Courses & Descriptions

This course will examine what it means to be human in light of the person and ministry of Jesus Christ.  Theological, philosophical and cultural perspectives will be considered.  Topics discussed will include the elements and relationship of body and spirit, the dilemma of sin and the transformation of humanity through grace.

Outcomes

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. To understand the physical, social and cultural contexts in which human begins exist and mature.

2. To learn what human nature is from a Christian perspective.

3. To embrace the journey of becoming a human person transformed in Christ.

The Second Vatican Council was called by Pope St. John XXIII to preserve and promote the church’s heritage in a pastorally effective way in order to meet the demands of the day. The council produced a new vision of what the Church is and what it ought to be grounded in two millennia of tradition. In its examination of Vatican II ecclesiology, this course will focus on two council constitutions: The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium) and The Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et Spes), placing them in their larger historical context, exploring their fundamental meaning and significance, and finally, considering their larger significance for the life of the church today.

Outcomes

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Note that the Second Vatican Council speaks of the church within its discourse on God and its universal call to holiness.

2. Recognize that the ecclesiology of the Second Vatican Council is an ecclesiology of “communion.”

3. Describe the basic doctrinal and pastoral perspectives on the modern church (its nature, mission, and structure) as expressed in the council documents, in particular Lumen Gentium and Gaudium et Spes.

Evangelization is not the task of a few persons, called to a specific ministry of evangelization; it is the responsibility of the whole Church. It is the missionary call we received from Jesus found in Matthew 28 “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations…” Evangelization is the very heart of the Church’s mission.  “It is a task and mission which the vast and profound changes of present-day society make all the more urgent. Evangelizing is in fact the grace and vocation proper to the Church, her deepest identity.  She exists in order to evangelize.” (EN, 14). This course will lead the participants to rediscover this task as explained by Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium”.

Outcomes

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. To understand the new evangelization, as one of the highest priorities of Pope Francis’ pontificate and how to implement it in our ministry.

2. Identify concrete areas and focus that urgently need to be applied in ministry.

3. Recognize the current challenges of evangelization in the world today and be able to apply a prophetic / positive vision to the task of evangelization

4. Articulate the seven main themes found in the Apostolic Exhortation which summarizes the new evangelization put forth by Pope Francis.

This course provides students with an introduction to the concept of faith development theory and the impact of age and maturity on the moral and spiritual life.  In particular, the course is conducted with an eye to the ways that faith development impact the understanding of the Christian life.

Outcomes

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Identify and explain five stages of faith development.

2. Apply age and stage theory to a particular pastoral activity (a lesson plan, a prayer service, the practice of pastoral care, etc.)

This course is intended to help students become familiar with the chronology, geography, and the historical-critical environment of New Testament Christianity. Students will come to understand the Christian message as it is presented in the synoptic gospels, the Pauline letters, and the Johannine literature, by examining the history of the formation of these books and identifying their central themes through close readings of selected passages. Consideration will be given to the theological viewpoints and literary forms found in these books.

Outcomes

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Recall the chronology, geography, and historical-social environment of New Testament Christianity.

2. Identify the different emphases of the Christian message through an investigation of the community situation, structure, themes, and theology of each of the four gospels.

3. Explain the images used by Paul to convey his understanding of the person and saving work of Jesus Christ.

4. Recognize the purpose and content presented by the Book of Revelation through an investigation of its structure, themes, and theology.

This course will introduce students to the Catholic Principles of Biblical Interpretation and to significant literary, historical and theological aspects of the different “bodies” found in the Old Testament. The course aims to help the students to understand the nature of the Pentateuchal narrative, Historical Literature as well as the Prophetic, Wisdom and Poetic Literature found in the Bible

Outcomes

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Understand the following concepts: Revelation, Inspiration, Canon, Tradition, Interpretation, the literary genres and their role in the Biblical Interpretation.

2. Know the major milestones of the history of salvation narrated in the Old Testament.

3. Understand the main literary, historical and theological characteristics of the different “bodies” in the Old Testament.

