Ave Maria University |
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Spiritual Formation
Pre-Theologate Spiritual Formation
A spiritual guide should be silent when discretion requires and speak when words are of service. Otherwise he may say what he should not or be silent when he should speak. Pastors who lack foresight hesitate to say openly what is right because they fear losing the favor of men. (St. Gregory the Great, Cura Pastoralis)
With regular spiritual direction and access to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, men in the Pre-Theologate are provided the excellent formation mandated by the Program of Priestly Formation: Daily Mass, celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours and Eucharistic adoration.
The Dean gives a weekly conference on spiritual formation in the Salesian tradition of discernment and growth in holiness. There is a monthly off-campus day of recollection, led by speakers, often of international reputation and from a variety of disciplines.
As one would expect of students at a university named to honor Our Lady, Marian devotion comes naturally to all of us. All activity literally comes to a standstill three times a day as the University community recites the Angelus, the prayer which is the hallmark of our Catholic tradition which recalls the Annunciation to Our Lady and the Incarnation of Our Lord. The day ends for our students with our daily Rosary walk and Night Prayer.
The Pre-Theologate is well served by the ready availability of spiritual directors and confessors who live in the same residence with them.
Fr. Robert Garrity, J.C.L., S.T.D., University Chaplain, serves as spiritual director and gives weekly conferences on the Catholic tradition of spirituality. He involves our men in all the liturgical ministries that serve our University community.
Fr. John Harvey, O.S.F.S., S.T.D., Founder of Courage, is popular as counselor and confessor to many of our university students as well as the men of the Pre-Theologate, as he brings 60 years of experience in the priesthood. Fr. Harvey lectures regularly on issues of human sexuality.
Fr. Eamon McManus, S.T.D., a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington, not only serves as confessor and spiritual director, but also tutors students in Greek and Latin.
Fr. Dennis Cooney, a pastor in the Diocese of Venice, brings his vast pastoral experience to the benefit of the university community as confessor and spiritual director.
The Dean, because of his responsibilities in the external forum of formation, cannot
serve as spiritual director or confessor to the students of the Pre-Theologate.