But let's let's get underway.
My name is Chris, Chris Garofalo, and I'm the admissions adviser of the spiritual direction program.
And I have Mike and Lisa Williams.
I'm they're from Georgia, and they are alumni of the program.
They live, in the Atlanta Suburbs.
Hello, Mike.
Hello, Lisa.
Hi.
Hello.
So we're doing this virtually.
And let me just share my screen for everyone as we get started.
So, essentially, my name is Chris again, and our upcoming semester is summer twenty twenty two.
Mike and Lisa, they are married, and they're members of Regnum Priesti, and they graduated.
And they're here to, offer their experiences and share some things that they learned through the program and kind of their overall, experience as they went through the two year program.
And to start, for those who are watching this, maybe you have not applied to the program yet.
But are you called to accompany others, as a spiritual director?
I would say these four questions are kinda big, and they're core questions.
Mike and Lisa, is there something here or something, you know, off the top of your head, when you were discerning?
You had you had some spiritual direction experience, but was there anything that spoke to you?
Any of these questions stand out?
I'm kind of looking back in your admissions process.
Well, for me, it, it's more that number two, the, seeing God's hand in people's lives really, just it was just an experience of, like, of God that I really have enjoyed and continue to enjoy as I see, directees now.
And that I think was kind of what motivated me.
Yeah.
No.
I I think that's the crux of it.
And and what we discover is that God wants to work in people's lives, but there's a particular way that that he can help people if they're willing to open up to another.
And it's just the way he's he's made us, I guess, as social creatures.
And so just being willing to be with them as their journey helps their journey go forward.
And and that's that's that's very gratifying.
Mhmm.
I think, the crux of this is the program is helping those walk with Christ at the end of the day.
We are mortals.
We are humans.
But having that connection with the spiritual, with the divine, with the trinity, that's kinda why our program's becoming more popular.
We're we're a hidden gem, I like to say, and we're becoming more of a gym now, as the word gets out.
Let me proceed to and this is a slide.
This is a quote rather.
Slide three from Pope Emeritus of Benedict the sixteenth.
And, take a look at this.
And Benedict the sixteenth, I would say I am not an expert, but he has a lot of, writings of spiritual direction.
In spiritual direction, you don't have to be a priest or a sister.
This is a misconception.
Laypeople can be spiritual directors.
And I think the call is bigger, especially depending on the diocese you live in.
Sometimes priests are busy with the sacraments, managing two or three parishes.
Lay people can answer this call, by the Holy Spirit.
And once you're baptized, that there is new life in Christ, you are you become a child of God.
The bar, the expectations get raised a little bit.
And, this quote is from Benedict, and this is, back in 2011.
And he refers to the church and, the spiritual direction and helping people walk with the lord.
And, the aims of the program.
So if you're very interested and you're on the cusp of applying, this is what the program, the SDC program, prepares you for.
And it prepares you with knowledge, human interaction skills, supervision tools.
All of these, the goal is to become a spiritual director and have directees.
And this will enable you, to become closer to Christ, and also you're working through the tradition of the church.
The church has two thousand years of experience.
So this is something this is the aim of the program of those three bullet points.
Mike and Lisa, so you you mentioned you there's some knowledge there as you entered your regnum priest team members.
You have knowledge to Catholic theology.
Was the human interaction skills, was that something you were the most excited about, like learning and polishing those skill sets?
Yeah.
I think so.
I think, we both we both had some experience with spiritual direction before entering the program.
And there was an awkwardness to it, and I'm not sure how to help.
You know, spiritual director isn't a guru that just answers questions.
It's somebody that walks with the other person, and and there needs to be a, you know, an environment created.
And and so, really, the human interaction side of it is what I think made a difference, the biggest difference to each of us.
Right, Lisa?
Would you agree?
Yeah.
Well, there was also the tools, though.
I really did, appreciate the experiences of, well, and practicing the tools of listening, but, other tools too, just to to know how to, work through difficult situations, or unusual situations, which is one of the courses that's later on in the program.
And, and that's very helpful too.
Absolutely.
No.
And that's great.
And we will, look at the six courses later.
And this is kind of, this slide, this is how the program prepares you.
There's intellectual studies.
So Divine Mercy University, we're a Catholic institution.
You have your theology and we focus, our wheelhouse is the psychological sciences.
So psychology is in the two year program.
There's philosophy.
And we are this is all under the Catholic Christian umbrella.
Two thousand plus years of sacred tradition, two thousand plus years of sacred scripture in the Bible.
Also interpersonal skills.
Listening.
I think listening, in the twenty first century is very important.
Body language as well.
But definitely, we have devices and smart technology now, which in theory seems great and dandy.
