THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY of AMERICA the Dark Night: a Model
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THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA The Dark Night: A Model of Spiritual Formation for Emerging Young Adults in College A TREATISE Submitted to the Faculty of the School of Theology and Religious Studies Of The Catholic University of America In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree Doctor of Ministry By Juan Rendon-Reyes Washington, D.C. 2017 Abstract The Dark Night: A Model of Spiritual Formation for Emerging Young Adults in College Juan Rendon-Reyes, DMin Director: Raymond Studzinski, PhD An increasing number of baptized emerging adults consider themselves spiritual (spiritual seekers) and religiously un-affiliated. In 2003 the Pontifical Council for Culture, aware of the reality of the human spiritual quest, stated that helping people in their spiritual search by offering proven techniques and experiences of real prayer could open a dialogue with them which would reveal the riches of the Christian tradition. Several statistics presented by research centers and the Church’s response to the spiritual quest and thirst of young people have led me to write this treatise and develop a project of spiritual formation based on St. John of the Cross’s spirituality of the dark night for emerging young adults in college. The basic methodology that guides the project is spiritual accompaniment and discernment. Over a period of six weeks I meet with a small group of students, once per week for about 45 minutes, to give brief presentations on specific topics of the dark night of the senses and facilitate dialogue and spiritual sharing. A spiritual guide (handbook), based on Book One of The Dark Night, which contains selected readings, questions for reflection and meditation is given to each student. The spiritual guide helps the students to draw out their spiritual and religious experiences in light of John of the Cross’s own experience of darkness and guidance of souls. The students do their own reflection and private journaling as a way to help them enter into dialogue with God and John of the Cross. This method presents a way to clarify their spiritual journey, helps them consider making a decision about their attitude toward religion, spirituality and prayer and see if John’s spirituality of the dark night has an impact in their prayer and spiritual life. The students complete two surveys to check their understanding of religion, spirituality and prayer before and after implementation of the project. They complete an evaluation of the content of the sessions and a final evaluation of the impact of St. John of the Cross’s teachings in their life. The purpose of the final evaluation is to check if there is any level of appropriation of John of the Cross’s ascetical practices for purgation of the senses. It also attempts to see if the students feel any connection with the mystical language of John and would recommend him as a spiritual guide to spiritual seekers. The exposure of John of the Cross’s spirituality of the dark night over a period of six weeks was very fruitful. It helped students: 1) identify areas where they need to grow in detachment; 2) foster an awareness of the need for more time to pray in solitude; and 3) reaffirm in some of them a sense of spiritual quest in communion with the Church. On the other hand, the greatest challenges students faced in this project included: 1) difficulty understanding and processing the mystical language of The Dark Night; and 2) doing the spiritual exercises found in the spiritual guide since it required moments of silence. In general students see the spirituality of the dark night as an interesting spiritual perspective. It would be worth implementing this type of project with older young adults and for a longer period of time or emphasizing more John’s love for God and the salvation of souls than just his ascetical vigor. Signature Page This treatise by Juan Rendon-Reyes fulfills the treatise requirement for the doctoral degree in Ministry approved by Raymond Studzinski, PhD, as Director, and by Susan Timoney, STD, as Reader. __________________________________________________ Name, degree of Director, Director __________________________________________________ Name, degree of Reader, Reader ii Dedication First of all, this work is dedicated to my wife Anna and our five children: Sophia, Antonio, Victoria, Marianna and John Paul. I am thankful to Anna for her loving patience for the past six years; without her loving support I would have never finished my doctoral studies, project and treatise. I also dedicate this work to all those who have supported me along the way, in particular Bishop Michael F. Olson, STD, Bishop of Fort Worth. I am indebted to him for his full support of my