The Fulfillment of All Desire

Self-Paced

Instructor

Dr. Ralph Martin, Professor of Theology & Director of Graduate Programs in the New Evangelization, Sacred Heart Major Seminary

Teaching Assistant

Melissa Pordon

Course Description

Do you think being holy is impossible? Something reserved only for a select few?  Have you ever wished you had a "roadmap" for getting to heaven?  Or better yet, a shortcut to holiness?

In this short online course, Dr. Ralph Martin, Director of Programs in the New Evangelization, shows how achieving holiness is not only possible, but something each and every one of us is called to.  He will present the stages of spiritual growth as lived out by some of the great spiritual masters of the Church: St. Teresa of Ávila, St. John of the Cross, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, and St. Francis De Sales.  Reflecting on their examples, the course will cover practical tips and advice for advancing in our journey to God.  The curriculum is based on Dr. Martin’s book The Fulfillment of All Desire: A Guidebook for the Journey to God Based on the Wisdom of the Saints.

This course is not intended to be academically strenuous but to provide a shallow-entry point for those who have busy lives and need flexibility. This course is designed for personal enrichment and does not count towards any academic credit at Sacred Heart Major Seminary or for any certification in the Archdiocese of Detroit. 

Contact

For questions about course content contact the instructor/teaching assistants using the Inbox on the red menu bar on the left side of your online course page. 

For technical support see the Tech Support guide in the Welcome module of the course.

Textbooks

Required Readings:

No required texts for this course

Recommended Readings:

Dr. Ralph Martin. The Fulfillment of All Desire: A Guidebook for the Journey to God Based on the Wisdom of the Saints. Emmaus Road Publishing, 2006. 

Schedule of Topics:

• Introductory Module: Course Introduction

• Module 1: Holiness: Not an Option! 

• Module 2: Establishing a Solid Foundation 

• Module 3: Growing in Freedom

• Module 4: Living in Freedom 

Module Activities:

The following learning activities are available to students each week. There are no specific requirements for participating in the course. However, those who complete all the videos and self-tests will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the course.
 

• Video lectures 

• Recommended readings and links to additional learning resources

• Self-test to see what you’ve learned

• Group discussion prompts

The time commitment is flexible for this course. There is one video lecture (~20 min) per module. Participants who are interested in completing all recommended readings and course tasks can expect to spend around 2-3 hours/module on the course. However, levels of participation and engagement are up to the discretion of the individual.

All Equip Courses Include These Features:

• A dedicated online learning support coordinator to offer prompt assistance

• 24/7 access to the digital learning environment

• Engagement as a community of connected learners who share a common faith

• Extended access to course content after the course end date

• Learning environment support provided by Canvas (our learning management platform)

• Technical assistance provided by Sacred Heart’s IT staff

• A Certificate of Completion is awarded to those who complete the course learning activities

Technical Requirements:

Canvas Tech Requirements