This course will examine the identity and significance of Jesus Christ in light of who he is as a person, who he is in relationship to the Father and the Holy Spirit and who he is in relationship to humanity and the world.  Scripture, Church Fathers, Ecumenical Councils and other theological and historical sources will be surveyed.  

Outcomes

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. To better come to know who Jesus Christ is.
2. To appreciate the importance of the Trinity for Christian faith.
3. To understand the centrality of Jesus Christ in Christian worship, ministry and evangelization.

The Church is increasingly aware of the connection between faith and culture. This course looks at the relationship that exists between these realities with an eye to how they impact the shape of ministry.  Specific topics that will be addressed include the definition of culture, the theology of inculturation, and intercultural competencies.

Outcomes

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Explain at least one definition of culture and discuss its relationship to the Christian faith.
2. Recognize the impact of culture on their faith life and the faith lives of others.
3. Identify two intercultural competencies.

The most basic principle of the Christian moral life is the awareness that every person bears the dignity of being made in the image of God. This course will focus on the fundamentals of moral life and on how they help us nurture a relationship with God, with one another and with the world. Social Justice is the means by which we respond to such Christian vision, thus bringing into perspective the Church’s expertise in human values.

Outcomes

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Understand the significance of natural law
2. Recognize the importance of conscience and its formation
3. Recognize the important role virtues play in our lives
4. Reflect on the manner by which we actively participate in God’s work by shaping the world around us with love, justice and peace.

The course will introduce the students to two fundamental elements of Christian life: (1) spirituality as an itinerary to grow deep into our friendship with Christ, which its final destination is what we call holiness – an individual’s firm, deep, integral, and dynamic communion with God, and (2) prayer: the cornerstone of spiritual life, a gift, covenant and communion with God.

Outcomes

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Know and explain the main characteristics of a Catholic spirituality.
2. Understand the existence and meaning of different “schools of spirituality” within the catholic tradition and to know the basics of the more relevant ones (Benedictine, Jesuit, Franciscan, and Carmelite).
3. Know the different kinds of prayer (blessing and adoration, intercession, petition, thanksgiving, praising) and the expressions of prayer (vocal, meditation, contemplation).
4. Lead others in prayer.

 

Catholicism sees in Jesus Christ the full embodiment of God. Since God became human, then God is seen, touched, and heard in the context of human living; this is the principle of sacramentality. The Church celebrates certain rituals that make the saving presence of God tangible to us in different ways. In Catholicism, there are seven such rituals that we call the Sacraments, with the Eucharist as our core Sacrament. This course aims to foster a deep and understanding of sacramentality and an even deeper appreciation for the seven sacraments of the Church.

Outcomes

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Distinguish between the nature and significance of sacramentality.
2. Reflect on the theological, celebratory, and pastoral usage of the sacraments.
3. Recognize how celebrating the sacraments confirms our continuing conversion and encounter with God.

The rich development of ministry through the 2,000 year historical continuum and tradition in the Church begins with Jesus Christ. Theology of ministry will provide the participants an opportunity to reflect on their own experiences in ministry and to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the rich theology which grounds their ministry. Looking at the context of ministry from the beginning, its history, and longstanding development through Vatican II up to today, will assist them to achieve a clear understanding of the transition which has occurred in ministry and has moved us from a historical model to a contemporary one that is capable of meeting the ministry needs in the Church today.

Outcomes

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Identify the beginning of ministry in the public life of Jesus
2. Understand how and why ministry has been changed through the history of the Church
3. Assimilate the Church’s vision today, thru the study of more recent documents provided on ecclesial ministry
4. Reflect on the theological outcomes of ministry and its impact in the church structure today, role and praxis

Adult faith formation is at the heart of the USCCB’s catechetical vision and practice of developing in adults a better understanding of and participation in the full sacramental life of the Church—all Christians of every age and stage of life are called to fulfill their baptismal call to holiness.  This course will use the USCCB’s Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us to explore approaches to adult faith formation including models, methods, planning and conducting adult faith formation programs.

