Spiritual Accompaniment

Catalog description

Taught by DSPT. The course offers insights on the traits of spiritual accompaniment that emerge from St. John Bosco's writings and life experience. It also offers an outlook on those theological themes presented by Don Bosco to his young readers in his endeavor to accompany them on the path of salvation. Themes such as salvation, eschatology, ecclesiology, the sacraments, and the virtues, feature constantly in Don Bosco's writings. The course will also give an overview of the Saint's life experience, especially his spiritual experiences, his experience of God and of spiritual friendships. The course is divided in three parts. The first part will take a brief overview of the historical context of the 19th century - the century in which Don Bosco lived and worked. Don Bosco was a son of his century and therefore the language, the approach, the theology and especially the Church of this century, together with the historical events that were emerging in Europe and especially in Italy, influenced his thought and his modus operandi. The second part will offer an overview of the dynamics of spiritual direction and spiritual accompaniment. Besides discussing some authors, this part will also highlight Don Bosco's own experience in both spiritual direction and accompaniment. This is done so that everything will be put into context, especially that which concerns the person of St. John Bosco. The third and final part will give insights on Don Bosco's writings and present him as an emerging spiritual accompanier of the young. This part will take a look at some of his selected writings, particularly those addressed to the young and the emerging characteristics of spiritual accompaniment from these same writings. The course will be delivered through lectures. However, dialogue and interaction are highly encouraged. The final evaluation will be in the form of an oral/discussion/exam. This final evaluation will be divided in three parts: a presentation of a book on spiritual direction or accompaniment, chosen by the student. In the second part the student is presented with a "case" and he or she must take the role of spiritual director/directress or accompanier. He or she must show that the "case" is well understand and must offer insights to the directee or the accompanied (the examiner, in this case) that can help him or her to grow spiritually and to enhance his or her relationship with God. The third part of the exam will be a question posed by the examiner and it will be mainly about the core part of the course, that is, about spiritual accompaniment as envisioned by Don Bosco. Although the course has a Salesian theme, it is opened to all, especially to those students who would like to enhance their knowledge on spiritual direction and accompaniment. The course also offers practical ways and approaches how to direct or accompany the young. The course is opened to those students who are reading a MDiv, and MA/MTS or a DMin and to all those interested.