School of Graduate Research Student Theses

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Brigid: Bridge between Worlds. A Feminist Examination of the Significance of Brigid (an Irish Saint and Goddess) in Comtemporary Australian Women's Spiriuality.
(2009-05-08) Connelly, Catherine
This thesis explores the significance of Brigid as Irish Saint and pagan Goddess, examining the influence on comtemporary Australian women's spiriuality. In this context, a number of metaphors are explored, the most generative of these revealing Brigid as both a threshold figure and catalyst for liberation. The threshold analogy is further develoged, positioning Brigid as a nexus of potential dialogue between contemporary Chrisianity and neo-paganism. Using a feminist methodology, what emerges is an understanding of the depth and diversity of Brigid veneration and its role in the spiritualities of Australian women today.
The Contemplative Heart: A Contemplative Spirituality for Daily Life
(2005) Morris, Christopher
The thesis explores the recent growth in interest in the contemplative dimension of Christianity. The term Contemplative Spirituality will be used to encapsulate this growing movement. The central notion of contemplative spirituality is that the living of a contemplative life is available to all Christians living in any state of life. This is a significant change from the past, when a contemplative life was considered the reserve of those living a contemplative lifestyle, usually in a monastery. The thesis examines first the contemporary context in which contemplative spirituality has emerged, a context characterised by a spiritual search emphasising personal experience and choice. It argues that the growing interest and new expression of the Christian contemplative tradition has emerged within this context and has also been influenced by it. Some dimensions of contemplative spirituality are explored, and theological foundations developed. The thesis then suggests contemplative practice as the heart of contemplative spirituality, the most central being the intention to live life with a receptive and attentive attitude to God’s presence in daily life. It then examines a number of contemplative practices before exploring meditation and the spiritual journey in detail. The thesis concludes by arguing that the living of the contemplative life in the world requires significant support to ensure it continues to grow, and it suggests a number of these supports.
A Critical Investigation into the use of Spiritual/Religious Interventions by Professional Counsellors
(2022-09) 'Hood, Shannon.'
This thesis explores the use of Spiritual/Religious Interventions including. Prayer and meditation by Professional Counsellors such as Psychologists, Social Workers and Registered Counsellors. Using a Mixed Methods approach it presents two Grounded Theories intended to help professional counsellors ethically apply Spiritual and Religious interventions in their practice.
The Cross Now Rooted Breaks In Bloom: A study of Bruno Barnhart’s ‘Wisdom Knowing’ and Wholeness in Christian Life.
(2020) Morris, Christopher
This study of Bruno Barnhart’s vision shows how his approach to Christian wisdom reveals a framework for wholeness in Christian life. Four key principles emerge as orientation points for theological and textual engagement – radical participation, nonduality, creative freedom and communion. The work provides an impetus for personal engagement in the diversity of our time.
Discernment of Spirits:the Corner-stone of Formation of Spiritual Directors
(2018-01) Gallagher, Brian
This thesis researches the theory and practice of spiritual direction, discernment of spirits, and formation of spiritual directors. The argument builds on a sound theology of the Holy Spirit and a psychology of human freedom, concluding that a spiritual director becomes discerning through growth in inner freedom. Effective formation programs foster such growth.
Dwelling on the Edge: A Spiritual Director Hears Contemporary Women Respond to the Beguine Mystics
(2022) Lambert, Catherine
This interdisciplinary study explores the value of exemplars from the edge of the Christian tradition for the practice of spiritual direction. The project introduced a group of contemporary Australian women to the lives and writings of thirteenth-century beguine mystics and sought their responses. Overall, the struggle to discover their own inner spiritual authority connected the women across centuries. In identifying this resonance, the contemporary women developed a relationship with the beguines that transformed and influenced their own journeys.
