Current Crossroads Courses
Crossroads course "Categories" are important for earning an online certificate which requires coursework from categories that align with the pilars of the Catechism. You can see the name of the categories by hovering over the letter with your mouse.
| Course | Description | Weeks | Categories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Faith Formation for a Vibrant Church | Adult faith formation plays a vital role in animating the local church. Recognize opportunities in your faith communities where faith formation can be nurtured without adding elaborate programs. | 5 | |
| At the Heart of Parenting | Reflect on the impact of parenting on your relationship with God. Topics include: a parent's spiritual gifts, companions for support in parenting, and prayer. | 5 | P |
| Autumn Blessings: Spirituality in the Second Half of Life | This course examines the spiritual tasks in the second half of adulthood. Reflect on hope, forgiveness, mercy, self-love, and the meaning of discipleship at this stage of life. | 5 | P |
| The Online Book Club: Barking to the Choir | In this book Fr. Boyle shares compelling stories of his “homies,” reflecting on the importance of acknowledging the humanity of all people, clarifying God’s vision of kinship for all of us. | 4 | M |
| The Best of James Martin, S.J. in America | Drawing on articles from America magazine, join us to discuss how Martin’s insightful reflections and commentary might shape your idea of Christian living in today’s world. | 4 | M T |
| Black Catholic Spirituality | Explore the Black Catholic experience in the U.S., from the lives of enslaved believers to the Black Lives Matter movement, and the deep faith, prayer, and community that they bring. | 4 | P T |
| The Online Book Club: Building a Bridge | Fr. Martin stepped into intense controversy with this essay calling for compassionate, open, two-way dialogue, applicable beyond the Catholic Church and its LGBTQ+ faithful. | 5 | P M T |
| Call to Conscience | This course urges that we guide decisions by the voice of conscience in our hearts and the wisdom of our faith community and traditions, by wrestling with the tensions in between. | 3 | M |
| Catholic Social Teaching: Living Faith in Our Social Context | This course draws attention to key themes of Catholic Social Teaching, e.g., human dignity, human rights, common good. It provides an opportunity to discuss issues such as a just wage and a just war. | 5 | M |
| A Catholic View of Today's Families | Reflect on pastoral challenges and opportunities in the changing realities of post-modern family life in the U.S. We enter the dialogue through the voices and experiences of real families. | 3 | M |
| Christian Faith and Moral Character | What sort of person are you trying to be? Rather than a list of commandments, this course examines a fundamental element of moral experience: the formation of a person's character. | 5 | M |
| Church: A Spirit-led Community of Hope | Do you think of the church as Spirit-led? Is the Church a vehicle or an obstacle of hope? Explore these issues and relevant developments on Vatican II teaching. | 3 | T |
| A Church of and for the Poor | Explore the biblical and theological roots of the Church’s commitment to the poor, evaluate several responses to poverty, and discuss becoming a Church of and for the poor. | 3 | M T |
| The Online Book Club: The Church of Mercy | What does it mean for the Church to be merciful? In Pope Francis’s vision for the Church, mercy actively reaches out to rescue and heal societies and systems, as well as individuals. | 5 | M T |
| The Church: People of God on a Mission | “Communion, Participation, and Mission” reflect the life and aspiration of the Catholic Church. How do we come together with our diversity in fruitful mission? | 6 | T |
| The Creed: What We Believe | More than a statement of belief, learn how the Creed is a prayer, a revelation, a way of life, and the shared identity of the Christian community. Explore who God is, and the meaning of faith. | 5 | T |
| Effective Preaching: Homily Preparation | Learn how to craft an engaging homily and integrate the preparation process into your life. | 4 | P S |
| Effective Preaching: Preaching at Weddings | Review a theology of marriage and then learn the techniques to effectively craft and deliver a meaningful wedding homily. Appropriate for lay and ordained presiders. | 3 | S |
| Effective Preaching: Preaching for Children | Join us to gain a greater appreciation for the issues that children wonder about, and their capacity for awe. Practice connecting the faith and liturgy to children’s everyday lives. | 3 | S |
| Encountering Jesus | In this course, access some of the best modern scholarship on encountering Jesus in the Scriptures. Join the conversation to learn not only who Jesus was in the 1st century, but also what he might mean in the 21st century. | 3 | B |
| The Engaged Parish | Adult faith formation plays a vital role in animating the local church. Recognize opportunities in your faith communities where faith formation can be nurtured without adding elaborate programs. | 5 | |
