Magis Immersion Experiences

Instructor: Dr. Mark Bosco, S.J.

This course is a collaboration with the Department of Theology & Religious Studies and is open to all undergraduate students in the sophomore, junior, and senior classes. The Matteo Sachman Theology of Pilgrimage Seminar is endowed by the Sachman family. Read more about Matteo and the Sachman family.

Pilgrimage is central to all the major religions. Since time immemorial, humans have taken spiritual journeys to sacred destinations. A pilgrimage can be a visceral performance of the search for meaning in daily life, an attempt to find a greater sense of spiritual well-being, or a reconfirmation of one’s faith commitments. For any Christian, the city of Rome, more than any other destination, still has the power to fascinate and invigorate belief. The many layers of Rome offer a way for Christians and other seekers to encounter the faith of the apostles, the church fathers and mothers, great medieval saints, the world of Renaissance popes, the Jesuit contributions to the faith, and the modern Church in all of its vitality. With Rome as our classroom, we will investigate the theological, historical, sociological, and literary contours of pilgrimage. The course will be based in the Roman Catholic tradition but will attempt to make some comparisons with other faith traditions.

Complete this form to apply for a place in this Magis Immersion Seminar to Rome. The due date for applications is Wednesday, 15 October 2025.

Instructor: Dr. Alan Mitchell

This course is a collaboration with the Department of Theology & Religious Studies and is open to all undergraduate students in the sophomore, junior, and senior classes. 

This course studies the peculiarly urban character of Paul of Tarsus’ missionary activity in the Eastern Roman Empire with an emphasis on Greece. Christianity got its start as a Judaean sect in rural Judaea/Palestine. Its spread and development in the late first century CE took place in the cities where Paul and his associates established distinct communities practicing a form of Jesus Messianism—Jews who believed that Jesus Christ was the Messiah sent by God. Growing out of mainstream Judaism, this movement soon attracted Gentiles, non–Jews, in the cities where the Pauline mission located itself.

The first seven weeks of the course will focus on the letters that Paul wrote to the communities that he established in Corinth, Thessaloniki, and Philippi in Greece, and Galatia in Asia Minor (today’s Turkey). Using a historical–critical method of interpretation, the course will situate Paul’s letters in the historical, social, and religious context in which they were composed.  The purpose of the pre-spring-break part of this course is to prepare us for the immersion experience during spring break, where we will follow in the footsteps of St. Paul. Thus, a close reading of his letters and related other material is essential for gaining sufficient knowledge of Paul and his associates, as well as of the people to whom he was preaching in the Greek cities that we will visit during spring break.

Complete this form to apply for a place in this Magis Immersion Seminar to Greece. The due date for applications is Wednesday, 15 October 2025.

Instructor: Dr. Jim Wickman

This course will explore the history, mission, and values of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), with two interrelated objectives. First, we will explore the history and theology of the Jesuits, focusing on the spirituality of St. Ignatius and its application in higher education today. Second, through a Pilgrimage to the north of Spain over Spring Break, we will walk in the “Footsteps of St. Ignatius.” This immersive learning experience will include on-the-ground lectures, site visits, and course content throughout the week. 

Complete this form to apply for a place in this Magis Immersion Seminar to Spain. The due date for applications is Wednesday, 15 October 2025.

Instructor: Dr. Andria Wisler

Over the first seven weeks of this course on Georgetown’s Hilltop campus, we will explore the roots and impacts of Colombia’s armed conflict from the late 1940s to the mid-2010s. This exploration will ground us as we witness in person during Spring Break how the country and its communities have forged forward through reconciliatory pathways and grassroots to state-wide peacebuilding initiatives. Reflection steeped in Ignatian Spirituality will be one practice that showcases our commitment to pilgrimage and to a spiritual enlightenment that invites us to experience the “felt knowledge” of reconciliation frameworks and theories of peace from individuals who generously contribute to our immersion.  

While developing critical competencies in strategic analysis of complex conflicts, and deepening our understanding of systemic approaches to conflict transformation, we will gain insights into the growth and transition over the last ten years in Colombia, a living case study of how societies move from cycles of direct, cultural, and structural violence towards coexistence and cultures of peace. Our time in Bogota and Cartagena will surface dissonance and stark contrasts, as well as creative visions of a shared humanity and innovative tools for creating justice. We hope that all participants in this course will have space and support for discovering, naming, and acting on what we have learned in light of our ongoing commitments as global citizens.

Complete this form to apply for a place in this Magis Immersion Seminar to Colombia. The due date for applications is Wednesday, 15 October 2025.

Instructor: Dr. Anna Sommer

Jews and Poles share over one thousand years of common history. Prior to World War II, Poland was home to 3.5 million Jews, Europe’s largest Jewish population. At the time when Jewish communities across Europe suffered from different forms of antisemitism and persecution, Poland became a safe haven for expelled Jews. Special protection and privileges granted to them encouraged more to settle in Poland. “Po-lin” (Here You Shall Dwell) became a codeword encompassing freedom, autonomy, and thriving civilization. And yet, the simple phrase “Poles and Jews” evokes mixed reactions and powerful emotions. Centered around Catholicism and Judaism, the coexistence of the two communities was marked by periods of significant tensions and prejudice.

The deeply Catholic nation of Poland has a complex relationship with its Jewish neighbors. This course will provide an interreligious understanding of a deeply emotional and complex history of the Polish Catholic and Jewish centuries-long existence. We will examine Polish and Jewish relations in the context of the Holocaust and the lost Jewish civilization of Europe. Meetings with community and spiritual leaders will help to understand Polish-Catholic and Jewish narratives. We will also discuss the post-World War II process of renewal and reconciliation of the two communities.

The Holocaust was a defining moment in the long-lasting Jewish presence in Poland. Through the visits to historic sites where Jewish life once thrived, and former Nazi concentration and extermination camps, where the Jews and Poles were murdered, we will get a better understanding of the everlasting void caused by the Holocaust and scars embedded on both societies and, ultimately, Polish-Jewish relations.

Complete this form to apply for a place in this Magis Immersion Seminar to Poland. The due date for applications is Wednesday, 15 October 2025.