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Consultation, Education & Research Department

Click Here to view our Consultation, Education & Research video

The Consultation, Education and Research (CER) Department at the Saint John Vianney Center offers one of the nation's leading psychological, behavioral health and spiritual resources serving clergy, dioceses, and religious communities throughout North America, Europe and Latin America. CER offers a comprehensive and holistic selection of programs that seek to cultivate a deeper awareness of God in our daily life and ministry. This is done by fostering personal, spiritual, communal and ecclesial growth. Each program uses the best of current research in psychology, medicine, theology, and spirituality in an integrated manner. We also rely deeply on the latest encyclicals of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI and John Paul II and other documents of the Church, as well as the lives, insights and charism of the Saints.

All programs are given in an engaging adult learning model and format to enhance the learning experience. When possible, we send each participant a pre-workshop/ convocation questionnaire. We use that data in the workshop itself as feedback to the group or community. Thus, we can tailor and personalize both the topic and workshop to address your needs and concerns. The workshop is dialogical in nature and the structure allows for a question and answer period at the end of each presentation.

Please feel free to call 1-888-993-8885, write or contact us at any time regarding your interest in any of our programs and services. Click here to contact the CER Department.

Services:

  • Onsite Religious Consultations and Interventions
    • Diocesan or Religious interventions, education, training and support
    • Individual consultation, interventions or organizational consultations
  • Onsite Assessment and Treatment
    • Leadership in-service, education, training and support
    • Individual or organization behavioral interventions
  • Retreats Workshops, and Convocations

Programs are provided for:

  • Priests and Clergy, Men and Women Religious
  • Seminarians, Deacons and Lay Ministers
  • Diocesan Leadership, Religious Order Leaders
  • Parish Leadership Staff and Hospital Chaplains
  • Ministers of Evangelization, Catechesis and Adult Faith Formation

The Inner Life of Priests

The Inner Life of PriestsA landmark exploration of how the categories and practices of psychology are contributing to a new health and vitality in the priesthood. Click here for more details

"The Inner Life of Priests offers all of us—priests, seminarians and the laity—a comprehensive look at the life of the priest in our day from theological and psychological perspectives. It opens the reader's eyes to viewpoints not seen too often in other publications. Those who are involved in the formation and on-going education of the clergy will find this book very helpful for their work." - The Most Reverend Gerald T. Walsh, Auxiliary Bishop of New York, Rector, Saint Joseph's Seminary, Dunwoodie, New York.

"The Inner Life of Priests" can be ordered through Liturgical Press at litpress.org/ILP25.


The Instruments of Hope and Healing (Nationally acclaimed program for religious)

Explores a deeper understanding of healthy ministerial boundaries and the emerging role of the internet. Video vignettes are viewed and discussed in small groups to identify healthy and unhealthy situations. Click here for more details

This religious workshop and continuing education program is available to men's religious communities to aid and support leadership in their commitment to the protection and safety of children, young people and adults. This program begins with the step you have already done; a review of pertinent information on the sexual abuse of minors and its prevention. The focus of the new components uses case studies and discussions dealing with two topics: appropriate ministerial boundaries with adults and internet pornography.

To schedule a workshop on the Instruments of Hope and Healing, please call 888.993.8885 or click here.

To order materials for the workshop, please call 888.993.8885 or 610.660.3402. Materials may also be purchased online at www.sjupress.com.


Critical Conversations (Collaborative effort with the Archdiocese of Chicago and Virtus)

An educational training program for priests, deacons and lay ministers that utilizes best practices in adult learning theory and realistic case studies. Video vignettes are viewed and discussed to identify healthy and unhealthy situations. Click here for more details

In this age of overwhelming amounts of information and new forms of communication, the lines between personal and professional roles continue to blur. Adults in ministry are continually challenged with management of boundaries with those being served. This program developed in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Chicago, Saint John Vianney Center and Virtus is available for all dioceses. It covers topics such as:

  • Ministerial relationships and appropriate management of boundaries
  • The addictive nature of the Internet.
  • The blurring lines between personal and professional roles.
  • Ministerial opportunities and pitfalls using technology, such as texting and social media.
  • Understanding the power inherent in a pastoral role.
  • The importance of effectively utilizing healthy support systems.
  • video link of Cardinal George (you have this)

To view a preview of the DVD, click on this link: www.virtus.org

For more information about the Critical Conversation program, please call toll-free 1-888-847-8870.

Additional Resources:


Topics include but are not limited to the following:

Managing Stress: Strategies for a more Healthy Ministry

  • Explores the reality and impact of stress on mental and spiritual health and reveals strategies for effective stress management. For more details
  • Many studies have found that stress and burn out have become a serious issue for clergy, religious men and women, deacons, and lay ministers. We found that there are four major stresses: spiritual, intellectual, emotional, and behavior. A stress survey has been developed to help us to access how much stress a presbyterate of a diocese and/or a religious community experience. This survey is distributed before the workshop or convocation, which enables us to better assist on how to cope with stresses. The workshop concludes with the centrality of spirituality and its role in good mental, spiritual, and physical health.

