Themes of Spirituality in Ratzinger / Benedict XVI

Responding to the Growing Need for Spirituality and the Supernatural

This course offers a structured and comprehensive journey into the spiritual vision of Joseph Ratzinger / Benedict XVI, shedding light on the major questions of contemporary humanity amid an increasing search for spirituality and transcendence.
Through a three-part itinerary, the program combines theological foundations and practical applications, offering tools to understand and live the spiritual life in the light of Ratzinger’s thought.

Course information

Target audience

The course is intended for laypersons interested in spiritual growth, priests, seminarians, religious men and women, consecrated persons, contemplative nuns, pastoral workers, catechists, and religion teachers.

Learning objectives

The course aims to:

• introduce the key pillars of Ratzinger/Benedict XVI’s spirituality;

• offer theological foundations—biblical, liturgical, and spiritual—that enable a comprehensive understanding of his thought;

• present concrete applications of this spirituality across various areas of Christian life;

• foster a personal path of spiritual growth illuminated by the theological virtues and by the encounter with Christ, the heart of Ratzinger’s reflection.

Course structure

Introduction: General vision of spirituality in Ratzinger/Benedict XVI

• Christianity and rationality
• An evangelizing and missionary spirituality
• The greatness of the human being as the image of God
• Christ as a living Person to be encountered

Part One: Foundations of Ratzinger’s Spirituality

• Faith, charity, and hope
• A spirituality centered on Christ
• The Sacred Heart
• The message of Fatima
• Spe Salvi
• Deus caritas est
• Lumen Fidei
• Awareness of the Divine and the liturgy
• The spiritual journey with the saints

Part Two: Applications in Christian Life

• An ecumenical spirituality
• The spiritual crisis
• Priestly fatherhood
• Faith and politics
• Franciscan spirituality in St. Bonaventure

Location, dates, and costs

• Dates: February 3 – May 26, 2026, every Tuesday from 15:20 to 17:05
• Registration deadline: February 24, 2026
• Fee: 250 euros
• Format: Online, with both synchronous and asynchronous options

Simultaneous Spanish translation available with a minimum of 10 participants

Contact Information

For further information: Carlo Fattori

📩 info.issr@upra.org
📞 +39 349 8168476