Fostering psycho-spiritual integration towards healing and wholeness

About Emmaus

Emmaus Center journeys with women and men in ministry and gives them the tools they need to respond more freely to their distinct vocations as religious, clergy, or laypersons. We guide formators, workers, leaders, and ministers who are unafraid to embrace the nuances and contradictions of a complex world and ready to embark on forming others to a life of service. This is our way of contributing to the strengthening of the universal and local Church.

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Our Mission

Sustained by God’s faithful mercy and transformative love, we at Emmaus Center embrace our vocation to use our gifts in the service of psycho-spiritual formation in the Church:

To facilitate the healing from various forms of psycho-emotional and spiritual unfreedom

To foster integrity that manifests in compassionate relationships with self and others, and

To nurture greater openness to share more fully in God’s life and work in our world

Our Core Values

Grateful for the accomplishments and blessings of 40 years of dedicated service, and guided by wisdom gained from our past experiences, we continue to uphold the following values:

Professionalism: competence and integrity

Center personnel value personal and professional growth through regular updating and retooling of skills, and seek to ensure ethical behavior and practices.

Deep respect for the diverse gifts and charisms in the Church

The dynamism that drives Emmaus Center comes from the diversity of clergy, religious, and laypersons who participate and provide resources for our work.

Integral psycho-spiritual formation

Effective human formation needs to be holistic, interdisciplinary, and integrative – grounded in the understanding of the human person as multi-dimensional, embodied, and transcendent.

Sensitivity and responsiveness to God's presence and promptings

The end goal of all our endeavors is to foster greater cooperation with God’s work in the world.

Reverent companioning

Effective human formation needs to be holistic, interdisciplinary, and integrative - grounded in the understanding of the human person as multi-dimensional, embodied, and transcendent.

Programs & Services

Programs to Deepen Your Faith and Serve Others. Our experienced instructors and mentors are here to support you every step of the way. Join us today and take the first step towards a deeper and more meaningful relationship with God.

Formation Courses

FCF features a diverse array of programs designed to provide with contextualized perspectives on different aspects of formation work.

Seminars & Workshops

Our expert instructors will guide you through interactive and engaging sessions, providing you with the tools and insights to live out your faith.

Psychotherapy & Counseling

Our diverse pool of psychotherapists and counselors are trained to address a range of presenting concerns including anxiety, depression, and a-like

Spiritual Accompaniment

Our dedication extends to guiding people in their spiritual journey and provide them the space to explore matters of the soul, faith, and God.

Blog

Formation, Deformation, Transformation

Life, it seems, brings experiences that form, deform, and transform us. Formation. We are formed as persons with unique characteristics, shaped by our unique histories and circumstances. Our faith teaches us that we are formed in original goodness, created by a Good Creator God

by Karel San Juan, SJ, PhD

Vows, Vocation and the “Me” Generation

To form men and women for others” Father Pedro Arrupe’s rallying call to Jesuit schools many years ago was mission-defining and resonant. It powerfully conveyed the essential ideals not just of Ignatian, but more importantly, of Christian education: service and commitment. However, one wonders whether “commitment” and “service” still hold currency today.

by Fr. Jordan J. Orbe, SJ

Psychological Assessment in Formation

Assessment is one of the challenging responsibilities of vocation and formation directors. Psychological evaluation has three primary goals: a determine if the applicant or candidate is free from major psychopathological disturbance

by Francisca C. Bustamante

Discernment as a Disposition of Generosity

Discernment is a word often heard today. Most commonly used in relation to decision-making, discernment is generally understood to be the process of arriving at the best option.

by Eva K. Galvey

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Gallery

Frequently Asked Questions

Emmaus Center journeys with women and men in ministry and
gives them the tools they need to respond more freely to their
distinct vocations as religious, clergy, or laypersons.

What is the Emmaus Center?

The Emmaus Center is an organization dedicated to forming individuals to a life of service. Its mission is to provide guidance, support, and resources to those who are unafraid to embrace the complexities of the world and who are ready to serve others. The organization seeks to create a community of individuals who are committed to social justice, compassion, and service.

What is Formation?

Formation is not just education, instruction, or training. It is about the process of developing particular dispositions. It goes beyond mere exposure to values and ideals. It refers to the transformation of persons, that they may embody and live out desired virtues and values. It is the process of initiating a person into a path of conversion. While the term formation is more frequently used in religious and seminary contexts, it also applies to lay people who may be doing formation work and undergoing the process themselves.

What is Psycho-Spiritual Formation?

Psycho-spiritual formation is a perspective and a way of doing formation in which human nature and psychological factors are acknowledged, appreciated, and recognized as a place where the Holy can also be experienced. Human nature is seen as sacred space. The spirituality that develops through this integrated approach is grounded on one’s personal realities. Grace is experienced abundantly, amid one’s limitations and limitedness.

Does Emmaus Center only cater to clergy?

Emmaus Center has various services that aim to promote the integral psycho-spiritual formation of individuals and groups engaged in work for the Church and God’s people, not just for clergy. Thus, Emmaus Center caters to people from different contexts.

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Come and be transformed on the Emmaus journey!

Are you searching for greater freedom, integration, and meaning? Do you sense a deep desire to serve others and spread hope?

Then come and embark on your own Emmaus journey. Be part of a community of individuals and groups who have experienced the grace of Emmaus.