But in practice, people are glued to their screens.
And I'm we're we're thankful for this technology now.
But I'm listening and as opposed to distracted, somebody's on their phone.
I mean, this is very important.
And and face to face as a spiritual director, you were meeting with your directees, and you're trying to get to know them on a human to human level.
Cell phones aside, iwatches aside.
It's one to one interaction and connection and also supervision, as Lisa mentioned.
In the residency, there are instances where supervision is, required, and that's for the two year program.
There's residencies, which we'll get into.
But these are three ways how how the program prepares you.
And, also, being called to serve.
Mike and Lisa just and this is accompaniment.
What would you say to those who are they're being called to this, but there's one impediment, one roadblock, from them applying from them kind of taking that leap and saying, I wanna do this.
I'm being called by God, but there's that initial human resistance, if you will.
I would say take a leap.
Not a fly movie.
A leap of faith.
Because, I mean, I experienced so much joy from a company and seeing, God work in others' lives that, it's totally worth the schoolwork and having to be an old person who has to figure out technology in order to take an online class.
And You would be both.
I am not a tech wizard.
But it it was totally worth it to do all that to be in the position of accompaniment of others.
It's, it's a beautiful position.
Mhmm.
And something about oh, sorry, Mike.
Were you gonna say something?
No.
Go ahead.
Something about joy and as opposed to happiness.
Happiness is temporary, and we use the words kind of interchangeably.
I'm a big soccer fan.
So when when my soccer team arsenal, when they lose, I'm not happy.
But with joy, as you accompany someone, joy is more permanent.
And in heaven, where it's eternal joy with with the with God.
So there is something there with accompanying somebody with Christ.
There's more joy than happiness.
There is a distinction.
Lots of times, there are similar there's spillover, but there is a distinction with joy.
So as you're reading this, for those who are watching, accompaniment, Definitely let this sink in.
And if you're looking for that joy, if you're being called, this goes deeper.
I mean, this program really does.
It's not surface level happiness.
It goes deeper into the soul, which is what psychology, mainstream psychology, is kind of, lacking.
At DMU, we treat the whole person, mind, body, and soul.
Lots of secular psychology, they treat the mind and the person, but there's no recognition of the soul.
So how could one find joy if there's no recognition of the soul?
It is something to keep in mind as you, as you discern this before applying.
Yeah.
And one thing to mention there, Chris, the the the accompaniment there there's a there is a spiritual reality to it.
And, you know, it talks about a deeply, theological reality in the in the, text there.
And we we both have experienced both in our own receiving that spiritual direction and also accompanying others.
There are moments when god seems to kinda directly act in that relationship, and it that's stunning.
You know?
Somebody, just has a moment where they experience God's love in a different way than they have before just as you're sitting there, and and you know their life's not gonna be the same after that.
And it's it's it's enriching to to you as the director and also to obviously, it's a it's a big it's it's a big gift to the director.
Absolutely.
That's profound.
Absolutely.
And kind of speaking of god in the pilgrimage toward god, as humans, that is our that is our goal to get to heaven.
Not to earn it based off our good works.
I mean, good works are obviously important, but just acknowledging you're a sinner, repentance, doing good works, and also faith.
And and kind of making this beautiful masterpiece, this mosaic, knowing that you are you are fallen, we're we're not perfect, but heaven's the goal.
And it's a pilgrimage.
It's a journey.
It's a pilgrimage.
And it says here and this is from, this is Evangelii Gaudium.
I don't know if this is Canon Law.
This is where I'm not an expert.
But, although it sounds this is via the church.
Although it sounds obvious, spiritual accompaniment must lead others ever closer to god in whom we attain true freedom.
To accompany them would be counterproductive if it became a sort of therapy supporting their self absorption and cease to be a pilgrimage with Christ to the father.
And true freedom, I'm sure there's different parts of this that sticks out to different people.
The true freedom, once you have that, we all have free will, freely choosing virtue.
That that is true freedom.
The freedoms that word is used a lot in America.
And, it is a good thing, but true freedom, freely exercising your will to make virtuous decisions that please God, that honor God, that's kind of what this program taps into as you go through it.
And formation.
Formation is huge.
Catholics probably know this word, faith formation, as you go through the sacraments, CCD, as an adult member of the church, and throughout your life.
Mike and Lisa, was the formation was this, were you expecting something around here and then the program was like, wow.
This is even more eye opening than we originally thought?
I mean, there was a lot there.
It was it was very enriching.
The readings, the, the sources that they they pulled, together to make to create these these courses were diverse and and rich.
And I mean, you know, we oftentimes only got to read small parts of some books And, and and yet you you were like, wow.
