTU, allowing affiliated Institutes to offer specialized programs and process-oriented in-services, retreats, and similar presentations. The ISS takes this opportunity to process what is offered in academic courses and in community experiences. We concentrate on the areas of community building, human growth, and spiritual development as essential components of Salesian renewal and transformation. These components encourage the men and women who participate in the ISS to delve more deeply into the areas of spiritual and personal development in a holistic manner.
The Wednesday sessions are designed to move in the direction of an interdisciplinary, hermeneutical model for doing Salesian spirituality. The thrust is formative, for Salesians conceive spirituality as a vital, ongoing interaction between the human spirit and the Spirit of God. According to this model, spirituality is a process more than an academic discipline. It incorporates the anthropological, theological and cultural, including psychology and sociology and other human disciplines.
The approach of the Institute Days is experiential. Sessions center on content and process, and explore areas of human growth, personality development, prayer and liturgical renewal, spiritual direction, collaborative ministry and processes for pastoral planning. Through this component of the ISS, the community strives to foster the leadership potential of each one, honoring and affirming the contribution of each offered in the diversity of cultures and vocations.
To facilitate personal processing, personal spiritual companioning is a characteristic feature of the program.
Fall Program: Salesian Spirituality
Instructor: Fr Arthur J. Lenti, SDBDEVOUT & DIRECT IN DAILY LIFE (SP-4337)
This course confronts Youth Spirituality in a climate of widening distances between faith Building on the spiritual legacy of Francis de Sales (bishop of Geneva 1602-1622) through a study of his major writings, correspondence and preaching, students delve into the themes of spiritual accompaniment, Christian friendship, and the spirituality of daily life, especially in the area of the relation between faith and life-- meeting God in the circumstances of one's every- day responsibilities, struggles, joys, hopes and fears. The special role of St. Jane de Chantal is highlighted in synthesizing and developing Salesian pastoral life and spiritual direction. Format: Lecture/seminar. Evaluation: Group work, research paper, class presentation.
Credits: 3.00
Start Date 04 September 2007 End Date 14 December 2007.
During the month of January (Intersession), the ISS offers three or four one-week courses. Details...
