TH
68401
Bruce T. Morrill, S.J.
Spring,2001
Office: IREPM, 31 Lawrence Ave., 3rd Floor
Tuesdays, 4:30-6:30
Hours: Tues. 9-10, Thurs. 2-3, and by appointment
Gasson
302
Telephone: 617-552-3873
Website: www2.bc.edu/~morrilb
Email:
morrilb@bc.edu
Texts
And You Visited Me: Sacramental Ministry
to
the Sick and the Dying, C. Gusmer
Jesus in Solidarity with His People, W. Reiser
The Death of a Christian: The Order of Christian Funerals, R.
Rutherford
The Reconciling Community: The Rite of Penance, J. Dallen
Reconciling Embrace: Foundations for the Future of Sacramental
Reconciliation,
ed. R. Kennedy
The Rites of the Catholic Church, Study Edition, 1988
Packet of Articles, B. Morrill, B.C. Press
* These and other materials have been placed on reserve in O'Neill
Library.
*
Brief Course Description
The gospels portray Jesus as a teacher and
healer,
as well as how these two key aspects of his ministry were entwined.
Empowered
by the Spirit of the Risen Christ, the Church continues the mission of
glorifying
God through witnessing to the saving mysteries revealed in the
life-stories
of human brokenness and healing. This course will study the Rite of
Penance, Pastoral Care of the Sick, and the Order of Christian Funerals
in order to
explore how the work of healing and reconciliation discloses God's love
and
mercy among the human family. We will study and perform the official
rituals,
read and discuss texts exploring the history and theology related to
these
rites, and write papers integrating the course materials with our own
theological thought and pastoral practice.
Course Requirements
Class Work:
Attendance
and active participation in class is required. Completion of the
assigned
reading for a given session is essential for actively participating in
class.
In addition, each student will participate on a team leading the class
in
the celebration of one of the three rites--either the Rite of Penance,
Pastoral
Care of the Sick, or Order of Christian Funerals. John Konicek, S.J.,
will
supervise the teams. The final class session will include each
student's brief
presentation of two or three key insights or points of knowledge
attained
in the course. (25% of total course grade)
Writing Option One: The professor will assign three papers (5 to 7 pages in length), for which the due dates are 3/12, 4/10, and 5/8, providing themes/topics and other guidelines for each paper two weeks prior to the due date. The purpose of the papers will be to provide students with the opportunity to integrate the assigned course materials with their own theological and pastoral reflection. Students may consult other resources as needed or helpful. (25% each; 75% of total course grade)
Writing Option Two: Students may prefer to write one major research paper (this is highly recommended for doctoral students). In such a case, the student should discuss this option with the professor not later than the middle of February. A formal proposal, including a statement of research objectives, operative thesis, and working bibliography must be submitted by the middle of March. The paper, approximately 20 pages in length, would be due by the end of the course. (75% of total course grade)
Schedule of Classes
PART I: INTRODUCTION
1/16 Introduction
Overview of course,
student
introductions, discussion of expectations
Viewing of the film,
"Ordinary
People"
1/23 (A.) Human Brokenness and Healing
View
and discuss remainder of "Ordinary People."
(B.) Jesus the Healer
Reading:
Cooke, pp. 168-178
Gallagher,
pp. 4-7, 26-28
Keck,
pp. 241-151
Reiser,
pp. 1-72
PART II: THE RITE OF PENANCE: RECONCILING SINNERS
1/30 Exploring the Sources: Divine, Human, Ecclesial
Reading: Reiser, pp. 73-105,
149-158,
173-215
Philibert,
in Reconciling Embrace, pp. 29-43
Rite
of Penance, Introduction (1-40), in The Rites, pp. 523-543
2/6 History of the Sacrament
Reading: Dallen, The Reconciling
Community,
pp. 1-201
Mitchell,
in Reconciling Embrace, pp. 65-77
Dallen,
in Reconciling Embrace, pp. 79-94
2/13 Practice of the Rite
Reading: Rite of Penance, in The
Rites, pp. 545-629
Dallen,
The Reconciling Community, pp. 205-249
Garduno,
pp. 12-15
Hughes,
in Reconciling Embrace, pp. 95-110
2/20 Theology of the Sacrament
Reading: Dallen, The
Reconciling
Community, pp. 250-348
Reconciling
Embrace, pp. 1-28
Sobrino,
pp. 83-101
Assigning of First Paper Topic
PART III: PASTORAL CARE OF THE SICK
2/27 History and Tradition
Reading: Gusmer, And You
Visited
Me, pp. 1-48, 139-171
Collins
& Power, eds., "Varieties of Christian Tradition," pp. 37-80
Pastoral
Care of the Sick, Gen. Intro., in The Rites, pp. 769-789
3/13 Ministry to the Sick: Visiting and Holy Communion
Reading: Gusmer, And You
Visited
Me, pp. 51-66, 172-194
Pelligrino
and Thomasma, pp. 26-37
Ashley
and O'Rourke, pp. 433-462
First Paper Due Today
3/20 Sacramental Anointing of the Sick
Reading: Gusmer, And You
Visited
Me, 66-94
Empereur,
79-203
3/27 Practice of the Rites
Reading: Pastoral Care of the
Sick, in The Rites, pp. 790-908
Assigning of Second Paper Topic
4/3 Ministry to the Dying; The Hour of Death
Reading: Gusmer, And You Visited Me,
pp. 99-136
Clark,
pp. 345-354
Ashley
and O'Rourke, pp. 394-431
PART IV: THE ORDER OF CHRISTIAN FUNERALS
4/10 History and Tradition
Reading: Rutherford, The
Death
of a Christian, pp. 3-112
Schmemann,
pp. 95-106
Second Paper Due Today
4/17 The Reformed Order of Christian Funerals
Reading: Rutherford, The
Death
of a Christian, pp. 115-267
Melloh,
pp. 505-518
4/24 Practicing the Order of Christian Funerals
Reading: The Order of
Christian
Funerals, in The Rites, pp. 921-1118
Assigning of Third Paper
CONCLUSION
5/1 Closing Discussion
5/8 Third Paper Due Today