I wish I could have read more of that.
Or, you know, there's just a lot of depth.
In some cases, we went actually in and bought bought the books so that we could read the whole thing.
But, yeah, there's some, and and the spiritual masters.
I mean, you know, you Yeah.
You get an exposure to Saint Augustine and and, and, yeah, obviously, Saint John of the Cross and Saint Teresa of Avila.
So some of the the kind of big names in the church, but also some some newer materials from modern spiritual directors who have really reflected on it and incorporated, you know, some of this accompaniment language and so forth.
So That's incredible.
Yeah.
We found it really helpful.
Mhmm.
Is there a favorite doctor of the church or somebody that you read in the program?
Anybody that stood out?
Or Not so many.
You have one.
The name's escaping me at the moment.
It was a book on spiritual direction.
The there was a phrase that he used, and it really kinda characterized, the whole book.
He called it vulnerable attentiveness.
Mhmm.
And it was very much entering into the experience of being a spiritual director and how you make yourself available and and are so focused on the other person in a sense you lose track of yourself.
And then that gift of yourself is is it allows them to experience it's really a a beginning of experience guys of god's love for them or it helps enhance their experience of god's love.
And you said vulnerable attentiveness.
Vulnerable attentiveness was the phrase.
That's that's good to know.
That's incredible.
And now as we proceed through the presentation, you'll now see kind of the, the the nuts and bolts of the program.
It's a two year program.
There are six courses.
Each course is eight weeks in length.
I'm not sure if it says it on here, but when you see those six courses, the SDC program is condensed course wise in that your traditional twelve week course, that does not apply.
Each course is eight weeks.
It's a little bit it's even more convenient, I guess, for working adults, those who are semi retired, those who are retired, obviously.
Asynchronous format, I'm sure, Mike and Lisa, you found that, very beneficial and flexible.
Being able as opposed to a Tuesday, 9AM class, you have to log on.
Yeah.
Because being on the West Coast, for example, that would mean six 6AM or or whatnot, so the with the time zone difference.
So the course Mhmm.
Yeah.
The courses are entirely online.
That that's worth noting.
The residencies are in person.
How the the residency process because I believe DMU, did they book your lodging?
I believe, I have a colleague who's in charge of that.
But was were was the residency process you getting to Sterling, Virginia?
Was that quite seamless?
Oh, yeah.
It was easy enough.
Yeah.
There was and there was a there was a hotel right by the the campus that, that it was all set up for you.
And there was a shuttle from the airport.
It was quite easy.
You just flying to Dallas and Yeah.
That was Yeah.
It was really that it was it was really a fun experience, actually, to, well, to to meet your classmates in person, and and have conversations over dinner and and things like that.
That enhanced the actual what we were learning through the residency.
It was really neat.
I believe the hotel it's a Fairfield Inn, I believe.
I think it's point two five miles away.
Yeah.
I've heard of priests.
This is not condoned, but priests instead of take you transportation, they'll walk from the hotel to campus.
But that's just because our our priests are awesome and daring.
But, yes, like, DMU accommodates their shuttles.
We we try to it's a well oiled machine, and it's I'm glad you found the, the residencies enriching and enjoyable.
Mhmm.
It's also worth noting, the SDC program is a nondegree program, so you earn a certificate of completion.
This is still something that can go on your resume.
It could enhance your professional life, professional development.
But also, most importantly, this is a ministry.
And this program is a great learning tool for that.
And this is where the moral and the spiritual elements, they combine, and that's where you develop.
So that is the overarching goal.
Somebody who's in this program, your moral and spiritual lives will enhance, develop, and quite frankly, it's selfless.
You were doing this to help other people.
This is not this is a ministry, definitely for others as Christ did.
So that's always that's always good to know.
And this is sacred, of course, Catholic spiritual direction.
For those who have more of the theology, the the call, the presence of the holy spirit, they're being called to this program.
The human side, more of the psychological side, secure, intimate, trusting, healing, some of these psychological qualities and traits, this could be something that you would improve in as you go through the program.
Because at DMU, we fuse evidence based psychology with Catholic theology.
And the end result is flourishing as a human person as god made us.
And I see that there are six questions.
So, we're doing well good on time, and we will address those.
So I see your questions.
And, just for if you're not familiar with the history of DMU, we were founded in 1999 as the Institute for the Psychological Sciences or IPS.
We launched our fully online MSP, Master of Science in Psychology, degree in 2014.
That is entirely online.
That's very popular, the most popular with overseas students.
In 2015, we were renamed.
So IPS, the institute, was renamed Divine Mercy University, and we added the school of counseling.
Essentially, once we became a university, there are two, colleges.
