Spirituality at The Claremont Colleges: a brief overview

1
Spirituality at The Claremont Collegesa brief
overview

• Generation X 1961 to 1981
• 80,000,000 in age bracket in US

• Associated Press Survey
• 25 of Generation X believe in importance of
  institutional religion

2
The Claremont Colleges Picture
From a Catholic Viewpoint

• Catholic Population
• Approx. 1,000 students who could be identified as
  nominal Catholics

Average Catholic Sunday Mass Attendance 110
students 11 of population (this
figure equates with national average)
3
Sites of Religious Formation
Traditional
Contemporary

• School
• Church
• Neighborhood/home

• Pop Culture
• Market Place/Malls
• Streets and Media

4
Sheilaism a model of the times
a Self-construction of well-intentioned, good
people.

• Multi-faith, Experiential
• Presbyterian -- she came from this background
• Buddhism -- her present interest
• New Age -- heavily influenced by
• Oprah -- with a dash of this
• Political Ideology -- added association

A description by a woman named Sheila of her
own form of religion.
-- From Habits of the Heart, by Robert
Bellah et al.
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Deep Spiritual Needs Among Young Adults

• Hunger for Meaning
• Purpose
• Love
• Relationship/friendship
• Community
• Challenge

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Down Side

• Issues with Authority
• Escapism
• Sentimental emotionalism
• Quick fixes to difficult problems
• Fundamentalistic nostalgia

The best lack all conviction, the worst are
filled with passionate intensity. from W. B.
Yeats The Second Coming
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Impressive Qualities

• Generosity
• Fortitude
• Creativity Intelligence
• Media Savvy, Street-wise
• Humor
• Group Identity Loyalty

8
Goals of Religious/Spiritual Formation

• Active Participation
• Understanding of Catholic faith
• Connecting faith to career
• Knowledge of Tradition/social teachings
• Continuous study of faith

9
Some Activities/Programs/Process
Liturgies Homilies Sunday Masses Triduum
Guadalupe Taize Communal Penance
Services RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of
Adults) Volunteering Habitat Giving Tree
Food Collections
Socializing Bowling Shopping
Parties Catholic Student Association Spiritual
Direction Pastoral Counseling