Affective Maturity: Understanding and Its Development

  • Human formation is a key pillar of ongoing formation. Affective maturity explores various dimensions of healthy vs. unhealthy patterns affecting our spiritual, interpersonal and psychological development. For more details
  • The development, definition, and assessment for pastoral leadership or development of affective maturity are explored as well as the dynamics and implications for formation today.

Grace Filled-Aging/the Spirituality of Aging, Diminishment and Loss

  • Explores the journey through the triumphs and tragedies of human life and the impact of these experiences in shaping our wisdom and spirituality. For more details
  • The term aging is covered based on the cultural view and Gospel view. The questions explored are how do we need to model the evangelical view, what are healthy/unhealthy aspects of aging, what is the spiritual grace needed in this area. Also explored is how does aging, loss and diminishment affect a diocese/religious order or community. Questions of how you can cope with the changes and how you can find a path to healing and reconciliation are reviewed.

The Spirituality of Desire: Learning to be Happy

  • Explores the role of hope and its impact in daily life. This integrates the latest research on hope, its role in our mental health and well-being. For more details
  • A variety of terms and questions are explored and discussed. What are the desires of our heart? What is the role of discernment and Prayer? What does Pope Benedict say to us of this? What do the saints tell us? What do we commonly do to our desires? How can we be rooted in the scripturally appropriate ways of desire? How do we avoid the pitfalls and manage the successes with this issue?

Effective Communication in Ministry

  • Explores multiple dimensions of communication as it relates to skills for listening and feedback, pastoral relationships, conflict resolution, multicultural issues, diversity, and group dynamics with practical facilitation skills. For more details
  • The workshop begins the discussion of understanding current dynamics and styles that exist while exploring strategies and resources for healthy and improved communication and relationships.

Embracing the Gift of Priesthood

  • Explores a deeper understanding of our role, ministerial boundaries and the emerging role of the Internet. For more details
  • The broader perspective of our role and mission including reconciler, teacher, and steward and the responsibility and charity that comes along with it are explored, as well as our relationships with God and with each other.

Affective Maturity and Addiction: Alcohol to the Internet

  • Explores the various types of addictions, the causes of addiction, its challenging factors and plans of action. For more details
  • Competencies on additions are presented as a specific guide to the core knowledge, attitudes, and skills essential to the ability of clergy and pastoral ministers to meet the needs of persons with alcohol or drug dependence in their colleagues, their parishes, and their family members. This workshop also covers dependency on and trust in God, as well as reviews scripture, traditions, and rituals of the faith community which can help us through these issues.

Sexuality across the Lifespan: Knowing and managing our Passion

  • Explores sexuality and celibacy for religious and clergy through the lives of the saints and current research and understanding. For more details
  • Understanding the terms, the stages and the role of human development are explored. Putting strategies and planning into practice are discussed along with calling to mind the positive role models we know.

Dealing with Difference: Intercultural Competency for Today

  • Explores what we mean by difference, diversity, cultural competency and what are the best practices on how to deal with others. For more details
  • Many questions are explored in this workshop including what do we mean by dealing with differences or dealing with others that are difficult? What do we know, what do we need to know, why do we label? How can we better understand and grow from this? Coping strategies and resources are discussed.

The Power in Ministry: Towards a more Effective Pastoral Leadership

  • Explores various dimensions of leadership as it relates to the function and various models of leadership, goal setting and mission planning, organizational development, conflict resolution and consensus building, and managing transitions, change and collaboration. For more details
  • Explores the functions and models of leadership including terms, responsibilities, moral and ethical use of authority and power in order to gain an understanding of the principles of servant leadership.

Click here for your interest in a religious workshop.

Convocations or Workshops – The CER staff is available to facilitate portions of or full workshops or convocations. Topics can be chosen from those listed in religious workshops and/or developed and tailored to meet your individual, diocesan, or community needs. A phone conference will be provided to discuss your goals and interests so that we can address your current issues and concerns.

Click here for your interest in a speaker for your convocation.

Retreats - CER staff is available to facilitate portions of or full retreat time frames. Topics can be chosen from those listed in religious workshops and/or developed and tailored to meet your individual, diocesan, or community needs. A phone conference will be provided to discuss your goals and interests so that we can address your current issues and concerns.

Click here for your interest in a speaker for your retreat.

Ongoing formation programs - This program addresses the ongoing formation issues for priests of all ages and in particular the newly ordained. The unique vision of assistance, programming and educational focus is evidence-based and supported by restorative and recovery practices, adult learning models, and multi-year programming. Programming is in Spanish and English. A dialogue with diocesan and/or community leaders will begin the program to discuss needs resources, schedules and time tables.

Click here for your interest in an ongoing formation program.

On Site Consultation Services - Consultation Services can be arranged on an as-needed basis or as part of a regularly scheduled program by contacting Fr. Gerard J. McGlone, S.J.

Click here for your interest in onsite interventions or consultation services.

Additional Resources: Books, articles, publications, media links