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Background B.A., Don Bosco College, Newton, NJ; Professional diploma in Education, University of Alberta, Edmonton; S.T.B. Salesian Pontifical University, Turin; S.T.L., S.T.D., Università Pontificia Salesiana (UPS) in Rome. Be who you are and be that well! ~ Francis de Sales Fr. Joe Boenzi made his first vows as a Salesian in 1968, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1979. His early training was in special education, catechetics and youth ministry. After a number of years directing a young adult community in Los Angeles, he was encouraged by the young people and his fellow Salesians to train in spiritual direction and to deepen his studies in Christian spirituality. He earned a doctorate in spiritual theology in 1996.
In his teaching, Fr. Joe brings to light how the gifts of the Holy Spirit become fruitful in the life of the individual disciple and in the coming together of the Church. His courses have highlighted the experience of the great leaders and founders of the last millennium as well as the experience and ideals of contemporary Christians committed to the Gospel in the New Ecclesial Movements. He often asks his students to see the Church as an ongoing story of ordinary people who can allow the extraordinary (charisms of the Spirit, rootedness in Christ) to transform their lives so that they become signs and bearers of God’s love to new generations and new contexts. Fr Joe’s hope is that all those who study
The courses Fr. Joe Boenzi teaches at ISS and DSPT are:
Since 2005, Fr Joe Boenzi has been a Visiting Professor of Spiritual Theology at the School of Theology of UPS in Rome. There he teaches the following courses:
In addition to teaching at the Institute of Salesian Spirituality and the DSPT, Fr. Joe Boenzi is often called upon to direct retreats and to facilitate workshops or in-services for parents and educators. Select Publications “Youthful Holiness: the Encounter between Dominic Savio and Don Bosco,” in Human Encounter in the Salesian Tradition, edited by Joseph Chorpenning. Philadelphia: ICSS, 2007 (publication in process).
“Parole che illuminano il nostro cammino: la Bibbia nella predicazione di Francesco di Sales”, in Quaderni di Spiritualità Salesiana n. 6 (Novembre 2006): 3-10. “Encountering Others: the Forever Unfinished Treatise”, Sound recording of keynote address (70 minutes). 2004 Salesian Conference, Year 22, St Louis, Missouri; general coordinator and editor: Joanne Kinney. Stella Niagara, NY: DeSales Resource Center, 2004. "What is Salesian in Don Bosco? Francis de Sales and Don Bosco's pastoral spirit." Journal of Salesian Studies 12.2 (Spring 2004): 231-256. "Cast out into the deep: Salesian apostolic spirit", Sound recording of keynote address (70 minutes). 2002 Salesian Conference, Year 20, Notre Dame, Indiana; general coordinator and editor: Joanne Kinney. Stella Niagara, NY: DeSales Resource Center, 2002. "San Francisco de Sales: su espíritu e influencia". Quito: Centro Regional de Formación Permanente, 2000. "Saint Francis de Sales, 1567-1622: Toward a Complete Bibliography of English-language Works,” compiled by Joseph Boenzi, SDB, revised ed. Prepared December 1996 for publication. St. Francis De Sales in English: a bibliography. |
Fr. Joe Boenzi, S.D.B.
In 1984, we launched the Institute of Salesian Studies (ISS) at Berkeley, affiliating
it with DSPT. Fr Joe resourced to the ISS from the beginning, and began teaching core ISS courses in 1992, joining the DSPT faculty at the same time.
theology will not be content to leave their studies at an academic level, but will discern ways to integrate these studies with a life of faith.
“Francis de Sales and the Bases for Salesian Prayer,” in Journal of Salesian Studies 14.2 (Fall 2006): publication in process.