Chapter 8.2: Spiritual Formation

Overview: Through the richness of Jesuit and Catholic tradition, formation reflects our mission of educating “scholars and ministers to serve the Church and society by enlivening faith, promoting reconciliation, laboring for justice, and participating in God’s mercy.” (see JST Mission Statement). We envision formation as a process of growing in relationship with one’s true self, one’s companions on the way, our local communities, our global context, and with God, so as to serve in the Church and the world.

We regard God as the primary agent of formation and we trust that God encourages and empowers students to initiate and engage actively in their formation. In collaboration with God’s promptings, JST offers an array of formation resources and opportunities, with some optional elements and others required by the degree program. We view the school community as a primary locus for formation, where relationships and participation in a diverse academic community provide fertile terrain for learning and for encountering God in and alongside others.

Resources: JST provides the following resources to support all students in their formation:

• Spiritual Direction - A pool of spiritual directors serve the JST community, so as to ensure that students can benefit from this important spiritual practice. The Director of Spiritual Formation hosts an introduction to this ministry in partnership with Student Life and several of the directors.

• Liturgy - The school community celebrates liturgy on Tuesday through Friday evening. The Liturgy Committee, on which students are encouraged to serve, sustains the liturgical life of the school by reflecting on our current practice and ways we can support participation, preparation, and ministry. We prioritize and seek to grow in our ability to promote lay and ordained collaboration, ministerial formation, interculturality, and care of creation, to allow for what is most fundamentally a moment of communal prayer in response to the gift of God’s action in the world. Students are encouraged to join a local parish for Sunday liturgies.

• Prayer - In addition to the liturgical calendar, there are a variety of occasions organized for prayer and spaces dedicated to supporting the prayer life of JST students. Graduate Assistants for Spiritual Formation, faculty, staff, and students help to identify programmatic forms of prayer that reflect our mission. Depending on the year and engagement of the community, examples might include contemplative walks and hikes, Advent and Lenten days of prayer, a Faith and Film screening series, and periods of meditation and adoration. Students may also form ongoing prayer and faith-sharing groups or join an online group coordinated by graduates of the school.

• Retreats: Students have opportunities to make retreats during their time at JST. The Spiritual Exercises are offered in different formats within daily life. Contact Stephen Szolosi for more information. The lay student community has the opportunity to make a retreat together at the conclusion of the January intercession. Other opportunities exist and can be formulated in conversation with the Director of Spiritual Formation.

Complementary Elements of Formation: Formation for Jesuit students, for religious men and women of other congregations, for diocesan clergy and clergy of various denominations, and for lay persons will vary according to the individual’s charism. Formation elements will also vary according to the program of study. For example, M.Div. students engage in formative field education experiences at various locations in the Bay Area.

Finally, all students experience spiritual formation through:

• a curriculum oriented toward faith in action with a preferential option for the poor;

• a focus on contextual theology, bringing “theology into dialogue with communities, within their particular histories and cultures;” (See JST Mission Statement);

• a vibrant liturgical and community life;

• Ignatian spirituality;

• the dynamic interreligious, ecumenical, and intercultural contexts of the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) situated in Berkeley and the San Francisco Bay Area;

• resources of Santa Clara University (SCU), including lectures, presentations, and other activities.

Conclusion: We invite students to engage fully in their own formation process, each according to their charism and vocation, and in collaboration with God’s prompting. We welcome and encourage students to collaborate with one another, with the faculty and staff, and with other potential partners during their time at the Jesuit School of Theology.