At a Catholic university, we have the unique privilege and responsibility to participate in the spiritual formation of our students – no matter what subject we teach. On these pages are thoughts and ideas that have come up during multiple discussions among a diverse range of faculty from across the entire campus.
Whether or not we want to be involved in the spiritual formation of our students, we are
- There is no gap between knowledge/faith or heart/mind and efforts to separate impoverish
- It is important to break the myth that secular=neutral
- The influence on students can be very powerful when matters of spiritual and character formation come from an unexpected source (e.g., faculty in classes that are not necessarily related)
- Witness is how the faith has been passed down for generations, and we can communicate the attractiveness of a faithful life
- Relationality, authenticity, and humility are paramount for acting as a strong witness for your students.
- Be prepared to defend your faith (paraphrasing St. Paul)
- Your simple presence as a proud Catholic [enter discipline] in front of the classroom is powerful for showing that both can be taken seriously
- Often, students are suffering and could benefit enormously from the care and attention from instructors and mentors
- In polls, students really want to understand the methods of discernment and personal journeys of faculty and staff
- How often do we weight things like annual evaluations above our response to Christ’s command that we declare the Gospel?
- A sense of true wonder can help both make sense of our faith lives, but can also bring clarity and dedication to difficult academic topics
- See this essay for a great example
- Many disciplines permit and encourage discussing how faith directly interacts with classroom content (e.g., law)
- When compared to other institutions, the faith-driven love that comes from committed faculty is clear, and students recognize it when exposed to both