Pecos Benedictine Monastery
School for spiritual direction: soul quest
June 15 – July 15, 2008
The Pecos Benedictine Monastery founded our School for Spiritual Direction in 1978 to help meet the growing need for spiritual directors and give others the opportunity to learn about and experience spiritual direction in a monastic setting.
Since many of those who find themselves being called to do spiritual direction are unable to spare the years it would take to study at a university, our course is designed to fit their busy schedules. In no way do we consider it a substitute for a four-year course. Rather, we see it as a good beginning which must be expanded with further study and experience. One never stops becoming a spiritual director.
Our School can also serve as a refresher course for those who have already studied spiritual direction or who are “professional” spiritual directors. It can benefit those who wish to develop the spiritual life for their own personal development and growth in the Lord.
Time-tested teachings from various schools of spiritual direction are taught: different types of Christian spiritualities, Scripture, the Gifts of the Spirit and how to use them in spiritual direction, and various fields of psychology. The School is ecumenical in itself and in receiving anyone of Christian faith. However, since Pecos Benedictine Monastery is Roman Catholic, we do not present any material opposed to our Catholic Christian faith. The faculty includes members of the monastic community, as well as other experts in the field of spiritual direction.
Although we recognize the importance of the intellectual component of our School, we believe that even more important is the experience of living Christian community. To this end, we bring School participants into the life of our Benedictine community. They worship with us and eat their meals with us. And there are other opportunities for fellowship and fun together.
Students will take part in small support/discussion groups and will have their own spiritual director during the program. Also, each student is asked to come under personal spiritual direction, if possible, before school commences. We have a directory of prior students, if assistance is needed in finding the recommended direction.
The School is a resident program completed in four weeks for which students will receive a Certificate of Completion. Students reside at the Guesthouse of the Pecos Benedictine Monastery just outside the Village of Pecos, New Mexico, 25 miles east of Santa Fe. The scenic 900-acre property is on the beautiful Pecos River.
The 49th School for Spiritual Direction will be Jun 15 – July 15, 2008 with the 1st and last days reserved for travel. Tuition, including room and board with double occupancy is $2,700 US; single occupancy is $3,000 US. Eight (8) single rooms are available and will go to those who first apply and pay a $200 US deposit.
If you are interested in attending the School in 2008, or in future years, please see the "Pecos School for Spiritual Direction" pages by clicking the name on the left.
Schedule:
Arrive Friday evening, 8/15 (Our lady's Assumption Day):
Welcome/Reception, 7:30pm.
Saturday through Friday, 8/16-22
Mary Poplin will be presenting her message on:
"Spiritual Direction for Those Working in the Secular World -
The Centrality of Jesus"
Saturday and Sunday (until lunch), 8/23 & 24:
Networking and wrap-up. Departure, 2pm
Mary Poplin is a professor at Claremont Graduate University, who came to Christ through a fairly radical conversion at the late age of 41. She is one of our Oblates and believes she may hold the record for the most number of retreats attended at Pecos. Her book about her time with Mother Teresa, "Finding Calcutta" will be published this summer by InterVarsity Press.
Suggested Donation: $675. Deposit: $100.
Come and join us, all ye School Members, past and present!
Pecos School for Iconography
Plan on joining us for this years!
Introducing the
Pecos Benedictine
San Patricio Retreat Center
www.sanpatricioretreatcenter.com
