Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Spiritual Companionship Course - January 6-7, 2006

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SpiritSite, in collaboration with Loyola Institute for Ministry, is sponsoring a course in:


Spiritual Companionship:
Methods and Approaches

Friday, January 6th & Saturday, January 7th, 2006
8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Villa Holy Names Spirituality Center
82 Prospect Ave, Los Gatos

The practice of becoming a spiritual companion, or soul friend, is ancient and valuable—with roots that stretch to the monastic period of Christian history. The phrase “spiritual companionship” implies mutuality and sharing among peers, based on attentive listening, co-journeying on the paths of life and spiritual growth, shared prayer, spiritual disciplines, active dialogue on moral and ethical issues, and personal presence during key life moments (e.g., experiences of loss/grief; changes in work or vocation; family changes; other key life-transitions). In this course, contemporary models of spiritual companionship will be examined and discussed. Distinctions between companioning, spiritual direction, mentoring, and the counseling process will be explored.

Rea McDonnell, SSND, Ph. D. is a School Sister of Notre Dame from Atlantic-Midwest province and currently serves as a pastoral counselor and spiritual director in Silver Spring, Maryland. She has been an adjunct associate professor in the graduate training program for pastoral counselors and parish ministers at Emmanuel College in Boston, at Loyola College of Maryland, and at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia. She has also taught spirituality at the Washington Theological Union. Her doctorate in Biblical Studies is from Boston University, and she is certified by the Institute of Pastoral Psychotherapy in Oakton, Virginia. Author of over 70 articles on topics of prayer, ministry, scripture and spirituality, Rea has also authored seven books on biblical spirituality.

Course fee: $135.00 Certificate candidates $195.00

Registration: contact Rosemarie Peoples rosemarie@spiritsite.org at (408)-778-3595

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