The SAT Sabbatical Program

The SAT Sabbatical Program for priests, religious and lay ministers. It is a pastoral sabbatical providing the opportunity for theological renewal and spiritual transformation within a Catholic setting.

Watch the video below to capture the essence of the SAT experience.

SAT has pioneered a unique, relaxing sabbatical program, holistic in focus, and specifically designed for persons in mid-life and beyond. Often likened to an extended spiritual retreat, the program offers a number of optional modules, or short courses, in spirituality, theology, scripture, and human development. The program also includes opportunities to enrich one's self-understanding and spirituality through days of prayer and contemplation, retreat days, and spiritual direction.

The School of Applied Theology is an affiliate program of the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California, and is adjacent to the University of California, Berkeley, in the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area. We invite leading presenters from the schools of the Graduate Theological Union and other institutions throughout the Bay Area and across the United States to come to SAT and to synthesize the best of contemporary thought in their fields of expertise. They share their insights in modular units of learning.

Common learning and modular scheduling allows SAT participants

• to explore and share on a deeper level
• to experience a wide variety of topics and issues
• to exercise greater flexibility within the program

The curriculum for a typical year at SAT offers a variety of exciting options for enrichment.

Applied Theology describes the focus, charism, contribution and gift of the SAT sabbatical program and process. Mindful of their life's journey, participants are encouraged to take the learning and the experiences offered and make them their own so as to walk renewed into the future. Over 2,200 SAT participants now minister in more than 30 countries. To learn more continue to explore this website.

Our Roots

Originally known as The Institute of Lay Theology (ILT) and first located at the University of San Francisco, SAT pioneered the education of full-time lay ministers for parish work. The Graduate Theological Union (GTU) recognized the unique contribution ILT made to lay theology and invited ILT to become an affiliate with its cluster of theological schools. In 1960, Eugene Zimmers, SJ, founded the School of Applied Theology as an affiliate with the GTU. Today, SAT has focused the mission of its sabbtical program on meeting needs of priests and religious as well as laity for spiritual renewal and personal enrichment.