Racine program helps prepare spiritual directors

RACINE — For many Catholics, the terms “New Cosmology,” “Feminist Theology,” and “Enneagram Spirituality” may seem foreign, distant, and, well, not very Catholic.

However, these concepts are just what other Catholics seek to understand while attending the Spiritual Guidance Training Program at the Siena Center in Racine. In the process of instructing its second class, and anticipating its third to begin in January of 2005, the Siena Center has offered the two-year program since January of 2001. Each class is limited to 28 students, and several have already been accepted for the upcoming 2005-06 program.

Dominican Sr. Rita Lui, director of the retreat program, explained who might be interested in applying for the intensive two-year study, which includes eight, three-day gatherings throughout each year, with two of those being retreats.

“We’re looking for persons who’ve got some depth in understanding their own spiritual journey, people who have life experience, and the ability to be in touch with their inner world,” Sr. Lui said. In fact, many current students are already involved in counseling work, be it as directors of ministry, pastors, or as religious community leaders. “We will teach them some skills, and sharpen the skills they already have, because when you sit with someone to counsel them, the biggest resource you have is your own understanding of your spiritual journey,” she added.

The program has a creation-centered philosophy, or what is referred to as New Cosmology. It has some basis in science and looks at the world’s beginning from a single primary event (Sr. Lui finds the term Big Bang a little tired) to tell us about “the absolute interconnectedness of every thing,” explained Sr. Lui. “Then you add the creation-centered spirituality which says all is good based on their origins. In this approach, sin is not the breaking of laws, but on the breaking of relationships, because we are all interdependent.”

Heady concepts, to be sure, but for those students in the program, they have been life-changing.

“I find now spirituality woven into everything — God has gotten bigger and bigger for me,” said Jennifer Christ, who is a free-lance consultant in ministry contracted often by the archdiocese to lead retreats, days of reflection and Marriage Encounters. Her interest in the program evolved from her tendency to get involved in conversation with others about spiritual matters. It was her husband who encouraged her enrollment, saying God was trying to tell her something. She will “graduate” from the program in November of 2004.

Christ was most surprised at the diversity of her group. “It has really stretched me — I was naively figuring my classmates would be Catholic — they’re not. I was surprised to learn that I was sharing my experiences with Quakers, Protestants, lay people and religious. It’s been wonderful learning who everyone was, and it’s been the biggest blessing of the experience.”

Sr. Lui confirmed the program is ecumenical in its focus, with one of its recent graduates taking a role as a Methodist pastor.

The first year features “real playing,” where staff members do a spiritual direction (one directing and the other taking on the role of a seeker), taking real-life scenarios while the students observe and later discuss. It is an exercise that involves the deepest of sharing with everyone present, which requires students to step out of their own comfort zones.

“It’s pretty intense,” agreed Sr. Lui, “but it’s very formative. People become really open and vulnerable. But that’s OK — they’re getting there with someone as a spiritual guide, and the more they can assimilate and gain inside, the more resources they will have to give when they are sitting with someone as guides themselves.”

Year two involves peer assistance, where students are required to companion with a spiritual guide “in the field,” and bring their experience to share with a practicum group at the gatherings. “They tell us what occurred, what was said, how situations were handled, but most importantly, what they felt was going on inside of them when the session happened,” Sr. Lui explained. “It’s about what’s happening inside, because it begins to trigger stuff in our own history, and making sure we keep that out of the way.”

Sr. Lui said the biggest challenge for students is in playing the role of guide more than director with those seeking their counsel. “We always want to give the answers, but that’s not what it’s about. The spirit works in each person and will generally find its way through. We just have to have confidence in the spirit.”

School Sister of St. Francis Phyllis Vater graduated in the Siena Center’s first class in 2002. She was drawn to the program’s creation-centered approach, and its hands-on approach to learning. Currently ministering as the coordinator of mission effectiveness for St. Joseph Convent and Sacred Heart Center in Milwaukee, she echoed that same thought. “In trusting the Spirit, we also learn to trust ourselves.”

Jim Gill, director of adult ministry at St. Joseph Parish in Wauwatosa, agreed. He entered the program after working in the church for 25 years, seeking further study in spirituality. Looking to complete the program in November of this year, he said, “It helped me to develop my listening skills, to be quiet and not be so quick to offer an answer. It really made me more sensitive to where people are coming from and helping them find out where they need to go.”

Applications for the 2005-06 class are currently available at the Siena Center, 5635 Erie St., Racine, Wis., 53402, and will be accepted until Oct. 15 or until the program is full. Along with the form, a five to seven-page autobiography, photo and three letters of recommendation are required to be considered for acceptance. Total cost for the program is $4,600, which includes tuition, room, meals and retreats.

"Total cost for the program is $4,600, which includes tuition, room, meals and retreats."

Add extortion to the charges of indifferentism, heresy, sacrilege etc

It's these same people, I suppose.

Look what they link to from the "Prayer and Preaching" section of that page:

"The Earth Charter is an authoritative synthesis of values, principles, and aspirations that are widely shared by growing numbers of men and women in all regions of the world."

There's that nasty word synthesis again. Imho, Pope St. Pius X selected that word very carefully to use in his description of Modernism.

“New Cosmology,” “Feminist Theology,” and “Enneagram Spirituality”

Condemned, condemned and condemned. From the Vatican, a study is prefaced by:
These reflections are offered primarily to those engaged in pastoral work so that they might be able to explain how the New Age movement differs from the Christian faith.

While the article is pretty much Church-speak vanilla, the references are quite explicit. A good article in depth showing the incompatibility of the Enneagram with Catholicism is published here.

5 posted on 09/17/2004 6:12:37 AM PDT by Dominick ("Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought." - JP II)

Oy vey! This reads like handouts various "spiritual" New Age, etc. types used to accost people with at airports, bus stops, and shopping centers when I was in my teens and twenties. All they tried to do was put a coating on it and call it Christian (much less Catholic). This could also be a program at many ECUSA "spiritual centers" or whatever they now call themselves.

When are the 1960s-1970s ever, ever, ever going to end! These people are "spiritual directors?!?!?!" The direct people, alright, and I don't think to Jesus and toward Heaven is what they have in mind in their program (except as a cover for the agenda). They feed people cotton candy when the need is for a good steak or country ham.

This is just another group of "Social Justice" Dominicans. With the awesome spiritual heritage of the Dominicans and the Catholic Church this phony new age theology that they offer instead this is just a massive betrayal and rip off.

"I find now spirituality woven into everything — God has gotten bigger and bigger for me,” said Jennifer Christ, who is a free-lance consultant in ministry contracted often by the archdiocese to lead retreats, days of reflection and Marriage Encounters"

This is why I never go on retreats anymore. My former parish was always pushing Cursillo retreats. And these people want in on my marriage??

This is clear manifestation of Satan.

With the awesome spiritual heritage of the Dominicans and the Catholic Church this phony new age theology that they offer instead this is just a massive betrayal and rip off

The Dominicans have a beautiful tradition of study and contemplation of Truth, and sharing the fruit of this contemplation with others, putting truth into action, and therefore the emphasis on social justice. However, Jesus says, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life." Where is the focus and adoration of Jesus in all this spiritual direction? Where is the direction leading? This is a disturbing psuedo-Catholic approach that is not bearing fruit.

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