Course Outline

• Overview of the Year

• Personal introductions; Sharing Life Stories; Sharing Spiritual Journey

• Building Brotherhoods/Sisterhoods: classes and small groups to strengthen male bonds and female bonds separately.

• Virtues of Community Living: Building healthy communication and relationships with staff and fellow students, including affirmation of others; understanding the prayer life of the community.

• Male/Female Relations: Living side by side with members of the opposite sex in a healthy way

• Community Schedule: Understanding how a community rule of life can bring growth eg. Benefits of regular prayer, physical activity, rest, sleep, learning etc.

• Outside influences: Which types of media will/will not be beneficial in this formative year

• Common Daily Interactions: For example: greeting each other; expressing thanks to those who serve us…

• Dinner Conversations: how to maintain good conversation within community and with visitors.

• Conflict Resolution skills: Based on Matt 18:15-20. Crucial Conversations. … see student manual. Will include practical skills with role playing.

• Communal Study Habits: Practical suggestions on how to study together.

• Student Feedback: Open journals- weekly assignment giving students the opportunity to share their thoughts and experiences regarding community life and learning.

• Regular Community Gatherings: Faith sharing, prayer ministry, social time.

• Prayer Intro: Understanding Prayer – What is prayer; Fruits of prayer; How to pray; Categories: Personal/Communal prayer; Vocal/Meditative/Contemplative Prayer; Types: thanksgiving/praise/adoration/petition/intercession; Obstacles to Prayer; Deterrents to Prayer.

• Personal Prayer Foundation – Relationship with God and growth; Intimacy with God; Reflecting God’s beauty; God at the Center of Our Hearts; Conversion Through Prayer.

• Prayer Counterfeits: Jesus as the Way, Truth and Life; Danger of Cults, Occult, Yoga, Reiki, Centering Prayer, Enneagram; Dangerous Games and Music; Staying Rooted in Christ.

• Understanding Spiritual Battle: Day to day spiritual battle & accessing prayer tools for the battle.

• Intro to Healing Prayer: Christ the physician, Church carries on Jesus’ mission to heal; Does God always heal; Healing of the will, emotions, intellect, memories, generational, physical healing; Practical advice for praying with others.

• Receiving Healing/Deliverance Ministry as a group: Book study of author Bob Schuchts

• Thanksgiving, Praise & Worship -Understanding the scriptural basis for these; Benefits of; Supernatural implications; Our role as priest, prophet, and king in prayer; Application in the Mass.

• Lectio Divina: Learning to take part in and lead Lectio Divina sessions within the community.

• Life in the Spirit Seminar: Basic kerygma, decision for Christ, empowerment of Holy Spirit.

• The “Lordship” of Jesus Christ in Our Life: From an interior sense, when we say Jesus is Lord of our own lives, what does this mean?

• Pentecost: scriptural/catechetical/historical view of Pentecost and Gifts/Charisms of the Holy Spirit – Learning about and using (activating/practicing the gifts) 

• Growing in Virtues: Includes Seven Deadly Sins and Seven Lively Virtues video with Bishop Robert Barron; True Friendship by John Cuddeback book study; Overview of Virtues

• Call to Holiness and Mission: Going Deeper; Our Call to Holiness; Four Principles of Holiness; What is the New Evangelization; Who is the Holy Spirit? Dr. Ralph Martin video series from Immaculata Mission School in Australia.

• Spiritual Stages:  Overview; Purgative; Illuminative; Unitive.  Book Study of Fulfillment of All Desire by Ralph Martin “Drawing upon the teaching of seven Spiritual Doctors of the Church, presents an in-depth study of the journey to God. …provides encouragement and direction for the pilgrim who desires to know, love, and serve our Lord.” (Renewal Ministries Website) 

• Mary, Our Mother

• Ignatian Discernment Method: Abbreviated overview of this method, with a focus on major life decisions common to young people (schooling, vocation, work …)

• Bible/Scripture Study: Resource to be determined. An overview of Old and New Testament Scripture to assist in personal prayer, Lectio Divina, etc. Resource to be determined.

• Catechism of Catholic Church: Class teachings offering an overview of the catechism.

• Understanding Mass: To promote “Full, Active, Conscious Participation” in Mass, firstly deepening our own relationship with God as the primary factor then the exploration, meaning and sacramentality of various symbols used at Mass.

• Apologetics -understanding how to explain our Catholic faith to non-Catholics.

• Church History: From the church’s beginnings to the present, a panoramic view of important moments, events, and people throughout church history.

• Salvation History- The story of God’s cherishing love for mankind and His gift of Salvation as seen through the Scriptures.

• Holistic Sexuality: Understanding the Catholic Church’s teachings on sexual ethics, female/male reproduction and the beauty of a healthy married sexual relationship

• Theology of Marriage –Presentation on Marriage as understood considering teachings from Vatican II, Scripture, Catechism of the Catholic Church.

• Theology of Women –Study of People John Paul II’s Mulieris Dignitatum 1988

• Theology of Men Resources TBD.

• Life Culture- Pro-life presentations

• Wisdom of the Ancients (Philosophy): The role of philosophy in the processing of truth from a Catholic perspective.

• Music & Art in the Church: Various small workshops

• Other Catholic topics: Mental Health and Catholic Ministry of Healing;

• Catholic Social Teaching…TBD

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• Church Documents on Evangelization: Brief overview of Church documents promotion and teaching on evangelization in the modern world.

• Evangelization with Chris Stefanik: Video series on practical issues regarding evangelization, with a focus on parish evangelization.

• What is the New Evangelization with Dr. Ralph Martin (video)

• Forming Intentional Disciples with Sherry Weddell: Some book study and video series, learning about skills associated with evangelization. From study guide: “Numerous studies show a rapid decline in Catholic identity among those who were born into the faith. This decline takes two very different forms: Catholics interested in deepening their connection to God or whose needs are not being met at their Catholic parish may turn to a Protestant community; those who disagree with specific Church teachings may drift away and become “nones.” Both changes typically occur by late adolescence or early adulthood. The Church must evangelize its members and assist them in establishing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ if it is to call them to discipleship.”

• Clear & Simple: Study of a book by Andrée Regnier of CCO. A study on how to have conversations that lead to conversion. “A concrete adaptable, and life changing approach to evangelization”.

• Intentional Accompaniment: Study of a book by Michael Hall of CCO. How to: be intentional in accompaniment; stay focussed reaching out to one person at a time; Listen to direction of Holy
  Spirit; navigate the stages of another’s spiritual journey leading to conversion.

• Public Speaking (Toastmasters Style): Gaining confidence in public speaking using topics on faith.

• How to Pray for Others: A practical lesson offering wisdom & instruction on how to pray for others. To be practiced within the context of our community and in parish outreach.

• Leading Small Groups: Practicalities and wisdom when leading small groups of various ages.

• Personal Testimonies: Both listening to and preparing/delivering testimonies of various lengths for the purpose of evangelization.

• Visit from Myriam Bethlehem Sisters: “Our bilingual mission is to meet the needs of Francophones and Anglophones in Western Canada. It is vibrant with parish retreats, summer camps for youth and regular school visits to Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba.”

• Youth Groups / Winter Camps / Local Schools / CSE Come & See & Retreat events: Likely to be organized and occur during the DFP year.

• Peer Evangelization: Skill development of intentional faith conversations -useful during summer/winter camps, with friends and in work/social settings.

• Parish & Community Evangelization: Reaching out to St Malo Parish and other parishes.