Echoes of grace: Remembering and storying the gifts of the Spiritual Exercises in the Fifth Week
(2024-05) Pate, Anne
The essential threefold dynamic of knowledge, love, and action, present throughout the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius, invites a response to the gifts given by God. However, the “Fifth Week” of life after the retreat has been neglected in scholarship. The experiences of the many lay persons who make and give the Exercises today are also under-researched. This innovative study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and Narrative Inquiry to explore how the spiritual consolations of the Exercises were remembered and storied in the Fifth Week by five spiritual directors. Remembering and storying these gifts responded to present circumstances, guiding discernment, generating fresh insights, and shaping evolving narrative identity. The findings align with the growing appreciation in the Ignatian tradition that spiritual transformation is an ongoing process. This thesis offers unique insight into the unfolding dynamic of knowledge, love, and action after the retreat; the echoes of grace in the Fifth Week.
Emancipatory education: Pipe dream or possibility? A critical and contemporary re-imagining of Paulo Freire’s dialogical pedagogy for Catholic educators, informed by Parker Palmer’s epistemic ontology.
(2022) Leydon, Thomas
The thesis argues that authentically emancipatory pedagogy, in a twenty-first century context of what Pope Francis calls the “omnipresent technocratic paradigm”, invites a re-imagining of Paulo Freire’s idealism. Critically examining Freire’s pedagogy in retrospect, it applies his spirit of critical dialogue to the times. Via fresh insights from Catholic Social Teaching, we engage Parker Palmer’s educational spirituality for this purpose. Palmer re-integrates the “knowing and “being” essential for contemporary educators yearning to “re-humanise” the vocation.
EMBRACING THE MYSTERY WITHIN: Explorations in the Art of Spiritual Direction
(2014-11) Farrugia, Victor
The author has explored the dynamic encounters which happen in Spiritual Direction, as a place of Mystery. In the narratives, autoethnography helped explore the encounters between the director and the directee, within themselves and the presence of the Divine. Research literature was engaged in order to enlighten and challenge these data and thus help clarify the author's conclusions.
Ignatian spirituality and its potential contribution to Jesuit formation in the context of Vietnam
(2016-02) Nguyen, Dinh Khai
There is a two-fold goal of this thesis. Firstly, there is a desire for a deeper understanding of Ignatian Spirituality. Secondly, there is a quite urgent need for the Jesuits in Vietnam: normalise their existence in Vietnam society; their number has been increased so quickly.
Interfaith Engagement: Interreligious Dailogue in the life and work of the World Council of Churches and the Vatican, c1960-2000
(2009-05-01) Pratt, Douglas
This thesis investigates the emergence, features and outcomes of interreligious dialogue as a Christian ecclesial endeavour within the World Council of Churches and the Roman Catholic Church. It is argued, among other things, that the term ‘interfaith engagement’ is preferable to ‘interreligious dialogue’ and better encapsulates the requirements of future interactions.
Meeting God: An Interpretation of 'Wound' in the Mystical Writings of Julian of Norwichand John of the Cross.
(2013-05-02) Wait, Patriaic C.
The dissertation explores what the mystical texts of Julian of Norwich and John of the Cross reveal about meeting God in this life in God-given contemplation. It examines the theme of 'wound' because wounds are wounds of love in which we meet God. We are drawn into God in our love-longing in a life of prayer. The dissertation is based on the monastic definition of theology in which spirituality and theology are one. It uses a lectio divina approach because this is how Julian and John themselves wrote their texts in mystical theology. There are implications for our understanding of contemplation, Christology, the oneness of spirituality and theology, and a theology of suffering.
New Evangelization in the writings of Eugene de Mazenod
(2020) Szwec, Daniel
This thesis contributes to the discussion of the New Evangelisation through a study of the phenomenological and lived experience of Eugene de Mazenod. The analysis identified that it was the mission of Jesus Christ realised in the suffering Church, with whom de Mazenod identified himself, that triggered and cultivated his evangelical conversion.
On Becoming More Open to Others in God: Asperger Syndrome and the Enneagram
(2010) Nutting, Geoffrey
The theme of the thesis is the possibility of growth in `relatedness all round’. This is illustrated from the case history of one person – the author - who emerged from almost `monadic’ social isolation (in the pattern lately characterised in psychology as `Asperger Syndrome’) to become available to many, affectively, intellectually and spiritually, as a Mental Health chaplain, researcher and educator. Decisive in this development were some experiences fostered, over more than a quarter of a century, by the hospitality of a Contemplative religious community. Several autoethnographic narratives offer a variety of perspectives on this case history. The Enneagram is commended, both as making fullest sense of this particular history, and as offering valuable insights for ministry into personality factors that may assist or limit mutual open-ness between ourselves and others – whether as individuals or as communities. Paramount is the honouring of the divine Image.