professional formation and development. I also dedicate this work to the members of the Order of Carmelites Discalced (the friars, the nuns, and the seculars), in particular my community of the Infant Jesus of Prague in Dallas, Texas. This is a small contribution, and the beginning of many, for the propagation of the Teresian-Sanjuanist charism. Last but not least, to the Carmelitas Misioneras de Santa Teresa in Houston, TX. Their faithful witness to the Teresian spirit was my first introduction to Carmelite spirituality; I am eternally indebted to all of them. iii Table of Contents Chapter 1: Emerging Adults Who Consider Themselves Spiritual Seekers and Un-affiliated Introduction: Identification of Pastoral Ministry Issue ………………………… 1 1. The Spiritual but not Religious (SBNRs)……………………………………. 2 2. The Emerging Adult: Main Characteristics………………………………….. 4 3. Emerging Adults: Souls in Transition……………………………………….. 5 A Pastoral Response: Spiritual Formation of Emerging Adults……………….. 9 1. The Christian Spiritual Tradition and the New Age………………………… 9 2. Methodology of the Project: Spiritual Un-Veiling and Discernment………… 10 3. The Format and Setting of the Project……………………………………….. 11 4. Evaluation of the Project and Contribution to Pastoral Ministry……………... 12 5. John of the Cross and Spiritual Formation………………………………….. 13 6. The Challenge: John of the Cross’ Mystical Language for Emerging Adults…. 14 7. Conclusion: The Purpose of the Project…………………………………….. 16 Chapter 2: Key Historical Factors for the Emergence of the Spiritual Seekers in American Culture 1. Unchurched Spirituality in America …………………………………………… 18 2. The Romantic Movement of the 1960s………………………………………… 20 3. Longings of the Spiritual Seekers: From Dwelling to Seeking………………… 22 4. Spiritual Marketplace: A Generation of Seekers………………………………. 26 5. Conclusion……………………………………………………………………… 28 iv Chapter 3: Biblical and Theological Foundations of the Spirituality of the Dark Night Background to John of the Cross……………………………………………….. 29 1. Historical Context of John of the Cross……………………………………… 29 2. John of the Cross: A Man of God……………………………………………. 31 Introduction to Commentary of The Dark Night……………………………….. 33 1. Structure……………………………………………………………………… 33 2. Personal Experience and Purification………………………………………… 33 3. Contemplation………………………………………………………………… 35 4. The Nature of the Dark Night………………………………………………… 36 5. The Dark Night: Journey of the Christian Disciple…………………………… 37 Overview of Book One (The Night of Senses) of The Dark Night……………... 39 1. Phases and Modes of the Dark Night…………………………………………… 39 2. Introduction to Book One…………………………………………………….. 40 3. The Imperfection of Pride and Spiritual Avarice…………………………….. 41 4. The Imperfection of Spiritual Lust…………………………………………… 42 5. Spiritual Anger……………………………………………………………….. 43 6. Spiritual Gluttony……………………………………………………………. 43 7. Envy and Spiritual Sloth……………………………………………………... 44 8. Entering the Dark Night of the Senses………………………………………. 44 9. The Conduct Required of Souls in this Dark Night…………………………. 45 10. The Benefits of the Night of the Senses (First Night)……………………… 48 v Chapter 4: Project Design and Implementation 1. The Implementation of the Project…………………………………………… 51 2. The Design of the Spiritual Formation Project………………………………. 52 3. The Sessions………………………………………………………………….. 53 4. Methodology: Spiritual Accompaniment and Discernment…………………. 56 5. Mystagogy and Spiritual Accompaniment………………………………….. 56 6. The Way of Discernment…………………………………………………… 63 Chapter 5: Project Evaluation Results of the Project: Final Evaluation on Impact of John of the Cross……… 67 1. Part I of Final Evaluation……………………………………………………. 68 2. Part II of Final Evaluation…………………………………………………… 69 Tracking of Spiritual Journey of Participants: General Findings……………… 71 1. Belief in God, Spirituality and Religion…………………………………….. 71 2. On the Institutional Church…………………………………………………. 75 3. On Prayer……………………………………………………………………. 77 4. On Spiritual Freedom……………………………………………………….. 78 Tracking the Spiritual Journey of Participants: Individual Journeys………….. 81 Chapter 6: General Conclusions 1. Reflection on the Implementation of Project: Goals and Expected Outcomes… 100 2. Implications for Pastoral Ministry……………………………………………… 104 3. Further Areas of Research on this Topic……………………………………….. 106 List of Appendices………………………………………………………………… 108 vi Appendix 1: Terminology (Glossary)…………………………………………….. 109 Appendix 2: Demographics Survey……………………………………………… 114 Appendix 3: Pre-Project/Post-Project Survey…………………………………… 116 Appendix 4: Evaluation of Sessions…………………………………………….. 120 Appendix 5: Final Evaluation…………………………………………………… 121 Appendix 6: Exit Survey………………………………………………………… 123 Appendix 7: Spiritual Guide for Participants……………………………………. 124 Appendix 8: Part III of Final Evaluation: Open-Ended Questions……………… 142 Appendix 9: Exit Evaluation Survey…………………………………………….