The feminine voice of Christian mysticism has so much to share with us today. This course is about the four women Christian mystics who are Doctors of the Catholic Church. They are: Teresa of Avila, Catherine of Siena, Therese of Lisieux and Hildegard of Bingen. These women have much more in common with us than we can often imagine. How can it be, you say, that these women religious have something in common with me? Their stories of struggle, of disappointment with their contemporaries and church leaders, and their desire to have an authentic relationship with the Divine allowed their voices to be heard and that changed their world for the better. They are models of prayer, wisdom and love, as they face & denounce the corruption in the Church patriarchy. Their wisdom can help each one of us find our true gifts to transform ourselves to live in love and right relationships as they teach us to love as God loves. Won’t you join me in discovering the wisdom of these women in this course, The Wisdom of Women Doctors of the Catholic Church: Christian Mystics?

If you have a desire to become inspired, to learn more about Christian mystics, more about the great women Doctors of the Church and the effects they had on the evolution of Church theology and spirituality, then this is the course for you. These four women are companions for your spiritual journey and can offer you support as you walk your path to get closer to God and to live out a life of love. They can act as guides for you as you traverse through the burdens and blessings of life.

In this course you will learn about Christian mysticism, who the four women Doctors of the Church are, the benefits of having women as Doctors of the Church, what a Doctor of the Church is, and the life, times, spirituality, and legacy of each of these magnificent Christian gurus, if I can borrow a word from our Hindu and Buddhist friends.

You will see how these 4 women broke out of the roles they were expected to have as quiet nuns and religious women and how they broke through the confines of time and place so as to bring us, in the 21st century, their sage insight. They were all contemplatives in action, i.e., spending quality time with God, dependent upon his guidance, as they courageously spoke truth to power. Each of these women were scripture-oriented and believed in the Trinitarian God: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They each acquiesced to the guidance they received, that came often through visions, or locutions from the Holy Spirit. It is that Spirit who enlivened them and gave them strength, knowledge and verve to perform actions that moved not only their contemporaries but moves the Church even today along with all of those who dare to listen intently to their stories.

As an aficionado of Christian mysticism and the Christian mystics, I have had the opportunity to present their stories on many occasions. The audience is often quite captured and amazed at how God works in such an extraordinary manner in and through the lives of these people. Yet, those extraordinary mystical moments are for the whole community to receive. Each person in the audience may glean some element to take home and ponder and perhaps be moved to some new action or deeper reflection or relationship with God; a change of heart and mind that transforms his or her life.

Throughout the course, you will get a glimpse at the particular culture and society of each of these four women mystics, ranging from the 11th to the 20th century. You will be exposed to some of their works, visions, and life experiences, enough so you can confidently tell their stories to others, if you wish. There will be moments of reflection within the course as well as handouts of pertinent information and the works cited, all for you to access & download.

With a Master’s degree in Pastoral Studies and a focus on Christian Spirituality, I fell in love with the Christian mystics back in 2005 and it is a love affair that just won’t quit. I have authored a book, Awakening the Mystic in You, Messages of Light from the Christian mystics (you can find it on my personal website you'll find at my Instructor Profile) along with an inspirational card deck entitled, The Wisdom of the Christian Mystics, and have penned a journal article, Ten Steps to Awaken Your Inner Mystic. I am a practicing spiritual director and work for my local Catholic diocese. I have several other classes on this course website concerning Christian mystics and have given many presentations on the Christian mystics as well.

I hope you will find this course helpful to you. I am happy to respond to any questions that you may have. You can submit questions on the course website. I will respond within a week but usually much sooner than that. If you would like more information before purchasing the course, there are free previews on the course website as well as a promotional video. Thank you for considering this course.

May you be blessed abundantly as you continue on your spiritual journey.