Journey to Joyful Holiness
We believe that faithful and Joyful leaders inspire a holy and healthy Church!
Ongoing formation of priests and deacons solidly grounded in Catholic tradition, the best of Positive Psychology, and contemporary leadership insights.
We’ve designed a multi-year program that walks with priests – deepening spirituality, fostering fraternity and unity, and renewing the culture of the presbyterate.
We address the significant challenges that tax the time, mental, and physical resources of our priests.
Our priests seek the support of their brother priests in dealing with these challenges.
Whether it’s a clergy convocation, deanery seminar, or individual diagnostics, we strive to deliver a substantive experience that is lively and enjoyable, personally beneficial, and pastorally relevant.
Our 3-Phase Process for Building Priestly Fraternity & Brotherhood
Bishop James V Johnston on services we provided to his diocese of Kansas City-St Joseph.
Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, Archdiocese of Louisville, comments about a Spitzer Center Presentation at a recent clergy assembly.
Some of the things priests are saying about our program
Dioceses we have worked with
The human heart desires joy. We all desire joy, every family, every people aspires to happiness.
– Pope Francis
The Four Levels of Happiness®
The Four Levels of Happiness® education helps priests better understand the four drivers of all human behavior and habits, and ultimately their impact on the culture of the entire presbyterate. The foundation of the entire Spitzer Center curriculum is also foundational to human nature – namely, our universal desire for happiness. This notion of The Four Levels of Happiness® was articulated by Fr. Robert Spitzer, through his study of the collective insights of more than 130 prominent theologians, philosophers, psychologists, and authors over two millennia. The Four Levels of Happiness® seminar has been enthusiastically received by hundreds of priests and deacons across the country. A combination of education and inspiration, the offering is perfect for a clergy convocation, priest assembly, or education days. Featuring Fr. Spitzer in short video bursts, the professional delivery is interspersed with entertaining movie clips, discussion, and windows for personal reflection. See some of our handouts:
Most Reverend James V. Johnston, Jr., Bishop of Springfield-Cape Girardeau
Most Reverend James S. Wall, Bishop of the Diocese of Gallup
Priest Participant
The Presbyteral Culture Inventory®
Presbyterial Culture Inventory®(PCI)
The PCI is a tool that gathers insights from each priest in the diocese. It is designed to highlight the biggest gaps between the priests’ ideal cultural and their current reality.
The PCI is administered before the first convocation. During the Convocation, Spitzer Center representatives present a seminar and conduct a group discussion beginning with a debrief of the PCI.
Each priest in the diocese has the opportunity, in solitude, as well as together with brother priests, to voice his concerns, ideas and hope for the future of his diocese.
The PCI is designed to gather insights into the hearts, minds and souls of your priests. The inventory focuses on three key areas of priesthood.
- Part 1
Satisfaction with priestly identity, priestly service, priestly life, as well as presbyteral fraternity and unity
— - Part 2
Priestly Spirituality
— - Part 3
Priestly self-efficacy and sense of success in parish, as well as follow-up questions regarding fraternity and unity
Ongoing Renewal
The work of renewal is ongoing. We will continue to walk with you as you encourage, edify and equip your priests. We hope to engage in a long-term relationship that continually bears fruit in the lives of your priests and the people of your diocese.
We also offer three additional tools to complement your culture action plans:
- Priestly Spirituality Series
- Priestly Convocations
- Confidence & Providence
Priestly Spirituality Series
(Year 1: 25 filmed episodes)
The Priestly Spirituality Series intends to enhance the quality of participation in the Holy Eucharist, confession and priesthood. Designed for small groups, the program aims to foster fraternity and unity among priests.
Course Objectives:
- Complement and enhance the Breviary in an inclusive and practical way
- Deepen relationship with the Lord through contemplation
- Deepen the virtues (advanced stage of moral conversion
- Enhance awareness of spirituality in priestly leadership
- Enhance priestly fraternity and unity
Seminars Designed for Priestly Convocations
Encouraged by the seminar and equipped with a common language to effectively discuss the cultural health of the presbyterate, a Spitzer Center representative guides priests through a debrief of the PCI and the deep work of vision casting. By the end of the convocation, priests walk away with an action plan for the following year.
Confidence & Providence Series
(Year 2)
The Confidence & Providence Series intends to empower participants with knowledge and tools that will increase their happiness, life balance, faith in God, faith in Self, and faith in one another.
Course Objectives
- Exemplify the traits of the saints
- Understand how the mind works, and the power of the subconscious mind
- Recognize and overcome self-limiting beliefs
- Regulate self-talk according to the truth
- Expand comfort zones
- Enhance willpower and resolutions with imagination and affirmations
- Learn Ignatian discernment principles for mission clarity
