Course Schedule
Easter
Call To Conscience
Conscience is emerging as a pivotal concept in Pope Francis’s papacy. Based on the Fall 2016 C21 Resources issue, edited by Kristen E. Heyer, and drawing upon the rich tradition of Catholic moral teaching, this course urges that our decisions be guided by our faith community and by the voice of conscience within our hearts, and that we wrestle with the tensions between.
( 3 Weeks | $30 )
Apr 14 - May 4, 2021
Eucharist: The Heart Of Catholic Life
The Eucharist is like a precious jewel, and as we view it from many angles and perspectives, we deepen our appreciation of its value and beauty. This course provides guided discussion around the Fall 2011 issue of C21 Resources, a publication of Boston College’s Church in the 21st Century Center. This issue, entitled “The Eucharist: At the Center of Catholic Life,” edited by John Baldovin, S.J., contains articles by a variety of authors, excerpts from key ecclesial documents, and poems, which center on the meaning of the Eucharist, the theme of real presence, Eucharist as sacrifice, and the connection between Eucharist and justice. Attention is given to parents handing on the faith in reference to Eucharist, praying the liturgy of the Eucharist, and a brief look at the new translation of the Roman Missal.
( 3 Weeks | $30 )
Apr 14 - May 4, 2021
Online Book Club: I'm Still Here by Austin Channing Brown
Austin Channing Brown was named Austin by her parents so future hiring committees would think that she was a white man. This is the first of many personal stories that Channing Brown shares in her book about her own encounters with race as a child, adolescent, young adult, and woman in a society made for whiteness. Join us in discussing Channing Brown’s experiences as she grows to love and celebrate Blackness while navigating the many barriers in pursuit of racial justice.
( 4 Weeks | $30 )
Apr 14 - May 11, 2021
Easter
Summer Courses
Adult Faith Formation for a Vibrant Church
Working for a more vibrant faith community? Adult faith formation plays a vital role in animating the local church. Yet, it often suffers relative neglect. This course is for anyone on a parish council or other ministry with adults. It explores the ways in which faith formation can happen anywhere members work together in the life of the church through evangelization, catechesis, and conversation about things that really matter. It considers the cultural issues of diversity in the parish and post-modernity in the greater society as the context for deepening adults' engagement in the life of faith.
( 5 Weeks | $60 )
July 21 - Aug 24, 2021
Teaching Religion to Adolescents
Young people today are growing up into a world making complex demands of them: in school, the marketplace, personal relationships, and in the use of technology. Join us to explore the developing capacities and needs of adolescents. Draw from Scripture and Church teaching to increase your skills as a teacher (or parent) for helping teens understand and deepen their faith, strengthening them as they rise up to respond to the world around them. This course equips catechists and religion teachers with the resources and strategies needed to teach adolescents about the Catholic faith with inspiration and confidence. Drawing upon experts in theology, developmental psychology, and religious education, the course addresses pressing questions: Who are my students? What should I teach? and How do I teach it effectively?
( 5 Weeks | $60 )
July 21 - Aug 24, 2021
Teaching Religion to Children: Creative Strategies and Best Practices
Christian faith has been a treasure in your life. Join us to learn life-giving ways you can share it with the children you teach and bless them for the years ahead.
Focused on the elementary and junior high catechist and religious educator, this course is based on leading scholarship and practical experience from Thomas H. Groome and Jane E. Ayer. You will explore teaching as a vocation, the various types of learners, different approaches to presenting religious education material, and ways to create sacred space and pray with children in the classroom. This course is not dependent on any catechetical textbook series.
( 5 Weeks | $60 )
July 21 - Aug 24, 2021
St. Mary of Magdala
Who was St. Mary of Magdala? What does scripture tell us about her ministry? What impact does her saintly life have on us today? This course explores the imagery of St. Mary of Magdala, both positive and negative, that have shaped our view of the Apostle to the Apostles. This course also explores the impact of her life on the ministry of women in the church. To complement the informative text and videos, a scripture study text is included to provide an optional prayer experience of St. Mary of Magdala as portrayed in the Gospels.
( 4 Weeks | $30 )
Aug 4 - Aug 31, 2021
The Gospel of John
Symbolized by an eagle, John is distinctive for its lofty spiritual vision, and its spiraling presentation of the message of Jesus. Join our quest through this Gospel to discover a Word of glory. Study the Gospel of John with written and video guidance provided by noted experts Fr. Thomas D. Stegman, S.J., and the late Fr. Daniel J. Harrington, S.J. Each week Fr. Stegman presents a commentary on a designated segment of the Gospel, and participants are also invited to read a commentary by the late Fr. Harrington. By the end of this workshop participants will have a detailed overview of the entire Fourth Gospel. Additional topics addressed include: how John’s Gospel is different from the Synoptic Gospels; the Fourth Gospel and “the Jews”; and how John is used in the Common Lectionary.
( 5 Weeks | $60 )
Aug 4 - Sep 7, 2021