Research in Psychology and Spiritual Life

Research Group in Psychology and Spiritual Life

The Pontifical University of the Holy Cross has received as a donation the personal archive Professor Joan Baptista Torelló. At the same university a research group has been set up a Research Group in Psychology and Spiritual Life, which is named after him.

Torelló was a professor in the Department of Spiritual Theology for several years. His teachings are still alive in the courses offered by the Department. The mission of the new Torelló Center is to deepen the relationship between Psychology and Spirituality, from an interdisciplinary perspective.

The Joan Baptista Torelló Group aims to develop research in the field of psychological formation, from the perspective of the interdisciplinary relationship between Psychology and Theology.

With Christian anthropological foundations, the participants in the work aspire to deepen their understanding of a clear psychology, open to transcendence and the meaning of life. In this way, the aim is to contribute to a better comprehension of the human being as a whole, so that those involved in Christian formation, spiritual accompaniment, vocational discernment, etc., will have adequate theoretical and practical tools at their disposal.

This is based on the conviction that such knowledge facilitates the attainment of a peaceful and joyful Christian life and, at the same time, helps to prevent and heal psychological suffering.

The main objectives are the development of training tools, bibliography and courses in this field, together with the organization of conferences, expert meetings and seminars. This will also deepen the thought and legacy of Joan Baptista Torelló.

Personal archive of Joan Baptista Torelló

In the coming months the organization of the archive will begin, under the supervision of the historian José María López-Barajas. He spent long periods with Torelló in Vienna. Among the material received are unpublished manuscripts and abundant correspondence.