Into the Deep

- Into the Deep
  
  A course from the St. Patrick Catechetical Institute — St. Patrick Parish's faith formation program built on four pillars: Sacraments, Practicum, Catechesis, and Initiation. Over five sessions, we explore how to pray and hear God's voice, following the saints who gave their lives to it. From Franciscan simplicity to Ignatian discernment, each session draws from a different tradition of prayer and brings it home for everyday life.
- The Rich Young Man
  
  Session One
  
  St. Francis of Assisi began as the son of a wealthy cloth merchant — and ended up changing the Church forever. This session traces his journey from privilege to radical poverty, walking through the key moments that shaped him: his renunciation of worldly goods, his call to repair the Church, and his receipt of the stigmata. We close with a communal practice of Lectio Divina, the meditative prayer with Scripture that originally inspired Francis's own mission — and an invitation to let his example deepen our own.
  
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- The Hounds of God
  
  Session Two
  
  St. Dominic de Guzman was a "hound of God" sent to set the world on fire with the truth. This session follows his path from a compassionate student to the founder of the Order of Preachers, showing how he countered heresy through patient dialogue and the witness of a holy life. We explore the Dominican pillars of study and contemplation, focusing on the Rosary as a powerful tool for the salvation of souls. We close with a communal Rosary preceded by a meditative Examen, an invitation to "hold our Mother's hand" as we pursue the Truth.
  
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- Silence
  
  Session Three
  
  In the noise of everyday life, God is still speaking. This session follows the spirituality of the Carmelites — St. Teresa of Ávila and St. John of the Cross — and their deep understanding of God's presence dwelling within each of us. We explore the practice of silence as a way of encountering that indwelling presence, and what it means to receive consolation from God in prayer. We close by sitting together in quiet, an invitation to let go of the noise and simply rest in God's nearness.
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- The Prayer of the Church
  
  Session Four
  
  What if your whole day could become a prayer? This session explores the life of St. Benedict, father of Western monasticism, and the monastic reforms that flowed from his rule. We turn to the Liturgy of the Hours — a rhythm of prayer that has shaped the Church for over fifteen centuries — and consider how it can bring structure and stillness to our own days.
  
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- Contemplation in Action
  
  Session Five
  
  How do you know what God is asking of you? This session explores the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the soldier-turned-mystic whose Spiritual Exercises continue to shape Christian prayer. We look at the formation of the Jesuits and learn the Rules for Discernment alongside Ignatian Meditation — a practical way of listening for God's voice in the rhythm of daily life.
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