Interns can choose from one of two tracks for their ministry:

• One is the track of spiritual direction and/or retreat guidance. This prepares one for the ministry of regular ongoing spiritual direction, small group retreat guidance, or spiritual conversation in caregiving situations: e.g., Hospice, jail ministry, Stephen's ministry, nursing homes, hospitals, etc.

• The other is the track for ministry in the home and/or workplace. With this option interns can reflect in light of the Gospels and social analysis methods on their experience in the family, in the work environment or, if they wish, in some arena of concern for social justice.

Each intern is to have 12 meetings with a supervisor during their second year to review his or her ministry and discern whether they have a gift for the ministry he or she is engaged in. Most of the 12 meetings involve the critical review of a verbatim of a portion of a conversation the intern has had with a directee or retreatant. Some interns know or soon discover that they do not have the gift for one-on-one spiritual direction but are better suited for ministries in a more structured situation: in a jail or nursing home or Hospice care. Still others, a few, are drawn more to a greater presence in their ministry in the workplace or in the home. The Internship has a reflective process for those who sense they are called to this.

The integrating theme of the Internship is the Kingdom or Reign of God. The meaning of any apostolic option an intern may choose will be presented in this context. Each person in the program is expected to receive ongoing spiritual direction while he or she is in the program.

The year ends with a personally directed retreat sometime during the summer. The retreat is a minimum of 5 full days in length, a maximum of 8 days.

(Photo: Kathy Daniels)

While the focus of the first year is primarily on establishing the theological and spiritual foundations of Christian ministry, done in the framework of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, the second year is given primarily to the practice and supervision of a particular ministry for which the intern has discerned he or she is gifted. The class work is meant to instruct the interns about various issues, contexts and implications related to the Christian ministry of spiritual direction and other ministries requiring listening skills for caregivers. There are readings before classes intended to prepare the interns for active listening and participation in the monthly classes as well as to help keep their focus on the Christian roots of their supervised ministry or ministries.

These themes are addressed during the monthly classes, on Saturdays or weekends:

Introduction — First Year — Endorsements