the Pope Saint John Paul II Institute of Marian Studies
Candidates to the JPII Institute come from various places around the world, men and women, lay and religious, priests, bishops, the rich and poor alike. All have the same objective: to know and love the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Education for the participants will be as important as formation, and emphasis is placed on both of these disciplines. One can envision daily mass, the divine office, the recitation of the Holy Rosary, quiet time for prayer and reflection which includes Lectio Divina, adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament, weekly confessions and the following of all liturgical celebrations of the Church. Pilgrimages to Marian Shrines will be a feature of our formation. There is a time to rise, a time to pray, to eat, study and to recreate with other students.
Care will also be given to the celebration of the liturgy in its many Catholic forms, the Novus Ordo, the extraordinary form, and the many other expressions as found in the Oriental Rites which are totally Catholic. In addition to this, students will be taught how to sing and to appreciate sacred music, which is, of course, a must for any devotee of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Institute will enthusiastically encourage students to join as many Catholic organizations, confraternities and other apostolates as they can in order to help them more fully appreciate the Catholic Church in all its endeavors. Students will be given a forum to engage on the deepest level with the mind of the Church in all matters, spiritual and political, with ample opportunities provided for debates and guest lectures.
Finally, graduates will be asked to take leading roles in founding other Marian Institutes in different regions and countries. Putting into practice all they have learned from the flagship JPII Institute, they will support and further the mission of the Institute and will endeavor to share the Blessed Mother’s all encompassing love for humanity.
Specialized courses will include:
Encyclicology: A Study of Papal Writings
The Second Vatican Council
Writings of St. Louis DeMonfort, Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman and other Marian Experts
Patristic Mariology
Biblical Theology, with special emphasis on the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary in salvation history
Marian Dogmatic Theology
Authentic Marian Shrines of the World and their History, meaning and purpose
Marian Spirituality and Devotions; and other areas of study with a special emphasis on Catholic apologetics
Working with educational institutions, foundations, and other Marian organizations, such as the Mariological Societies of the World, the Marianum in Rome, the University of Lugano, the Pontifical Marian Academy International, and the hundreds of other organizations and religious communities dedicated to Mary from around the world, the Institute offers the very best academic and spiritual formation possible.
The Institute also features guest speakers including Roman Catholic cardinals, bishops and theologians to address students on specific areas of Church teaching to offer a full appreciation of its Marian mission and activities.