Personal and Ecclesial Worship. The Place and Purpose of Popular Piety and Devotions in the Life of the Human Person and of the Cathlic Church
(2011-05-12) Cartwright, David M.
Forms of worship or devotion outside the Eucharistic Liturgy of the Catholic Church exist and their context and purpose is sometimes misunderstood. These forms of worship take on different expressions depending upon person, culture, place and time. Such forms of worship are open to adaptation and change depending upon their context and the need and purpose they perform. It will be the purpose of this paper to place these forms of worship, popularly called piety or devotions, into a proper context in relation to the Eucharistic Liturgy of the Catholic Church and examine their proper place and purpose in the life of the human person and in the ecclesial setting of the Church.
Poetry and Grace: An Autoethnography which Explores Writing Poetry as Prayer in the Context of Ignatian Spirituality
(2014) Marburg, Marlene
In this thesis, the process and product of writing poetry particularly in the context of the prayer of the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius, is explored using poetic autoethnography. While poetry is crafted, concentrated and poignant word-pictures, poetry writing is also found to be reflection, conversation, a prayerful personal Examen at the end of the day, a tool for discernment of spirits, a way of self-supervision, a vocation and a joyful gift. The writer, as poet, spiritual director and exercitant, engages a poetic and intimate listening which opens expansive possibilities of growing in knowledge and love of God and in personal freedom. Writing poetry, praying and doing autoethnography are steps into liminality requiring a disposition of trust. Poetry is revealed as both content and container enabling trust to become loving action in union with God as Love.
Recovering Obedience in the Spiritual Path
(2019) Fowler, Ruth
The thesis proposes that there is a need to recover the place of obedience in the western Catholic/Christian spiritual path, where obedience is an experience of love, learned in relationship and leading to becoming one's unique creation in Christ. The practice of contemplation and the recovery of a spiritual elder tradition such as is practised in eastern Orthodox Christianity are central to this.
Reimagining Marist Formation for Deeper Interiority: A Conversation between Traditional Sources and Thomas Merton’s Conception of Inner Experience
(2021-01) Dobbyn, Kevin
A conversation between the foundational sources of Marcellin Champagnat’s Marist spirituality and Thomas Merton’s conception of ‘inner experience’ can ground a formation for deeper interiority, enabling the Little Brothers of Mary to live more fully the transcendence of the self in consecrated life for the 21st century.
Searching Altyerre to Reveal the Cosmic Christ: A contribution to the dialogue between the ancient Arrernte imaginary and Christianity
(2019) Bowden, Michael John
Searching Altyerre to Reveal the Cosmic Christ describes the development of Altyerre-Catholicism by the Arrernte people of Alice Springs, based on their continuing reliance on their ancient imaginary, Altyerre, creatively integrated with Catholicism and formed into a dynamic imaginary that offers them consolation and concurrently hope to the wider Christian community.
Seeking Vision: Revelation in Contemporary Theology
(2010) Dungan, Lynette
This thesis explores revelation in the contemporary vistas of twentieth and twenty first century theology through the trope of seeking vision. Revelation is deemed to be unfolding within the dynamic interplay of both particular views and wider global, ecological and technological influences. The influence of postmodernity is also considered, inviting observation of the minority view, and the ‘other’ as pertinent vantage points. This thesis uses metaphors of sight and blindness, light and glory as indicative of horizons and limits for revelation. The views of theologians and scholars like Avery Dulles, Mary C. Grey, Hans Urs von Balthasar, Vladimir Lossky, John M. Hull, Jean Luc Marion and Wesley Wildman, are explored to convey diversity in the ways revelation can be described. The thesis concludes by inviting the reader to pay attention and to continue to seek vision as God is revealed now, and into the future.

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Browsing School of Graduate Research Student Theses by Subject "D - Spirituality and Spiritual Direction"

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