There's the IPS and the school of counseling, and that is under the DMU umbrella.
And in January 2019, the certificate program was launched at DMU.
So if you're not interested in the SDC program, we have the School of Counseling, and we still have the Institute for the Psychological Sciences.
So that is just worth, worth remembering if you know someone who's interested in getting a master's degree.
And here are the six courses, the names of the courses.
And I mentioned the residencies, and we spoke about them.
There is a residency in SDC 300 and SDC 500.
I wanna say SDC 300.
Each course is eight weeks in length.
SDC 300 is in week seven of week eight in the course.
SDC 500, that residency occurs in week two of week eight.
And this is the layout.
We have a spring, a summer, and a fall semester.
The upcoming semester is summer twenty twenty two, starts in May.
So if you were to enroll then, you would start an SDC 100.
That is called ongoing conversion, deepening discipleship, and the foundations of spiritual direction.
And these are all entirely online minus the residencies.
Those are in Sterling, Virginia.
Mike and Lisa, do you have we spoke about this before the webinar, but, your favorite class, which one, and and maybe why?
How how is it fascinating?
We both agree on this.
You wanna go ahead and Well, I I my favorite was SDC 500, where you really are putting your skills to to to the you know, and applying them.
And and, and and the residency too was just a big help in that.
Yeah.
I think I think we both prefer the courses with the residencies.
Those are those are wonderful experiences.
And, yeah, I think the deeper insight and even even, you know, the SCC 500 also includes, some of the guidance to look for what you need to look for as you're relating to people in terms of, you know, where could your own humanity be getting in the way possibly and and kind of things to watch for that way and how to how to work with that and and maybe even make it something positive.
So that was very, very helpful.
Mhmm.
And starting, to add on to that, starting with SDC 400, doesn't the program it shifts.
I know because professors mentioned it becomes more rigorous once you get to that halfway mark.
Yes.
And well, you start you start interacting, kind of with practice sessions with other students even starting with SDC 300.
So, and that's a that's a a big dynamic that takes a little getting used to, but once you're used to it, it's it's very beneficial, and it really gives you confidence.
So, yeah.
And and I think I actually for me, I see through there was a there was an adjustment to that.
So getting used to the the, you know, practicing with each other.
Once you got used to it, then 400 you kept doing it through four hundred, five hundred, and six hundred.
It almost got easier.
And and it became something I looked forward to.
Yeah.
So maybe a little intimidating at first only because there is no practice.
Once the practice itself starts, then you start looking forward to it.
So that that that's great.
You're starting with a very basic skill in in in 300.
You're working on your listening skills.
And the first time you do it, you're only practicing one skill, so it feels very awkward.
Mhmm.
And, and so then but it it that lasts short time and then, you know, it it Then you're You really just end up enjoying it.
Yeah.
Mhmm.
It's also, worth noting after the second residency, your practicum starts.
I believe that's when, sixty hours I know that's the number, sixty hours of supervised spiritual direction.
When I say supervised, I don't mean there's a camera behind you and the privacy doesn't exist.
I if I'm, I was speaking with doctor, Father Shu rather.
For every five to seven hours of spiritual direction you give, you essentially write a synopsis and you have a, supervisor and you're kind of reporting back to them.
And that's how you tally your hours to get to the magic number of 60.
Was that similar to how you log your hours, your 60 required hours?
Yeah.
The yeah.
The logging was quite simple.
Maybe once a week, you know, you keep track of when you met people.
Once a week, you just you log the hours.
And the and the supervision was just a moment when you got together either individually or sometimes it was in groups.
Mhmm.
And you wouldn't you you you would keep things very, impersonal, you know, anonymous.
So you're, you know, you're not sharing anything.
You're not breaking discretion.
But you have a chance to describe your own experience as you're accompanying someone, and, you know, how you're reacting to the things that they're saying.
And so it's it's really a a help in in discovering your own, you know, your own response as a spiritual director and helping to purify that and and, and recognize, you know, recognize the good and and things that you wanna adjust.
So it was that was very positive.
Mhmm.
And, actually, we've continued that, yeah, after the program.
Lisa and I are both parts of ongoing supervisory groups.
We call it supervision, but it's really that kind of pure sharing where we talk about things that we experience and and how to deal with them better.
And, and then do formation and and some Yeah.
And keep and we can't do it.
Or something.
Yeah.
How many directees do you have each, roughly?
What did we tally?
It was more like thirty hours.
Yeah.
So we have we have directees with varying, frequencies.
I I have 12.
I I don't remember.
I don't know how many you have, but some of them, we're actually accompanying through a, Ignatian retreat in daily life, which requires a weekly spiritual direction.