| The Eucharist: At the Heart of Catholic Life | The Eucharist is like a precious jewel. Join the conversation as we view it from many angles and perspectives to deepen our appreciation of its value and beauty. | 3 | S |
| Faithful Unity Amid Polarization | As we experience growing polarization, there are reasons for hope. A gospel vision of unity and contemplative awakening and practice can bring peace, understanding, and loving solidarity. | 3 | P T |
| Finding a Moral Compass | This course explores what prompts moral concern, the sacredness and dignity of being human, our social nature, the common good, and the process of discernment. | 4 | P M |
| Following the Star | In this course, take a reflective look at the experience of the Magi in traveling to see the Christ child, honoring him, and departing by a different way. | 3 | P |
| Forming Tomorrow's Disciples | Faith formation educators (K-12 to college), guide learners to make meaning and respond to God’s call by attending to the whole person: intellectual, social, ethical, and spiritual. | 6 | |
| Franciscan Spirituality | Beginning with the lives of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare of Assisi, this course explores the foundational elements of Franciscan spirituality including the centrality of Christ. | 6 | P T |
| The Gift of Prayer | Rooted in the Catholic tradition, this course explores the foundations of prayer and reflects on different ways to engage in prayer, communally and individually. | 6 | P |
| 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. | 5 | B |
| The Gospel of Luke | Discover the person of Jesus as seen by the Evangelist Luke as the Healing and Reconciling Savior. Discuss key distinctions of Luke's Gospel, as well as spiritual practices for Scripture. | 3 | B |
| The Gospel of Mark | Discover Mark’s vision of Jesus as the mysterious “Son of Man,” misunderstood and rejected. Study this stark portrayal of the power revealed through the crucifixion. | 3 | B |
| The Gospel of Matthew | Matthew shows us a vision of Jesus as incarnate Wisdom, the living Law of God. Explore what it means to live this Law and find out how Emmanuel dwells with those who believe forever. | 3 | B |
| Grace and Commitment: The Laity | Family life, participation in the faith community, activities in the public square and the workplace are all locations for the laity’s role in the mission of the Church. | 3 | T |
| The Grace of Friendship | Explore the joys, opportunities, and responsibilities of friendship, and discover how our relationships point to our friendship with the God who loved us first. | 3 | P M T |
| The Online Book Club: Hallelujah Anyway | In this book Lamott rediscovers mercy in the everyday messiness of life and connects it to kindness and forgiveness to ourselves and others. | 5 | P |
| The Online Book Club: Hillbilly Elegy | Engaging Vance's complex portrait of the white working class who feel excluded, discuss assumptions that foster conflict and sustain oppression. | 5 | M |
| History of the Church I: The Beginnings through Medieval Period | Church history tells stories woven into the fiber of the church as people of God. Explore the people and events shaping culture and society in the church across the centuries. | 5 | T |
| History of the Church II: The Reformation to Vatican II | From the Great Papal Schism and the Reformation to Vatican Council II, explore the events, people, and themes that shaped the Church and what they say about our faith. | 5 | T |
| Ignatian Spirituality | Discover St. Ignatius of Loyola, with the spiritual practices and methods of discernment that have defined the Society of Jesus. Explore their how they can renew your life in God. | 6 | P T |
| The Online Book Club: I'm Still Here | 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 | M |
| Jesus Foretold and Fulfilled | Let the readings for Advent and Christmas come to life, with emphasis on promise and fulfillment between the Old and New Testaments, the Infancy Narratives, and spiritual practice. | 3 | B S |
| Job: Make it Make Sense | The Book of Job, a complex and beautifully poetic text, famously deals with the difficult question of human suffering. Offering no easy answers, it wrestles with important questions of life and faith. | 5 | B |
| John in Holy Week and Easter | The Gospel of John is used prominently throughout Holy Week and the Easter season. Fathers Harrington and Stegman artfully present on the Passion Narrative in John and on the Johannine themes throughout the Easter season. | 3 | B S |
| The Joy of the Gospel | Pope Francis calls us to be engaged in the joy of the Gospel, embracing a vision that transforms the Church into an evangelizing community, inviting the world to encounter Christ | 5 | T |
| The Online Book Club: Laudato Si' | Discuss the encyclical’s wide-ranging implications. Decide for yourself the impact it may have on the way you and your local community address the needs of the planet. | 4 | M T |
| Lent: Reflecting Together | Take an opportunity to read and reflect on the Sunday readings during the first five weeks of Lent. Join in discussing our gifts from God. | 6 | P B S |
| Liturgy Essentials | Plan inspiring liturgies in your community by understanding the Church’s vision for the liturgy, the importance of ritual and symbol, liturgical space, music, popular devotion, and specific ministries. | 5 | S |