Outcomes

By the end of the course students will be able to:

1. Identify the major goals and principles of adult faith formation.
2. Identify the qualities of mature adult faith and discipleship.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of a variety of learning activities and resources to meet the diverse needs of the adult learner.  
4. Be acquainted with the threefold dimension of word, memory and witness (doctrine, celebration and commitment in life) for the adult learner.

The two basic methods in catechesis, deductive and inductive, are rooted in the pedagogy of God, which inspires many different types of human methods. These include learning through human experience, learning by discipleship, learning within the Christian Community (including liturgical catechesis), learning within the Christian family, learning through witness of the catechist, learning by heart, learning by Christian living, and learning by apprenticeship.  This course explores not only the methods but also the best practices associated with catechesis (e.g. lesson planning, classroom activities, etc.)

Outcomes

By the end of the course students will be able to:

1. Describe the characteristics of the pedagogy of God.
2. Be acquainted with the various forms of human methodology in catechesis and how to apply them in a classroom setting.
3. Identify various formats/approaches, tools and resources for successful catechesis.

This course explores the mystery of human suffering and loss.  It addresses the physical, the psychological, the social, and the spiritual dimensions of suffering and loss. Topics covered in the course include recognizes the various sources of loss, stages of grief, and the Christian meaning of human suffering

Recommended Prerequisites: Human and Faith Development and Pastoral Care

Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will have:

1. Articulated an understanding of the Christian meaning of human suffering in light of the teachings of the Church.
2. Understood the various aspects and sources of suffering and loss.
3. Evaluated their own loss experience.

This course provides basic information regarding family system theories including the history of theories that have impacted the study of families.  Various conceptual and theoretical frameworks including Bowen Family Systems Theory and Adler’s Individual Psychology will be explored.  Key concepts and basic assumptions will be identified to better understand the family social science discipline.  

Recommended Prerequisites: Human and Faith Development and Fundamental Concepts of Pastoral Care

Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will have:

1. Recognized contextual and systemic dynamics regarding the influence of relational patterns on the family systems.
2. Examined principles of human development and family development in regard to family life dynamics.
3. Explored various family systems theories and frameworks in the context of family.

This course provides foundational principles for marriage based on the Church’s teaching on marriage as a natural gift, as a sacrament and as a public commitment between a man and woman as prescribed by the USCCB document Marriage:  Love and Life in the Divine Plan.  Catholic teaching on marriage, including Natural Family Planning will be addressed.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, the student will have:

1. Understood what is a Catholic Marriage as outlined by the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Code of Canon Law.
2. Comprehended  Catholic Marriage as a Sacrament, with its beauty and its obligations.
3. Understood what an Inter-cultural, inter-faith, inter-religious marriage entail.
4. Discussed Humanae Vitae and its role in marriage.

This course provides foundational principles and practices for ministry to and for young adults in order to empower them to live as disciples of Jesus Christ.  Consistent with the ecclesial documents on ministry with young adults, the course orients students to strengthen the relationship of young adults with the Church and provide a framework for effective pastoral planning for young adult ministry.

Recommended Prerequisites: Human and Faith Development

Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will have:

1. Described the history, purpose and vision of young adult ministry as promoting missionary discipleship.
2. Discussed the need to foster personal and communal growth and education for young adults toward a relationship with Jesus Christ.
3. Understood contemporary best practices for ministry to young adults which focuses on involving young adults in the life of the local faith community and the mission of the Church in the world.

This course provides foundational principles and practices for ministry to and for adolescents in order to empower them to live as disciples of Jesus Christ.  Consistent with the ecclesial documents on youth ministry and missionary discipleship, the course orients students to the purpose of youth ministry, the development of a yearly scope and sequence, as well as best practices for working within a school or parish setting as a minister to adolescents.

Recommended Prerequisites: Human and Faith Development

Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will have:

1. Described the history, purpose and vision of youth ministry as promoting missionary discipleship.
2. Applied this vision to the development of a yearly youth ministry plan.
3. Understood contemporary best practices for ministry to adolescents within parishes and schools, (including means of communication, the development of communities of faith, and advocating for youth within a school or parish).