So that helps the frequency for people who are going to us.
It's called the annotation nineteen retreat from Ignatius.
Yeah.
So so yeah.
But we kinda calculated roughly each around thirty hours a month.
No.
Okay.
And that's good to know for those who are discerning and want a better number or an accurate number.
Well, I mean, we can choose to do less.
Yeah.
True.
Yeah.
Has to discern what what time they can make available and, you know, you you keep you have you know, part actually, something that we even talk about during the course is how to keep things in balance so that you're giving good service and you're you're also, you know, staying healthy because, obviously, we have to be in a good place ourselves to be able to come to the Right.
Right.
Mhmm.
Of course.
All those practical things are really, really important tools that they give you through the course.
Just like the work life balance, there is there's the spiritual balance.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
Let's let me make sure.
Okay.
And here's some testimonials just kinda piggybacking off.
So I believe Monique, the bottom testimonial, I think she's a graduate.
At the time, they might have been students with when this was made.
But regardless, Jeff Garrett, who's a student, I have learned quite a bit so far.
I have been exposed to some excellent resources that will help me in my own spiritual direction and in giving spiritual direction to others.
I have a greater foundation in growing my relationship with God.
I have also been I have also been to meet other students virtually and learn from them during our during our online conversations and Zoom sessions.
So that gives you a technological aspect as well.
Because the program is the courses are online, there is some technology proficiency you need.
You don't have to be a wizard by any means, but definitely, using working through Canvas.
We use Canvas.
That's our learning management system.
And, I hear it's very user friendly.
I used to use Blackboard and Moodle.
Mike, Lisa, do you thumbs up for Canvas?
Or It's the only one we've ever had experience with, so I guess I have to say yes.
We figured it out, so it works.
Okay.
Pandemic experience is pre Internet.
But we we Yeah.
Yeah.
We knew some very nontechnical, non computer people that took the course, and they were They did that.
You know, it added a little bit of a challenge, I think, at the beginning, but they were able to work through it.
And Yeah.
And did fine.
And I hear I've not current students, I have not heard one complaint from Canvas.
Blackboard and Moodle, I was in grad school.
Sometimes even the younger students who were apparently more savvy, they had hiccups with those.
Canvas, I have not had one complaint.
So that's always good for those who were if that's in the back of your mind regarding the technology aspect.
Aspect.
And here are some frequently asked questions.
Maybe somebody in the chat bar currently has asked these.
And who can apply to this program?
And there are four four statements to ponder and to think about.
If you appreciate the Catholic Christian spiritual tradition, you don't have to be Catholic.
Most of our students are.
We have some Christians of Protestant denominations who are in the program who are learning more about the Catholic church, and it's kind of expanding that worldview and soaking, you know, soaking up soaking it up like a sponge, obtaining more knowledge.
Especially the Catholic church is the world's oldest institution.
So there's a lot there.
If you desire to help others on a path toward God, on the path of spiritual development in their relationship with God, if you, want to undertake a systematic course of education, maybe a master's degree is too expensive.
The certificate, it's right there financially.
This is doable for you.
And that leads us to number four.
It's about six to nine hours of work per week.
And that's on average.
I'm somebody like myself.
I am a fast reader.
That six to nine might be five hours of work per week.
For those who are more methodical, that might be nine, ten, even eleven hours, but it just depends on on how you learn.
And and that's but that's the number.
Six to nine is, the average that we say.
And there are the travel for the residencies.
We're right by Dulles Airport.
I believe Mike mentioned that earlier.
So we we're literally right there.
So it's it's very easy.
The second section here, course cost.
Each course is $750.
Each residency fee is a thousand dollars.
If you're a member of Regnum Priestly or another organization that we have a memorandum of understanding and affiliation with, that $7.50 per course becomes $6.75 per course.
So as an RC members, you you all had 10% tuition discount.
Doesn't affect the residency fees, but the course come down a little bit.
So was that was that how it was when you all were in the program?
Yeah.
I believe that's the same.
Yeah.
I think so.
The 10%.
Yeah.
Because, you started relatively when when the course was created in 2019.
So, yeah, you all were close.
Mhmm.
But we've I think we've always had an agreement with Regnum Priestly.
But, yes, if you are an RC member, that seven fifty, goes down to six seventy five.
And that's the hours per week again, about six to nine.
There's videos, readings, writing, discussion posts, assignments.
Papers.
There are papers, written in APA format.
What was the longest paper?
That that's a common question.
What was the longest paper, Mike and Lisa, that you wrote?
So long.
I think I I think it sounds long to me.
I I don't remember.
You know, it it was never anything on the order of a of a term paper even in in in college.
So, I don't I don't remember the writing being terribly burdensome.
