School of Spiritual Direction

SOSD101: A Catholic Vision of Spiritual Maturity

This course offers students a meaningful opportunity to understand and apply to their own lives– a complete and coherent vision of spiritual growth rooted in the rich tradition of Catholic spirituality.

Drawing from the Church’s wisdom, the course presents a practical synthesis of key elements involved in growing toward spiritual maturity. Rather than offering an abstract or purely theoretical treatment, it invites students to reflect prayerfully on how these insights shape daily life, relationships, and discipleship.

*Registration fees for this course are non-refundable once payment is submitted.

CEUs: 12
Provided By: Divine Mercy University
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Faith That Engages Daily Life

Designed for active Catholics, this course helps students:

  • Deepen theological understand of the spiritual life
  • Recognize the stages and movements of growth in Christ
  • Integrate prayer, virtue, and discernment into everyday responsibilities
  • Apply timeless spiritual wisdom within the realities of a busy life
While the course does not aim to be an exhaustive or definitive treatment of every spiritual theme, it offers a clear accessible framework that supports ongoing growth and formation.

Rooted in Tradition, Oriented Toward Transformation


Students are introduced to foundational insights from traditional Catholic spirituality and are encouraged to reflect on how these teachings foster interior freedom, attentiveness to grace, and deeper communion with God.
Through guided reflection and practical application, participants grow not only in knowledge, but in the capacity to live their faith more intentionally and joyfully.

A Course for Ongoing Formation

This course is ideal for:

  • Christians seeking deeper spiritual maturity
  • Ministry leaders and volunteers
  • Those discerning a call to spiritual accompaniment
  • Anyone desiring to integrate faith more fully into daily life

Whether taken for personal enrichment or as part of a broader formation path, this course supports a lifelong journey of growth in Christ.

SOSD101 is part of DMU’s School of Spiritual Direction (SOSD)

 This course is part of our Foundational Courses offerings designed to deepen spiritual maturity and prepare students for further formation in spiritual direction.

Other Foundational Courses of interest include:
  1. SDC 100: Life in Christ and Spiritual Direction (certificate prerequisite)
  2. SDC 200: Human Development for Spiritual Growth (certificate prerequisite)


These two additional courses also serve as prerequisites for the Spiritual Direction Certificate (SDC) and must be taken sequentially. SDC100 registration is open to all. Learn more about the School of Spiritual Direction and the full formation pathway at https://divinemercy.edu/academics/spiritual-direction-certificate/
Author

Fr. John Bartunek, LC S.Th.D

Fr. John Bartunek, LC, S.Th.D, received his BA in History from Stanford University in 1990. He comes from an evangelical Christian background and became a member of the Catholic Church in 1991. After college he worked as a high school history teacher, drama director, and baseball coach. He then spent a year as a professional actor in Chicago before entering the religious Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ in 1993. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 2003 and earned his doctorate in moral theology in 2010. He has taught moral theology at various ecclesiastical institutions at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.

He provided spiritual support on the set of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ while researching the 2005 Catholic best seller, Inside the Passion, the only authorized, behind-the-scene explanation of the film. Fr. John has contributed news commentary regarding religious issues on NBC, CNN, Fox, and the BBC. He also served as the English-language press liaison for the Vatican¹s 2005 Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist.

His most widely known book is called The Better Part: A Christ-Centered Resource for Personal Prayer. It is the first of three meditation books that make up his “Complete Christian Collection”. The other two are: Seeking First the Kingdom: 30 Meditations on How to Love God with All Your Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength, and Go! 30 Meditations on How Best to Love Your Neighbor as Yourself. In 2016 he published a series of meditation books delving into the spiritual values behind the natural world: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter Meditations. A compilation of his many online answers to questions about the spiritual life was published in book form as: Answers: Catholic Advice for Your Spiritual Questions. He continues answering fresh questions online at SpiritualDirection.com.

His ongoing series of Do-It-Yourself online Catholic Retreat Guides are available in multiple formats at RCSpirituality.org. Fr. John currently resides in Georgia, where he continues he serves as territorial vicar for the Legionaries of Christ, and as a member of the Regnum Christi Territorial Directive College for North America.


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