Objectives: This course will focus on how the Spiritual Exercises re‧treat helps retreatants to seek and find the will of God. We will also study communal discernment and the role of discernment in Church synods.

Learning outcomes: Students will be able to articulate a) the way Ig‧natian contemplation, key meditations in the Spiritual Exercises and the rules for discernment help the retreatant seek and find the will of God and b) the key elements of Ignatian communal discernment and the role of dis‧cernment in Church synods.

Contents: After a consideration of the Ignatian approach to contemplation in the Exercises, we will focus on how key Ignatian meditations and the rules for discernment help the retreatant to seek and find the will of God. We will also learn about Ignatian communal discernment and discernment in Church synods.

Methodology: All students are expected to do the reading and come to the seminar prepared to participate in the discussion. Each student will facilitate one seminar session.

Means of evaluation: Participation in the seminar sessions and facilitation of one session; a final paper about the course material the student found most relevant with respect to discernment in their own life.