 

This course provides an introduction to the theory and practice of pastoral care including the theology of presence.  Students will become acquainted with foundational concepts and practices for the exercise of pastoral care within a variety of ministries.  Topics covered in the course will include active listening skills, developing healthy boundaries, and working with those in crisis.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will have:

1. Defined pastoral care and understood its place and importance in various ministry contexts.
2. Practiced active listening skills.
3. Discussed best practices for maintaining appropriate boundaries and relationships in ministry.
4. Identified skills and resources appropriate for working with those in the midst of crisis.

 

This course examines Worship and sacramental life in light of its historical and theological development tracing the roots and origins of Christian worship practices.  Course content introduces students to the sources of liturgy and the ecclesial and pastoral contexts of liturgy.  

 

Outcomes

By the end of the course students will be able to:

1. Understand the historical perspective for the origins of the Mass and eucharistic theology.
2. Understand how Liturgy is intimately connected with the life of God’s people.
3. Identify liturgical documents and understand important sources that guide those who prepare liturgical celebrations.

 

Create intentional disciples through an enlightened overview of the RCIA process. Understand how all the rites belonging to the RCIA will help those seeking a relationship with Christ enter the way of faith and conversion and be strengthened as they prepare for receiving the sacraments fruitfully.

 

Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults process approved for use in the dioceses of the United States.
2. Examine the RCIA process (Period of Evangelization & Precatechumenate; Catechumenate, Purification & Englightenment and Mystagogy) in the context of the liturgical guidelines associated with each period.
3. Identify rubrics and texts essential to meaningful initiation to the Church and intentional discipleship after initiation.

Catechetical leaders recognize catechesis as an ecclesial activity directed by the local Bishop and official catechetical documents. Since the training of parish catechetical leaders is the most critical factor in an effective parish catechetical program, the course assumes formation in scriptural, theological, liturgical, and catechetical methodologies when focusing attention on the catechist as an integral part of the public ministry of the Church, catechetical planning and organization, educational psychology and theory, and administration.

Outcomes

By the end of the course students will be able to:

1. Identify key catechetical documents.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the ecclesial nature of catechesis.
3. Be acquainted with the various diocesan departments and national organizations that support catechetical leaders.
4. Understand the vocation and responsibilities of the catechist.

This course introduces students to key aspects of lay leadership in the Catholic Church at the parish level.  Key topics discussed include administration in light of the Gospel, supervising staff and volunteers, time management, fundraising and budgeting.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will have:

1. Demonstrated an understanding of how the mission of the Church affects the principles of administration and management.
2. Discussed the concept of collaborative ministry.
3. Summarized key principles for the supervision of parish staff and/or volunteers including appropriate boundaries.
4. Reviewed the basics of fundraising and budgeting for various church related ministries.

While all are called to choose and nurture a life of prayer and spirituality, many Catholics are also called to exercise lay leadership of prayer.  An essential skill for ministry leaders in the church is the ability to lead others in prayer, developing and shaping life in the Spirit.  Students will be guided to discern personal giftedness, spirituality, charism(s), and skills for prayer-leaders.

Recommended Prerequisites: Prayer and Spirituality and Sacraments and Sacramentality

Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will:

1. Be able to discern Catholic charisms and spiritualties that will assist the student in serving as a lay leader of prayer.  
2. Recognize and name the Catholic Church’s official and unofficial forms of prayer that will serve and shape the life of the local church.
3. Develop and understanding of prayer forms, ritual movement, and necessary skills for the leadership of prayer in a variety of worship situations.
4. Understand the progressive solemnity of the liturgical year in the Church.

 

The church understands the liturgy as font, source, and summit of its life. This course uses liturgical theology to reflect how the liturgy is enacted through Word and Worship. The course introduces students to the celebration of the Catholic Mass through ritual language and movement, symbol, music, and liturgical leadership. It will focus on the praxis of the liturgical life of the local Church.

