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Foundations in Spirituality Courses

Open for 2025-2026 Registration!

Announcing our NEW course "Foundations II: Wisdom from the Margins"!

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Strengthen Your Understanding of Spirituality

Foundations in Spirituality courses are serious reflective studies that open our minds and hearts to the teachings and life examples of the great Christian spiritual teachers that continue to deepen our present spiritual journey.

In Foundations I, explore the rich preaching of St. Dominic; the unbreakable faith of St. Teresa of Avila; the deep spirituality of St. John of the Cross; the life-giving wisdom of the Beguines; the daily prayerful life of St. Ignatius; the encouragement of spiritual life in Evelyn Underhill; and the lives of many more who continue to enrich faith and spirituality.

In Foundations II: Wisdom from the Margins, explore the activism born of a deep spirituality in Sojourner Truth and the Grimke sisters; the transformative power of service and reflection in Henri Nouwen and Mother Theresa; the joy of reconciliation in Desmond Tutu; and the inspiring humility of Oscar Romero.

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Open Your Heart to a Deeper Spiritual Life

Both courses introduce contemplative prayer and reflection as grounding practices for living a richer spiritual life. Respond to the yearning in your heart for a deeper relationship with God by joining us in one of the Foundations in Spirituality courses!

Watch how Graduate Phillip Johnson, PhD. shares Foundations I transformed him and his approach to counseling.

Foundations in Spirituality

(Foundations I)

Foundations in Spirituality (Foundations I) is a serious reflective study that opens our minds and hearts to the teachings and life examples of the great Christian spiritual teachers that continue to deepen our present spiritual journey.

It’s the first step of the formation offerings at Dominican Center. For those interested in Spiritual Director training or Spiritual Companioning, it is required to complete Foundations I. However, you can participate in Foundations II without having completed Foundations I. We designed Foundations II to work as a stand-alone or sequentially with Foundations I. Note that Foundations I is in-person atDominican Center, while Foundations II is virtual.

Course Objectives

  • Grow in understanding and appreciation of the diverse ways God has been present to and involved in the lives of the great spiritual teachers and guides throughout history.
  • Encourage awareness, commitment to, and integration of the spiritual journey in daily life through writing and living a personal rule of life.
  • Develop an understanding of contemplative attitudes and presence as basic to living a spiritual life.
  • Provide opportunity for an introductory study of writings from the spiritual classics for the purpose of reflection, discussion, and personal appropriation.
  • Foster respect for the diversity in past and present theology and spirituality.
  • To present basic principles and tools for discernment that are useful for personal, prayerful decision making.

Session Dates and Times

Dates and Times – 2025-2026

Foundations in Spirituality 2025-2026 are in-person classes on Saturdays from 10:00 am-3:00 pm.

Register for Foundations in Spirituality

Dates include:

  • September 20, 2025

  • Oct 18

  • Nov 15

  • Dec 13

  • Jan 24, 2026

  • Feb 21

  • Mar 21

  • April 25

  • May 16

Registration Fee

The program costs $950
The main text is included in the registration fee.

Register

Location

Foundations in Spirituality 2025-2026 will be in-person classes at Dominican Center Marywood at Aquinas College on Saturdays from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm. We look forward to welcoming all to come together in community for nine sessions during this year of programming.

Foundations in Spirituality: Wisdom from the Margins

(Foundations II)

Foundations II is a course and community that reflectively studies the life stories and teachings of great spiritual leaders who have impacted the world from the margins. The hope is to open our minds and hearts to those who have been “othered,” and let their inspirational wisdom challenge, nurture and deepen our spiritual life.

We will learn from those whose lives have been impacted by Sojourner Truth, Oscar Romero, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Grimke sisters, Henri Nouwen, and Mother Theresa of Calcutta.

Foundations I is not required! 

We have designed the course to work well as a stand-alone or as a sequential follow-up to Foundations I. Many in Foundations I have told us over the years that they yearn for more, but do not feel called to enter our Spiritual Director practicums. Foundations II is an answer to this desire!

Additionally, this course will be held virtually rather than in-person, allowing those who cannot travel to us to attend.

Course Objectives

  • Grow in understanding and appreciation of the diverse ways God has been present to and involved in the lives of the great spiritual teachers and guides who identified with a marginalized group throughout history.
  • Encourage awareness, commitment to, and integration of the spiritual journey in daily life through reflective journaling.
  • Provide opportunity for an introductory study of lives and writings from global Christianity for the purpose of broadening and deepening our individual and communal spirituality.
  • Foster respect for the diversity in past and present theology and spirituality.
  • Help people explore and expand the Love story of God within the context of their own story.
  • Notice encouraging ways of staying faithful through the wrestling of challenging life stories of these particular Spiritual teachers.
  • Develop an understanding of contemplative attitudes and presence as basic to living a spiritual life.

Foundations II

2025-26 Session Dates and Times

All classes are on Zoom from 6:00-8:00pm EST on the dates listed.

All community groups are on Zoom from 6:00-7:00pm EST on the dates listed.

Register for Foundations II

Class Dates:

  • Aug. 25, 2025

  • Sept. 29

  • Oct 27

  • Nov 24

  • Jan 5, 2026

  • Jan 26

  • Feb 23

  • Mar 23

  • April 27

Community Group Dates:

 

  • Sept. 15, 2025

  • Oct. 13

  • Nov. 10

  • Jan. 12, 2026

  • Feb. 9

  • Mar. 9

  • Apr. 13

Foundations II Registration Fee

The program costs $465
The main text is not included in the registration fee.

Register

Location

Foundations II is a virtual course via Dominican Center’s Zoom meeting space once a month for class on Mondays from 6:00-8:00 pm EST and once a month for groups on Mondays from 6:00-7:00pm EST.

“Foundations in Spirituality was transformative for me. It expanded my understanding of who God was, is, and will be through exploring the spiritual practices and experiences of the mystics. I grew up with one narrow understanding of God. It was an image that was unsettling and distant from the Spirit that lives in me and I often felt like my spirituality was incorrect or even irreverent. The Foundations course gave me the much needed “permission “ to experience God's presence that uniquely dwells in My spirit, how the spirit communicates with me, and how I partner with God in bringing Love into this broken world.”

Ruth N.Graduate

“I participated in the Foundations in Spirituality course, which began a wonderful, faith-filled journey for me. In Foundations in Spirituality we studied all the saints and holy people from the time of Christ through the Reformation and beyond. I learned so much about their lives, and they all became my friends and mentors. They taught me how to live. I chose St. Teresa of Avila as my mentor because of the way she lived her life as a mystic. It became my goal to find this balance in my life. I also learned how to pray in different ways than I was used to, which has given me a thirst for more time with God ... I have learned “to see God in all things.””

Pat J.Graduate

Questions, Information, and Registration

If you have questions or need more information, please contact:
programs@dominicancenter.com
616.514.3325

Register for Foundations in Spirituality

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