Sorry.
I don't remember more detail.
The actually, the thing that took the longest was actually a a self reflection on our own history and kind of going going through different periods of our lives and the experiences that we had.
It was very illuminating.
That actually, I think, is what I remember is taking the most time.
Yeah.
And I believe that's SDC 100 or two, and that might be early on in the program.
Yeah.
It's very early.
February.
Yeah.
February.
That that's profound.
And, and, yeah, there are it's a mixed it's a it's very diverse, the assignments.
And nothing is too burdensome, the program.
It is designed for working adults, and and you all were were working at the time.
So it's very doable.
Definitely taking that leap is key.
And I wanna, run the last slide here for those.
So this is the the the summer information.
Courses always begin on a Wednesday.
Summer twenty twenty two, May 18, that is when classes start.
The application deadline for the SDC program is May 4.
That is two weeks from the eighteenth.
That's Wednesday, May 4.
That's the deadline.
My direct number is there.
My email address is there.
Call me, email me.
That number accepts text.
And that is we have a new website, divinemercy.edu.
So we the SDC program is now fully incorporated.
So we've really come a long way there.
And right now, I will go to questions because it looks like we'll jump in because, we have a lot.
Okay.
So Michael Lucido, Michael, do you actually perform spiritual direction under the supervision of a LC priest, legionary priest during the residency?
So that's You you you prac during the residency, you do practice sessions with other students, and you take turn turns with different roles.
And typically what you have is you have a director and a directee.
You have another student that is an observer kind of taking notes about what happens.
And then you have somebody on the staff that is the, you know, the staff member that's there to help to help you if you get stuck and also to kind of assess how things go.
There were one or two legionary priests involved, but it was a mix a mix of the of the staff that we're we're helping to supervise.
Yeah.
There's a consecrated at some point.
Yeah.
There were yep.
But yeah.
But other, staff from from DMU were also involved.
Another question.
Can you reflect on the most challenging spiritual direction encounter you have had?
I guess you could keep that general, but to to talk about it a little bit.
Well, so if I may slightly redirect, I I did have an experience prior to the program, of praying with someone who stumbled across a pretty serious, traumatic wound.
And it it put that person in in in a in a rough place, and I didn't know how to deal with that.
And I one of the things that we learned during the program is how to watch for times when somebody might need professional help from a therapist when you need to call for help, as opposed to trying to accompany the person yourself.
And so, that's really what came to mind in terms of that question.
You know, the spiritual direction that I'm involved with right now, certainly, there are some sessions that are a little bit easier than others.
But in general, you're just listening to someone reflect how God is working in their life.
And and in general, I find it to be a very positive experience.
I don't know if you have any I would just say, in general, the tough things for me have been, working with people who have different kinds of addictions, that kind of come out, or that they're trying to work through, and kind of understanding I mean, well, before I DMU, those people were I felt like I was way in over my head.
And since then, I feel like I can, you know, help them and get them to get the proper help they need and work with with the professionals.
And that's another thing that they do teach you is, how to work with, like, counselors and things like that, with a person.
Mhmm.
That that's incredible.
And I think addiction that that's probably a common as you meet with people, it's becoming more common.
There's definitely mental health there.
Meeting that person where they are.
I think that's one way the program, a lot of alumni mentioned that.
And also, vulnerable attentiveness that is likely father Boniface Hicks.
Yeah.
You did.
The book was by Atkins and Styx.
As soon as soon as I saw that chat come up, I was like, geez.
Yeah.
So I, thank you, Teresa.
So we have some helpers at the audience.
Yeah.
And here we have a question.
Are there positions at churches for spiritual direction?
And what would that position what would that position be?
So I guess with regards to starting your parish, how how would somebody proceed?
So I'm aware of people who have let for instance, let their pass certainly let their pastor, know that they've they've received the certification.
I think often you even have the pastor involved when you're entering the program, with a referral or what have you.
And so there might be referrals for that.
I am aware of some people that do do charge for providing the service, but in general, it's our experience has been it's more volunteer and more of a kind of a side, side ministry or apostolate as opposed to a a professional undertaking.
Well, and I'm not aware of any position per se at parishes at all.
They were drawn this.
Yeah.
I mean, I don't know that parishes don't know.
Specifically draw on this.
Yeah.
They could afford to to, to hire somebody to do this.
Yeah.
I mean, I'm sure somebody might, have another kind of position at the the parish and also be available to some people for Like a DRE, for example.
Yeah.
I don't know.
But our experience is limited in that.
So I think, you know, there might be more to learn on this than than we're aware of.
Yeah.
