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A spiritual director helps people discern how the Holy Spirit is leading and working in their lives. There is a great need for more committed Christians to serve as spiritual directors. Spiritual directors can be lay men and women, vowed religious or priests.
A well-trained spiritual director will have completed a master's-level theology degree plus specialized training in spiritual direction. Spiritual direction is distinct from psychological counseling, although a good spiritual director will draw on insights from pastoral psychology as well as the Christian spiritual tradition.
Saint Meinrad's graduate certificate in spiritual direction is an 18-credit, three-year program intended to give you the intellectual framework and practical skills to serve as an effective spiritual director.
It combines hybrid distance courses and on-campus coursework with a year-long supervised spiritual direction practicum. The program covers various methods of spiritual direction, but emphasizes the Benedictine tradition and charisms.
A Certificate in Spiritual Direction requires 18 graduate credits, as follows:
Biblical Foundations of Spirituality (3 credits)
History of Christian Spirituality (3 credits)
Human Development and Christian Maturity (3 credits)
Spiritual Direction and Discernment (3 credits)
Spiritual Direction Practicum (6 credits)
Pre-practicum: This intensive session covers the practical methodology and ethics of spiritual direction, including the integration of other theological disciplines into spiritual direction.
Practicum: Over 12 months, you must:
provide spiritual direction to at least two clients (at least six sessions per client)
receive mentoring and direction from a qualified supervisor
submit regular written reflections/verbatims.
Post-practicum: This wrap-up meeting entails several days of reporting and group reflection on the practicum experience.
Formation Expectations
Receive regular spiritual direction for the duration of the program
Make a formal weekend retreat each year
Appropriate assessment/testing
Requirements for Certificate Completion
Successfully complete course work
Successfully complete supervised practicum
Meet formation expectations
Demonstrate readiness for the role
Students who successfully complete the graduate Certificate in Spiritual Direction will:
understand how the cognitive, emotional, psychosocial, psychosexual dimensions of human development and Christian maturation;
demonstrate basic understanding of the variety of Christian spiritual traditions and how they relate to the practice of spiritual direction;
appreciate the spiritual themes in Scripture and be able to use Scripture effectively and responsibly when providing spiritual direction;
understand the theology, practice, and limits of the spiritual direction relationship;
demonstrate sufficient theological knowledge, self-awareness, and psychological health and maturity to provide effective spiritual direction;
demonstrate the ability to provide spiritual direction and receive constructive individual and group feedback and supervision.
To take classes as a Post-Graduate, you must:
Have a master’s-level theological degree or have completed diaconal formation.
Receive regular spiritual direction for at least one year prior to application (at least six meetings/year).
The recommended minimum age for post-master’s certificates is 30.
Submit the following:
Completed Spiritual Direction Certificate Student Application Form
Official transcripts sent to us from the institution confirming receipt of a master’s-level degree in theology or pastoral ministry and/or a final transcript indicating completion of a permanent deacon formation program
Application Essays (prompt found on application)
Request permission from the Coordinator of Spiritual Direction Certificates.
Spiritual Direction Program students pay the regular graduate tuition rate. Saint Meinrad alumni receive the regular alumni tuition discount.
For information, visit Financial Information or contact the Financial Aid Office at (812) 357-6561 or financialaid@saintmeinrad.edu.