We often think of demons appearing only in extravagant and extraordinary manifestations or working only through “bad” people. But the truth is more frightening than that. Most demonic activity takes place undetected, under the radar, and can even be hidden in our own prayer lives and in the churches where we attend Mass. Subtlety, illusion, and deceit are the preferred tactics of Satan’s army of fallen angels, and they are waging an invisible battle for souls — right now — within and around us all.

In this course you will learn about the seven levels of spiritual progress that Saint Teresa of Avila lays out in The Interior Castle, specifically, what God is accomplishing within your soul at each stage, as well as the finely tailored demonic strategies applied to throw you off your path.

You’ll learn how the devil is as active in your prayer life as you are, and how the saints were able to counter Satan as he adapted his schemes to correspond with where they were on their spiritual journeys.

By discovering the myriad challenges St. Teresa faced and the remedies she employed to advance the spiritual progress of her soul, you’ll know precisely what to expect as you progress in your current state to your final spiritual destination.

Prerequisites: SSF 102, SSF 105

In Contemplating the Seven Sorrows of Mary with St. Alphonsus Liguori, we will begin our study by briefly reflecting upon the history of the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows of Mary along with why we ought to consider praying this powerful devotional. We will then underscore the vision of mental prayer, as prescribed by Saint Alphonsus Liguori, to better pray the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows of Mary. We will then meditate upon the traditional Seven Sorrows of Mary. These meditations will include musings on seven contemporary sorrows of Mary and relevant saints.

In I Chronicles 28:9, King David promises his young son, Solomon, “And you, Solomon, my son, know the God of your father . . . if you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.”

This kingly wisdom is echoed later, in II Chronicles 15, as Azariah promises Asa, the righteous king of Judah, “The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.”

As the young Christian religion was gaining legal status in the Roman empire, a number of earnest men and women took these scriptural promises to heart, and forsaking the ease, commerce and luxury of the cities, fled to the desert, where they could more fully focus on their pursuit of purity of heart, and of God.

What began as a trickle of those making their way to desert solitude, became a vast river of men and women, who lived in the desert alone, or in communities, seeking above all else, to pursue and to know God.

These holy ones we now venerate as the Desert Fathers and Mothers. They were, in large part, the originators of the Christian monastic tradition, which has nourished the spirituality of our Church, east and west, through the centuries.

What did these men and women hope to find in the desert? What did their pursuit of God look like? How did their lives change as a result of their pursuit? And perhaps most importantly, what does their ascesis, their spiritual wisdom and their knowledge of God say to us today? And how can their experiences and wisdom aid us in our own spiritual pilgrimages?

Join us as we explore, together, the lives, holiness and wisdom of these ancient desert saints.

“What do you have that you have not received?” (1 Cor. 4:7). St. Paul’s exhortation expresses the fundamental truth that life in Christ is a gift, received through God’s initiative. The theology of grace is of central importance to understanding the mystery of our redemption, the Christian moral life, and the spiritual journey toward the vision of God. For this very reason, it has been the subject of vigorous theological debate since the early centuries of the Church. Is salvation merited? What does it mean to cooperate with grace? How does grace change us interiorly? What is the relationship between grace and nature? Are we predestined to heaven or hell? In the Summa Theologiae, St. Thomas Aquinas offers a comprehensive treatment of the theology of grace; one which  responds to all of these questions and offers a path beyond the typical difficulties encountered in reasoning about the revealed mystery of our salvation. Using Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Summa Theologiae, and the work of the 20th century theologian Charles Cardinal Journet, this course will help students gain familiarity with the Church’s teaching on grace. In the process, they will consider questions of grace and free will, predestination, the Catholic view of merit, and the continuing transformation of the soul through the divine gifts. Through encountering St. Thomas’s teaching on grace, students will develop the ability to understand and articulate the unity of Catholic teaching and will grow in their understanding of the glories of divine grace which are present within the soul of every Christian.

The spiritual journey and life of holiness is an adventure of love. Hence it’s no surprise that the Song of Songs allowed one great lover of God, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, to open up this journey for us in an astoundingly brilliant and insightful way. He thus left his mark on all subsequent centuries of Christian spirituality. In this course, we will find in Saint Bernard a rich mysticism of the Word, the central place of our Lord Jesus Christ, the enkindling of a desire aflame for God, a multi-faceted account of contemplation, an attentiveness and responsiveness to visits of the Lord and the inspirations of His grace, the importance of praise and thanksgiving, a grounding in utter humility, an experiential account of mystical prayer, the integration of contemplation and action, and a strong and stable spousal love guiding the soul through the varying ups and downs of this winding journey of love. We will find, in all this, Bernard’s living voice continuing to encourage us to “dare to aspire to the nuptials of the Word.”

An in-depth look at one of the most compelling saints of the 20th century, this course on St. Edith Stein (Teresa Benedicta of the Cross) provides an overview of her life, her philosophy of woman (which profoundly influenced Pope St. John Paul II), and her philosophy of art and beauty.  The circumstances around her death draw a dramatic picture of the situation of the Church during World War II and beg the question: What does it mean to be a martyr?

“Sir, we would see Jesus,” was the urgent request from the Greeks in John’s Gospel, and this has been the same desire of the saints and Doctors of the Church through the ages—to be transformed by growth in holiness and purity of heart, knowing that it is the pure of heart who shall see God.
Therefore it is to them that we must look, in their lives and writings, as guidance in our own journey, drawing from the wisdom of men and women from the East and the West: saints such as St. Gregory the Great, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. Maximus the Confessor and St. Isaac the Syrian.
Each saint originated from a different vantage point and explored a unique path to holiness, but each conformed to “that great riverbed of Scripture and Tradition.”  As that is our universal call and our goal, this class will draw from the well of their wisdom as we, too, seek to be worthy to “see Jesus.”

This course will provide an overview of one of the most powerful tools available for spiritual growth. Participants in the course will come away with a very clear understanding of what every spiritual director should know in order to be effective as a director and what every directee should know to participate in a fruitful way. The course will cover: What spiritual direction is and is not, Erroneous views of spiritual direction, How to conduct or participate in spiritual direction, How to establish a fruitful relationship with your director, How to progress in spiritual life, How to Develop a rule of life and a daily examen, The progress of the soul in the context of the three ways of spiritual life, Dark Night of the soul and progress through stages of development of prayer

Explore the reality and nature of angelic beings, their role in the lives of the faithful, fallen angels, their power, role, and origin. This course will also include discussion about possession and exorcism.

This course will give a brief overview of Saint Elizabeth’s life by introducing the principal themes of her spirituality, her works, and the major influences on her spirituality; and by reflecting on the charism of her prayer, her particular contribution to the contemplative dimension of prayer for the lay faithful, and her spiritual mission.