Stage 1 - Prayer Partnering Program (3 years)

The PPP is our initial program of formation for spiritual directors.  It emphasizes listening skills and accompaniment of another person in prayer with Scripture.

Stage 2 - Program for Directors of the Spiritual Exercises (2 years)

This program is the second stage of formation for spiritual directors.  It emphasizes training in the dynamics of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, particularly in the issues involved with directing the Exercises in daily life (19th annotation).

1.  PRAYER PARTNERING PROGRAM

The Prayer Partnering Program is the first stage of the Lanteri Center’s curriculum of formation in the art and ministry of spiritual direction. Its goal is to form men and women to be companions to others in prayerful reflection on the Word of God.

The term ‘prayer partner’ refers to someone who already has some experience in daily prayer with Scripture, and has sensed a call to help others to receive similar graces and experiences from God. This desire to help others to grow in their relationship with the Lord leads the person along paths of ministry running within the territory proper to spiritual direction. However, the prayer partner’s work remains on the foothills of the holy mountain. The Prayer Partnering Program seeks to equip its graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to guide beginners in mental prayer, and not those more advanced. A prayer partner (in French, accompagnateurs, like piano accompanists for singers) are meant to provide a humble but valuable service to persons moving through the first stages of spiritual growth.

The Prayer Partnering Program will cover a 3 - year period: The first year will consist of twenty-four evening sessions (September to May, 2 hours each) involving both lecture and practicum. The second year will entail the same number of sessions, as well as the experience of guiding a directee, under the formation team’s supervision, through several months of prayer with Scripture.   Students will study theology as is pertains to the ministry of spiritual direction.  In the third year, various special topics in the field of spiritual direction will be examined, including mini-courses in traditions of prayer and how to interpret Sacred Scripture. 

PROGRAM ELEMENTS
Mastering the arts of contemplative listening and facilitative questioning are essential to the ministry of spiritual direction. To this end, some of the themes treated in the course of the first year of the Prayer Partnering Program include:

• Listening skills: mirroring, affect, language of the heart, body language, image of God, etc.
• Questioning skills: kinds of questions, ways of asking, conducting interviews, etc.
• Offering feedback that is honest yet sensitive
• Distinctions between psychological therapy, pastoral counseling, and spiritual direction
• Confidentiality and boundaries
• Keeping a prayer journal
• Sharing the directee’s personal history, healing of memories
• Stages of life and stages of spiritual growth
• Teaching the “consciousness examen” (awareness prayer), and review of prayer
• Discernment of spirits
• Dealing with obstacles, dryness, temptation
• Code of Ethics for prayer partners and spiritual directors
• Theology and spiritual direction
• The Christian tradition of prayer
• Interpreting Sacred Scripture
• The relationship between psychology and spirituality
• Various other special topics
  

Each 2-hour class session will consist of a teaching period and a practicum. During the practicum, the candidates will be divided into small groups with a facilitator. The practicum will involve ‘role playing,’ discussion, and input from peers and the facilitator. Candidates will be expected to prepare written research papers on various subjects and to present these to the class.

CANDIDATES
The Lanteri Center for Ignatian Spirituality will accept applications to the Prayer Partnering Program only from women and men who have completed the full Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola either in the 30-Day setting or in Daily Life (19th annotation Exercises). Candidates will complete a formal application and submit various letters of recommendation. It is assumed that the candidate is receiving ongoing spiritual direction, and has discerned a call to the ministry of spiritual direction. After the application has been received, the formation team will meet individually with the candidates for a personal interview before they are accepted to the two-year program.

 

2. PROGRAM FOR DIRECTORS OF THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES IN DAILY LIFE

The Program for Directors of the Spiritual Exercises in Daily Life is the second stage of the Lanteri Center’s curriculum of formation in the art and ministry of spiritual direction. Its goal is to form men and women to lead others in the dynamics of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, and, in particular, in the experience of the “retreat in daily life” (described in annotation 19 of the Spiritual Exercises).

This program is intended for those who are more experienced in the life of prayer and Ignatian spirituality, and who have sensed a call to guide others who wish to make the Spiritual Exercises. Candidates for this program will have already completed the Lanteri Center’s Prayer Partnering Program (or a comparable program elsewhere).

The Program for Directors of the Spiritual Exercises in Daily Life will cover a 2-year period similar to that of the Prayer Partnering Program: The first year will consist of twenty evening sessions (September to May, 2 hours each) involving both lecture and practicum. The second year will entail 10 sessions, as well as the experience of guiding a directee, under the formation team’s supervision, through the Spiritual Exercises in Daily Life.

Candidates will be regularly evaluated by their supervisor, by the formation team, and by self-evaluation. Peer supervision and role-playing are essential elements of the program.

PROGRAM ELEMENTS
This program will review the various stages of the Exercises and the dynamics of each as experienced by the retreatant. The program will explore the Exercises from the historical, theological and scriptural perspectives, with particular emphasis on the discernment of spirits. To this end, some of the themes treated in the course the Program for Directors of the Spiritual Exercises in Daily Life include:

• First Principle and Foundation
• Method of Meditation
• First week graces
• Fifth Exercise of the First week
• First week rules of discernment
• The call of the King
• Method of contemplation
• The two standards
• The three classes of persons
• Second week rules of discernment
• Consolations and desolations
• Three kinds of humility
• Rules for election
• The third week exercises
• The fourth week exercises
• Contemplation to Attain Divine Love
• Rules for Sentire Cum Ecclesia
• Preparing for the 19th annotation retreat
• Deciding who is ready for the Exercises
  

Candidates will read and discuss a number of articles and books on the Spiritual Exercises and the discernment of spirits. They will be expected to prepare written research papers on various subjects and to present them to the class.

CANDIDATES
The Lanteri Center for Ignatian Spirituality will accept applications to the Program for Directors of the Spiritual Exercises in Daily Life only from women and men who have completed the Prayer Partnering Program (or a comparable program elsewhere that included the experience of the full Spiritual Exercises). Candidates will complete a formal application and submit various letters of recommendation. It is assumed that the candidate is receiving ongoing spiritual direction, and continues to discern a call to direct the Spiritual Exercises. After the application has been received, the formation team will meet individually with the candidates for a personal interview before they are accepted to the two-year program.