And a DRE for those, director of religious education, that's that's very common for them to join to enroll in our program, apply and enroll, and they're enhancing their job professionally and and spiritually.
So that's a two birds, one stone.
Absolutely.
So what what kind of positions are available for someone with a spirit with a certificate?
I think I think we've kinda touched on that.
GREs, Catholic school teachers, youth ministers, missionaries even, a focus missionaries is big, college students and young adults who seek the certificate.
So I I think anything ministerial, in the church.
And and these are all very good questions.
Just let's see.
And then and then let me go to the q and a section now.
Which days of the week are the residency?
That that is a good question from from Patrice.
Is it very I think we we flew in Wednesday.
Did we fly Wednesday.
Yes.
Sunday.
Yeah.
Sunday.
We flew in Sunday.
I guess I could Yeah.
You can answer it better than us.
Yeah.
I guess I can answer that one.
Yeah.
On Wednesday to Sunday.
So that's a good question.
On Wednesday at 06:30PM, and then Sunday, there is a mass on campus.
And then I believe there's a quick lunch, and it concludes.
Thursday, Friday, Saturday are the full days of the residency.
Wednesday is a travel day.
There's a meet and greet, and then Sunday there is a mass.
And then typically by lunchtime, it does conclude after mass.
How do you acquire your clients for the practicum?
That's a good question.
So so Lisa and I both already had we're we're doing some pract doing some of the spiritual direction.
So we were able to just count that towards the practicum.
I think Other people have have kind of, sought out people to to be, I think they call it spiritual Spiritual friendships.
Friendships.
So you're just accompanying someone in a for friendship and letting them know that you're training.
And, and so you might, you know, talk to somebody at a whatever your bible group or or any anybody who might be interested in that would, approach you.
I mean, you can tell them you're studying and what you're doing.
And it seems like everybody found people.
So I I I guess it wasn't that hard.
There was guidance to join the course too to help you get started.
Yeah.
So and this is a question related.
What if you have trouble getting directees, but it sounds like everyone that you graduated with, there wasn't really big speed bumps with regarding that.
Well, it's interesting.
And, actually, I think it was Atkins and Hicks that made the point that that being a spiritual director is a little bit of a charism, a charismatic gift.
And one of the, one of the signs that you have the gift is that people actually ask you for it.
So some of it's just letting the holy spirit kind of put you together, with people that need it.
But I think if you make it make known that you you've received the certification to your pastor, then that can be a source of referrals.
And then we recently were contacted by DMU.
There's, there's a group forming that's trying to kind of create a an online way of connecting people, that that are interested in a spiritual director.
So there's there's other resources, I think, that are coming that are becoming visible in the church for that.
Yes.
I think as the more popular DMU gets, the more infrastructure, the more networking, which is great.
And, there's a question here I can answer.
How do you differentiate spiritual direction in counseling?
I know for DMU, the counseling degree is licensure, the master of science.
So specifically regarding the degree in the the mass the the certificate in the counseling degree, the the SDC program, it's a certificate of completion.
It's not a master's degree.
The financial differences are pretty stark regarding that.
The counseling program, two and a half to three years.
I think some people can finish the counseling program in two years if they're a full time student throughout.
That you become a licensed counselor.
So so that is a regulated industry on a state by state basis.
You do you do not have to be a Catholic, and most of our students are, but we have Protestants of, different denominations who are in the program.
Most of our students are Catholic, though.
The course is through the Catholic lens, through through the church's lens, the Catholic church's lens.
That is that's in the DNA of the university and the program.
The SDC program is a two year program, and you cannot transfer credits from SDC to a degree program.
I believe it's possible if MSP, there is a chance you could transfer that to MSC because they're both the degree programs.
But SDC is unique, and you cannot transfer credits to degree programs.
There's no financial aid.
I see that question.
It is it's a pay as you go program.
There are opportunities for 10% tuition discounts.
If you're a member of Regnum Priestly like Mike and Lisa, we have MOUs with Focused Missionaries, with the Theology of the Body Institute.
And on the application, there is a drop down which has a list of our MOUs.
So if you are a member, there is a possibility of a 10%, off the tuition, not the residencies, but the tuition discount.
And what kind of, that question was answered.
What kind of positions are available at church once you have the certificate?
There's bible study, young adult groups, women's groups, men's groups.
Knights of Columbus is they're they're pretty big.
I have a couple nights in the program, so there's great opportunities to give spiritual direction there.
Are courses graded?
That's a Mike and Lisa, are are courses great?
You definitely get grades.
Yep.
Yeah.
Feedback is provided.
But it's it's very much in the spirit of of helping helping success as opposed to you know, I don't I don't think it feels it's not a it's not the Wiener class field that I remember from, from Andre.
