File 2134 - Reading notes on spiritual direction

1.0 cm of textual records

File consists of a bound volume of typed and handwritten reading notes by Nouwen from the summer months of 1980. These notes include a typed draft of Nouwen's first lecture for the class Spiritual Direction (offered in the fall of 1980) as well as notes on:
-Gerald May's "Spiritual Direction, Pastoral Counseling and Psychotherapy- a differentiation"
-David Steindl Rast's "On Listening"
-Andre Louf's "Spiritual Direction Today"
-Dr. Godfried Danneels' "The Spiritual Father in our fatherless society"
-Michel van Parys' "Spiritual Fatherhood in the East"
-Jan Peters' "About human relationships in Spiritual Direction"
-J.J. Vollebergh's "Religious Leadership"
-Jean Laplace's "Preparing for spiritual direction"
-John English's "Spiritual Freedom"
-Richard Foster's "Celebration of Discipline- the path to spiritual growth"
-Richard McBrien's "Catholicism"
-Jean Jacques Olier's "Christianity"
-Ruth Burrows' "Guidelines for Mystical Prayer"
-and Walter Kasper's Theology of Christian Marriage".
There is also a photocopy of David Steindl Rast's response at the Calgary Mysticism Conference of 1976, as well as a copy of Gerald May's "Spiritual Direction, Pastoral Counseling and Psychotherapy- a differentiation".

Documents relating to Nouwen's time at Laity Lodge can be found in Calendar Files, box 186, file 668.
Related files include Weekly Calendars - 1980.

Title based on contents of the file.
Documents relating to Nouwen's time at Laity Lodge can be found in Calendar Files, box 186, file 668.
Related files include Weekly Calendars - 1980.

Nouwen frequently conducted intensive reading schedules during his summer holidays.
From May to late August in Nouwen's 1980 weekly calendar, it is apparent that he was setting aside blocks of time and whole weeks to study and write. Specifically, he spent time on retreat from May 18 - 24, 1980 at Our Lady of Calvary retreat house (Farmington, CT), and from August 2 - 24, 1980, he spent time in retreat at Laity Lodge in San Antonio, TX, where he also ran a summer institute for professional ministers and counselors on the subject of compassion.
Nouwen offered Spiritual Direction (course code REL 812a) during the fall semester of 1980 as a seminar and was held at the Mercy Center in Madison, CT. Meetings were held 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm. The class was limited to 13 students. Nouwen emphasized the importance of commitment and community amongst the members of this seminar. Students were required to have a spiritual director and were asked to submit regular reflection papers and a critical evaluation of the course at the end of the year. The required reading for this course included Kenneth Leech's " Soul Friend" and Thomas Merton's " Spiritual Direction and Meditation". The teaching assistant for this course was Mich Zeman.
The Spiritual Life and Spiritual Direction was a lecture course offered the following semester during the spring of 1981. The course had two sections, Wednesdays 1:30 pm - 5:30 pm and Thursdays 1:30 pm - 5:30 pm. The course had over 120 students registered and was held at the Dunbar United Church of Christ to accommodate the class size. Each class included lectures on the nature of spiritual life (historical, theological, psychological aspects) and the practice of the spiritual life (specific forms of prayer, spiritual guidance). The classes also included periods of solitude when students were expected to meditate, pray or journal, and dialogue in small group meetings of seven or eight people. Nouwen also planned to have the class practice some of the disciplines together. Students were required to have perfect attendance, commitment to the small groups, weekly readings and some reflection papers. Required reading also included Kenneth Leech's "True Prayer" and Anthony de Mello's " Sadhona- A Way of God". Nouwen stipulated that the course was strictly a credit/non-credit course (no grade given), and each student would receive a written evaluation of their work from Nouwen. Teaching assistants for this course were Joseph Nunez and Mich Zeman.

Revised by L Joson, 14 November 2018