| Living Community: Insight from L'Arche | Discover the transformative power of vulnerability, and how the diversity of human abilities can lead to a deeper encounter with one another and with God. | 6 | P T |
| Mapping Your Inner Landscape | Examine the path toward sustaining spiritual growth while embracing 21st-century life through the dynamic of change, balance and solitude, and the power of gratitude. | 5 | P |
| Mary, the Mother of Jesus | Explore three key events in the life of the Blessed Mother: the Annunciation, the Visitation, and the proclamation of her Canticle. Delve more deeply into the biblical sources and live out the Gospel message. | 3/4 | B T |
| Mission and Spirituality: A Xaverian Journey | Beginning with the life of founder Theodore James Ryken, explore the pillars of Xaverian spirituality which continue to animate the Xaverian Brothers and their partners today. | 6 | P T |
| New Testament Visions of Faith | Explore the various images of faith presented in each of the Gospels, and the letters of St. Paul including seeking right relationship, transforming our vision, and abiding in God. | 6 | B T |
| Old Testament Narrative | Would you like a better grasp on how all the pieces of the Old Testament fit together? This course maps out the main arc of the Old Testament narrative through Creation, Covenant, Prophecy, and Kingship. | 5 | B T |
| Ordinary Sacredness: Xaverian Values for Everyday Life | Explore the sacredness of the ordinary through the five core spiritual values in the Xaverian tradition: humility, simplicity, trust, compassion, and zeal, and how God forms us in everyday life. | 6 | P T |
| A People of Hope | Inspired by the Jesse Tree, this course unpacks the Advent theme of hope as lived out by our forebears in faith. | 3 | P B T |
| Paul's Letter to the Romans | St. Paul’s message to the Romans is appropriate to our times as he calls us to love and community, following the faithfulness of Jesus, empowered with hope by the Holy Spirit. | 6 | B |
| The Online Book Club: Prayer - Our Deepest Longing | Are you looking for a deeper prayer life? Guided by Fr. Rolheiser's book, examine those obstacles that impede prayer. | 5 | P |
| The Psalms: Prayers for All Times | Let the Church's songbook enrich your life. Discuss psalms of lament, hymns of praise, wisdom psalms, and Psalms in the worship setting. | 5 | P B S |
| The Online Book Club: The Rebirthing of God | John Philip Newell calls for a rebirth of Christianity in order to counter its collapse in contemporary Western cultures. | 5 | P |
| Retiring Gracefully | Explore how God is present in the sometimes perplexing and uncertain process of retirement, from anticipation to realization of life after full-time employment. | 5 | P |
| Revitalize the Church | It is a challenging time in the Church, with a range of scandals contributing to a breakdown in trust. Engage with an alternative perspective to discuss the potential for renewal and revitalization. | 3 | T |
| A Sacramental People | Understand how the Sacraments transform the believing community into the Body of Christ, both by displaying the grace of God to us, and revealing Christ through us. | 3 | S |
| Sacraments: The Fabric of Catholic Life | Sacramentality is the evidence of God’s presence in the world. Investigate how the sacraments of initiation, healing, and communion help us to recognize this presence throughout our lives. | 5 | S |
| Saint Mary Magdalene | Explore the imagery of Saint Mary Magdalene, her role as Apostle to the Apostles and the impact of her life on the ministry of women in the Church. | 4 | B T |
| Spiritual Practices | Examine Catholic spiritual practices, ranging from traditional practices such as the Rosary and lectio divina, to centering prayer, praying with images, and hospitality. | 3 | P T |
| Spirituality Matters | What is spirituality? What is at the heart of prayer? What does community have to do with spirituality? Examine these questions and unpack the nature of spirituality. | 5 | P T |
| Teaching Religion to Adolescents: Creative Strategies and Best Practices | Drawing upon theology, developmental psychology, and religious education, this course addresses the questions: Who are my students? What should I teach? and How do I teach it effectively? | 5 | |
| Teaching Religion to Children: Creative Strategies and Best Practices | Explore teaching as a vocation, the various types of learners, different approaches to presenting content, and ways to create sacred space and pray with students in the classroom. | 5 | |
| Unsung Scriptures | Explore New Testament texts that are often less “trodden” in preaching, scripture studies, and reflections: Hebrews, the catholic letters, and Revelation. | 6 | B |
| Voices of Hispanic American Catholicism | How can we welcome the “breath of fresh air” blowing from Hispanic Catholic cultures in the U.S.? Hispanic Catholicism is truly a treasure that enriches the Church, gifts both old and new. | 3 | T |
| Xaverian Spirituality | Beginning with the life of founder Theodore James Ryken, explore the pillars of Xaverian spirituality which continue to animate the Xaverian Brothers and their partners today. | 4 | P T |