Most frequent questions asked

How long have you been a school?
The Center for Sacred Studies has been incorporated as a non-profit since 2002; the Ministry School opened officially May 1, 2007, and graduated its first class in April of 2009.

Who is your credentialing body?
The state of California, who named us a 501c3 nonprofit religious institution.

Exactly what title do we graduate with if going the ordained route?
Minister of Walking Prayer.

Are there other requirements beyond this program that would be required to become ordained?
Complete all modules and reflection papers; attend both retreats; complete 2 breathworks per year; maintain monthly phone contact with a mentor.

How many students sign up each year?
30-35, including full-time students and auditors.

Where do these students come from?
The majority of our students come from North America and Canada, however, we do have some students from other countries.

Is there a way that I can speak with students who have graduated from your program?
Yes – we can arrange for you to make contact with one of our alumni and/or current students and one or more will contact you.

During the retreat weeks…what exactly is taught?
Retreat weekends are a time to come together in person as a class to connect, reflect, and integrate. It is an opportunity to dive into the alchemical process of your Ministry and the mystery that is unfolding. The second retreat weekend includes graduation and ordination. The retreats are an important aspect of the training in that they provide the experiential component, and for this reason, greatly enhance the alchemy of the shared process. They are required, and unfortunately cannot be substituted if there are limitations with travel.

Is there a general kind of estimate regarding time commitment?
The biggest time commitment is reading. If you are an avid reader this may not be a consideration. The paper requirement is minimal. The papers are a response to the teaching in the monthly module and are intended to be short and reflective (500 words max). A few hours a week to absorb the teaching and reading. More time allows for deeper immersion.

When are the virtual calls?
There are two, ninety minute virtual zoom calls a month – they are typically scheduled on weeknights and generally on a Tuesday through Thursday of the week, at 5 pm PT/6 pm MT/7 pm CT/8 pm ET. They generally fall during the second and third weeks of the month. This is something to consider if you are overseas in Europe or other continents. (It may be middle of the night!) It’s a great way to feel connected to your classmates so you may want to shift your work schedules to be available for the calls. However, we record all the calls and upload them to our school site so you can listen to them when you are able.

Will there be book purchases?
A reading list is provided upon registration. In general, there is one book assigned per month, and some instructors refer to the books as important to the teaching while others use them more loosely. Most of the books can be purchased on Amazon, and some can be found at your local libraries. Do consider this again, if you are attending from another country as not all the books are in PDF or online reader formats. Unfortunately, we are not in a position to assist with book purchases.

If one decides to audit the program, can they go back later and do further work and be ordained?
This is an option, but we’ve realized that those who are auditing miss out a lot on the integration of the teaching via the papers, interactions with mentors, and the retreats. We have had a few students who make this choice part-way through the program. The student who chooses to do this is then required to pay the difference in tuition fees to make this switch.

Note: Anyone considering auditing needs to have a phone/zoom conversation with the Registrar to be sure they understand what will be different about auditing, especially students overseas.

Send an email at MTP@centerforsacredstudies.org to set up a call.  Thank you!!

Who are the mentors?
Our mentors are selected largely from members of the community who have been through our Ministry Training Program and are very eager to serve students as Mentors. They are matched up with the students based on location and professional/personal interests (as best as possible). Students connect with their mentors once a month for a 45-minute call. Mentors are there to support the student’s process during the two-year training. It’s a very important aspect of our program and greatly enriches the experience.

Are there any other fees other than tuition that I should be aware of?
As for tuition, the breathwork and retreats are at additional cost. The last year's retreat fee was $950 and this includes tuition, room, and board for a Thursday eve to Monday morning retreat at a Retreat Center located in the Western Region of the United States. You are responsible for your travel expenses to the retreats.  Breathworks average between $170-$250 for a day-long workshop and this cost depends on the facilitator, location, and the number of staff, participants, etc. Depending on where you are located, you may have to travel to attend breathwork.