Recommended Prerequisites:  History and Practice of Worship

Outcomes

By the end of the course students will be able to:

1. Discuss liturgical theology guided by the concept of lex orandi, lex credendi.
2. Locate the content of worship, as embedded in and focused on the celebration of Sunday
3. Shape liturgical ministries that are congruent with the needs of a parish Sunday celebration, with emphasis on developing relationships with Jesus Christ as sourced by liturgical ministry.

 

This course will demonstrate that the church’s New Evangelization is grounded in the celebration of its liturgy. Pastoral ministers will seek responses to questions that promote the renewal of the assembly, and envision possibilities for attracting those who are not regular worshippers.  Evangelization is planting the seed, and discipleship is growing the tree.

 

Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will:

1. Have the skill to enact renewal of the liturgical life of the Church, grounded in a faith-based community.
2. Learn to practice the art of self-emptying love for the renewal of the Church.

 

Prayer is foundational in fostering spirituality, which characterizes and affects the Church’s inner life and the lived experience of Catholics.  This course examines the theology and practice of liturgical and devotional prayer (for example, the Liturgy of the Hours) both past and present, with the intentional focus on how culture and popular piety influence patterns of prayer.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will understand:

1. Expanded definition of prayer in relation to growth in faith and personal spirituality
2. Various Catholic spiritualities based on liturgical prayer and culturally influenced devotional prayer
3. How lay leaders of prayer can enact liturgical and devotional prayer.

This course introduces students to key aspects of marriage. Key topics to be discussed include methods on how to inspire appreciation for the other, act out of love, control overreaction, eliminate stubbornness, and negotiation skills. Guiding all discussions will be the USCCB document, Marriage: Love and Life in the Divine Plan.  

Recommended Prerequisites:  Foundations in Marriage

Outcomes

By the end of this course, the student will have:

1. Acquired knowledge of communication skills and the necessary tools to overcome rudeness, arguments and other communication obstacles.
2. The essential knowledge on how to negotiate, be ready to apologize, and have an optimistic approach to marriage.
3. A more profound understanding of the need of acting more lovable and the tools to do it.
4. Acquired the skills on stewardship in marriage.

The seven sacraments are “efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church”. (CCC, 1131)  The course distinguishes the types of preparation needed for sacramental preparation: initiatory catechesis for baptism, confirmation and Eucharist; and ongoing catechesis for penance, anointing of the sick, marriage and holy orders.   Focus of the course will be the intimate connection of the initiatory sacraments and penance as well as skills for liturgies that reflect this connection.

Outcomes

By the end of the course students will be able to:

1. Explain the general principles for sacramental catechesis (as given in the National Directory for Catechesis, 35.B)
2. Understand that initiatory catechesis incorporates those preparing for initiation sacraments into a Christian community that knows, lives, celebrates and bears witness to the faith.
3. Recognize liturgy in all its forms as instructive and formational.
4. Understand the purpose and tasks associated with meaningful sacramental liturgies.

This course provides an introduction on the theory and practice of good behavior and open communication within the family. It will expose the participants to discover different ways to improve their actions and family interactions in such way that they can become a resilient family. The notion that a family in order to flourish needs commitment from all of the members. USCCB family resources are explored.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, the student will have:

1. Understood the importance of appreciation and affection within the family.
2. Comprehended the need for positive communication and the tools to achieve it.
3. Realized the importance of family time and the tools to plan it.
4. Grasped the notion of what spiritual wellbeing entails and how to achieve it.

This course introduces students to viewing individuals in the context of their relationships from both a family and societal context.  It will explore the Christian vision of family life; the family as a developing system, family diversity and the partnership between families and social institutions.  

Recommended Prerequisites: Human and Faith Development and Fundamental Concepts of Pastoral Care

Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will have:

1. Discussed the vision of family from the perspective of church documents such as Familiaris Consortio and Amoris Laetitia.
2. Understood how the family shares in the life and mission of the church
3. Discussed how the reality of family is faced in ministerial contexts and potential ways to respond.