Admission to this course will be by interview and faculty approval. To be considered for the course, you will need to complete an application by October 17 by 5:00 p.m. Students will be notified via email if they are selected to move on to the interview portion of the selection process. Interviews will be conducted between October 20 and November 3. Students will be notified by November 5 in time for Spring registration.
THEO/PHIL449501: Self-knowledge and Discernment: The Experience of Pilgrimage is a 3-credit course taught by Catherine Cornille, It counts as either a theology or a philosophy elective. It does NOT count as a theology or philosophy core course.
This course will meet seven times during the Spring 2022 semester on alternate Monday mornings from 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. in Rahner House. Unless Boston College revises the dates of the Spring semester, the course meeting dates should be: January 21, February 21, February 28, March 14, March 28, April 11, April 25, and May 7. The retreat will be the weekend of April 9–10.
The trip will occur immediately following the end of Spring semester. The pilgrimage to Spain is currently scheduled for May 25 – June 7, 2022. Students should arrive in Leon no later than May 24. We encourage students to explore Europe and take advantage of what it has to offer after the conclusion of the program. (Note: Students may not separate from the group until the program ends on June 7.)
If you are admitted, you will register for the course during spring registration from November 8–15, 2021. Please note that you can only register for the course with an override code from Prof Cornille.
While there is no requirement or expectation that students identify as being religious and/or spiritual to participate in the course, we expect each student to approach this course with a sense of openness and a willingness to explore, learn, and be fully present in the experience. Catholic Mass will be celebrated regularly on the spring retreat and during the pilgrimage, with students from all backgrounds welcome to attend.
In addition to requirements that will be due during the course, you will be required to submit a final academic paper after the pilgrimage journey. Your final grade for the course will be posted by August 2022. This grade will count retroactively toward your Spring 2022 course load.
No. This course does not require specific background in theology or philosophy. This course also does not fulfill Core requirements for Philosophy or Theology.
Yes. The non-refundable course fee will be $1,350 which includes the a two-night overnight retreat in April 2022, and then on the pilgrimage itself in May-June 2022 includes activities, room and board, two program meals, and international health insurance while in Spain.
In addition to the course fee, students will be responsible themselves for flight costs to and from the starting point of the pilgrimage, for daily meals during the pilgrimage, for travel arrangements, and for the necessary supplies, including appropriate hiking attire, backpack, shoes, toiletries, water, etc.
Students can either arrange their travel plans on their own or in coordination with the group/cohort.
You will be responsible for necessary supplies including appropriate hiking attire, backpack, walking shoes, toiletries, etc.
No. You do not need to speak Spanish to participate in this program.
his is a fully academic course. There is substantial reading, written assignments and other curricular activities. The retreat in April 2022 is also required for all students. The final paper will be due on a date in the summer set by the instructor, after which the final grades for the course will be recorded. A final syllabus will be supplied to all students upon admission and acceptance. This course is taught by a different faculty member each year, so it is likely that there will be variations in thematic emphases and approaches. Syllabi from previous courses can be found below. The current unofficial draft of the 2022 syllabus is below.
If you have additional questions, please contact prog. Catherine Cornille at cornille@bc.edu.
For any additional questions, please contact Professor Catherine Cornille.