Institutes

Borromeo Seminary Institute

The Borromeo Seminary Institute, housed on the campus of the Center for Pastoral Leadership of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, prepares college students seeking the ordained priesthood of the Catholic Church. Its program is designed according to the norms and recommendations of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops and its Program of Priestly Formation. Students admitted by the Catholic Dioceses of Cleveland and Youngstown or by their religious order to the program for collegiate seminarians matriculate at John Carroll University, where they are known as members of the Borromeo Seminary Institute (BSI).

BSI students complete all of the academic requirements of John Carroll University and are expected to fulfill additional course requirements specified by the collegiate seminary program. The formation program at the Seminary in Wickliffe is concentrated on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so that students may attend classes on the JCU main campus on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:00–5:00.

All BSI students are required to complete specific courses in philosophy, as well as theology and religious studies. Course requirements can be found on the program requirements page. Philosophy and Theology and Religious Studies course descriptions can be found in the pertinent department sections in this Bulletin. The course sequence is available online at http://www.borromeoseminary.org/academics/philosophy/course-sequence/. Spanish, Latin, and Greek language coursework is also encouraged.

Ignatian Spirituality Institute

The Ignatian Spirituality Institute (ISI) offers a certificate program for the training of spiritual directors in the tradition of the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola. It is ideally suited to those interested in the ministry of spiritual direction, retreat work, parish ministry, and campus ministry. More generally, the ISI offers adult Christians of any denomination theological and spiritual tools for deepening Christian life and ministry, whether in the home, parish, congregation, or workplace.

The ISI certificate is an affiliate program of the Department of Theology & Religious Studies. It can be taken as an independent, non-credit, non-degree certificate program or applied toward JCU degree programs in Theology & Religious Studies. All ISI courses are conducted at the John Carroll University main campus.

The ISI certificate program runs concurrently with the fall-spring academic calendar and is designed around three areas of study: theology/scripture, spirituality, and psychology/communications skills. Year I is academically focused, and classes meet twice a month in the evenings. Year II Is focused on the supervised practicum in spiritual direction. The program requires four courses: Ignatian Spirituality, Christian Spirituality, and Practica in Spiritual Direction I and II.

Requirements for admission include a written spiritual autobiography, two letters of recommendation, a record of education and work history, and an interview with the ISI Advisory Board. Generally, it is expected that ISI candidates will have completed a college degree. Applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. No transfer credits are allowed for this certificate.

The ISI is endowed by a generous grant from the F. J. O’Neill Charitable Corporation and by additional gifts from a variety of donors. For further information, contact the ISI director at isi@jcu.edu or visit the ISI website.

Institute of Catholic Studies

Over the centuries, the Catholic tradition has encountered many opportunities to formulate faith in the context of the intellectual and scientific climate of the age. The Institute of Catholic Studies examines this interaction through a variety of initiatives: an undergraduate interdisciplinary minor in program; faculty development workshops and seminars; sponsorship of a public lecture series; and course development grants. These programs seek to highlight, within the history of ideas, the contribution of Catholic intellectuals and scholars from a variety of disciplines. The institute also promotes the investigation of the interaction between the Church and society.

Director: Dr. Paul V. Murphy, Department of History.

Robert M. Ginn Institute for Corporate Social Responsibility

Named in honor of the late Cleveland business executive and community leader, the Robert M. Ginn Institute builds upon the Cleveland business community’s record of social achievement and community spirit to establish a continuing program and dialogue on issues of social consequence to business. Through student internships and programs, the Ginn Institute seeks to enhance understanding of critical social issues and to foster a cooperative spirit among corporations, nonprofit organizations, and communities. In 1996, the Boler College established the Michael J. Lavelle, S.J., Fellowship/Internship Program, which funds internships for John Carroll students in private, nonprofit organizations in the Greater Cleveland area. Lavelle Scholarships also are funded by the Ginn Institute.