Course description

Curriculum

YEAR ONE

Fall term

Introduction to Spiritual Direction (8 weeks)

Explains spiritual direction and its religious aspects. Students will learn key skills to support the connection between the directee and God, as well as the basics of the relationship between the director and directee.

Spring term

Basics of Ignatian Practice (8 weeks)

Allows learners to develop concrete, clear, and practical tools necessary to give spiritual direction. Students will learn the foundations of spiritual direction, explanations of Ignatian Spirituality, and the application of it in real spiritual direction.

YEAR TWO

Fall term

Rudiments of Human Development and Fundamental Human Relation skills/ Ignatian Spirituality and Essentials of Spiritual Direction (10 weeks)

Provides the essential skills needed in any helping relationship. Students learn and practice listening skills and communicating empathy, as well as how and when to self-disclose. Learning consists of theory application to human relations.

Students learn the core elements and principles of Ignatian Spirituality. Learners will acquire practical knowledge of the fourteen rules for discernment of spirits and their application in spiritual direction.

Spring term

Foundations of Spiritual Christianity (10 weeks)

Students are encouraged to become critically attentive to their own working spiritual theology and prayer life. Learners will gain further knowledge of spiritual formation through various sources. Key elements include the stages of the spiritual life, liturgical, vocal, meditative, and contemplative prayer through the lives of St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and through the Gospel. To give the students a well-rounded knowledge of the Catholic faith, spirituality, and prayer, common questions will be addressed, including the existence of a living God, Jesus and God, the Trinity, the Papacy, the Bible, Jesus’ real presence in the Eucharist, Confession, The Blessed Mother, Purgatory, and prayers for the dead.

Course Instructors

Dr. Jan Satterlee has a PhD in Psychology and is a spiritual director. She currently leads retreats on various spirituality topics such as grief and spirituality, prayer as a relationship with God, the stages of the Inner spiritual Life, healing, and discernment of spirits.

Dr. Jan taught psychology courses at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh and Penn State University. She was the owner of a private practice for twelve years, where she was a Licensed Professional Therapist and employed several counselors before retiring.

Dr. Jan accompanied her husband, Deacon Dan, in the Permanent Diaconate Formation Program and earned credits for several graduate courses including Church History, Old and New Testament, Foundational Theology, and Ecclesiology.

She also completed a course on Theology of Spirituality.

Dr. Satterlee is a member of Holy Spirit Parish, DuBois, PA and serves as Lector and Eucharistic Minister.

Deacon Dan Satterlee has three degrees in engineering and was ordained a Permanent Deacon in 2017. He is assigned to Holy Spirit Parish, DuBois, PA, where he also ministers to the community and provides spiritual direction.

Deacon Dan has earned several credits in graduate studies that include Church History, Old and New Testament, Foundational Theology, Ecclesiology, Canon Law, Patristics, Liturgy, Sacramental Theology, and Ecumenism.