Yeah.
We were both in engineering.
It's more feedback on how well you're learning and and how and and it's very useful feedback through the residencies that that help you kind of hone your your listening skills.
Mhmm.
I know as an auditor, courses are not graded as an auditor.
There is a choice if finances are an issue and if you do not want the certificate, but you still wanna audit the program for for content knowledge, for enhancing skill sets.
You could become an auditor.
You do not submit assignments, essentially.
And if you did submit an assignment, it would not be graded.
That is worth noting.
As an auditor, you don't partake in the residencies, and each course is 50% off.
So instead of $7.50 per course, it would be $3.75 per course.
No residencies as an auditor.
Are you required to be in spiritual direction while in the program?
Yeah.
Especially, there are certain segments of the program where at the beginning.
At the beginning and and also through the the, you know, more of the practical side where it's very helpful.
And there are moments where they, I think they require at least strongly suggest that you meet with your spiritual director and and have weeks during certain, classes.
Yeah.
Certainly.
So do you have a chance to reflect on how things are affecting you?
Right.
And and and it's very important, when you're learning, it's not just learning the stuff to be a spiritual director.
It's also, there's a learning about yourself too.
Yes.
That is a big component of the course.
And it's a a kind of an essential thing in order to help others is to know yourself so that you can help them know themselves.
You know, and, and the spiritual director is obviously your own spiritual director helps you be objective in that.
And that's a prerequisite.
You mentioned that having a spiritual director, they fill out a letter of recommendation.
And also I would recommend, if it's not mandatory, like you mentioned, Lisa, meeting on a weekly basis.
If you're if there's a geographical distance, try to do a Zoom meeting with your spiritual director as you go through the program, but they fill out a letter for you.
So they they should be aware that you're going through the program.
They definitely know that one applies because there is that letter, which is step two after one applies.
Getting those three letters of recommendation.
And yes, also, a last comment here, having a three point o or higher, that is, I believe that's mandatory.
In the coursework, it is an associate's degree.
There's rigor, but a three point o is doable even as a working adult.
And and the professors are trying to help you.
They they want you to improve.
They don't want anyone to bomb out of the program.
They want you to proceed and earn that certificate, and they want you to be in the field in in helping souls.
And there's a couple more questions I know.
Do all US diocese recognize the certificate?
That's a that's a good question.
I mean so I I can take a stab at this, Joel.
It is a certificate of completion.
Mhmm.
So this is something that can go on your resume, but this is not a regulated I I don't believe Catholic diocese in America regulate this.
It's still something I know some diocese have list of spiritual directors.
I believe the diocese of Arlington is working on one, and that that's an official list, and that would be through the diocese website.
So that's something you could on a diocese on a case by case basis.
I'm not sure the diocese of Atlanta, do they is there a spiritual direction realm?
Or Not where where.
Yeah.
I think it's becoming a newer thing, depending on the diocese you live in, Joel.
Somebody raised their hand.
Let's see.
I can allow this person to talk right at the eleventh hour.
Okay.
Andrea.
Yeah.
My question was, what is the difference between a spiritual minister and a youth minister?
My understanding on that would be that a youth minister is usually responsible for organizing, activities probably within a parish.
And for the youth.
And for particularly for the youth.
A spiritual director is if somebody makes them so it makes him or herself available to others to as on a personal level to accompany them in their spiritual life.
So one's much more more structured than organizational.
The other one's just more personal, I think.
Thank you.
Also, the certificate, it's worth noting that this is for adults.
The the SDC program, it's not as you go through.
You're you're not gonna be giving spiritual direction spiritual direction to minors.
That is probably where a youth minister or a CCD teacher, that's more of their wheelhouse.
Mhmm.
So so that is worth mentioning.
Yep.
And I'm looking here.
And if you miss a residency, we'll conclude.
This is a great question.
If there's an extraordinary if there's a god forbid, something bad happens and you miss the residency, you would then take the next semester's residency.
We would just DMU would scooch you down.
Now that is that is case by case, and it shouldn't be taken advantage of.
But missing a residency of of something, a bereavement, for example, that would be discussed, through the program director and through the registrar.
But the the goal is to go go through the program with your cohort, and there's the camaraderie in the fellowship.
Mhmm.
But any other questions, please call me or email me.
And if and if you want Mike or Lisa's contact info, come to me first, and I'm sure, they they wouldn't mind.
But definitely, I'm the point of contact.
They've been very, very gracious joining us.
So thank you again, Mike and Lisa.
Okay.
Our pleasure.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
And, this will be on YouTube for everyone.
I believe this will be uploaded.
But there's my contact info one last time, and thank you very much for joining.