The 15 courses listed below are required for all certificate programs.
Individual class registration is also available for any of these courses.
Introduction to the Creed
Participants will learn the foundational elements of the creeds of the Catholic Church, including the desire for God in each person, the sources of revelation, the unique features of Scripture, the Church’s teachings on Creation and the pertinence of Original Sin for today and how it affects humanity. Participant will come to understand the credible nature of belief and the problem that original sin poses to humanity.
Introduction to the Old Testament I
In this course, the Old Testament is studied from covenantal and narrative understanding in the light of official Catholic teaching on the nature of the Sacred Scriptures. We will examine God’s response to the entrance of sin in the world. Emphasis will be on the study of the Pentateuch, and God’s covenants with Adam, Noah, Abraham and Moses.
Introduction to the Old Testament II
In this course, the Old Testament is studied from covenantal and narrative understanding in the light of official Catholic teaching on the nature of the Sacred Scriptures. Emphasis will be on the study of the history of the people of Israel from the time of Joshua through the Kings and exile, with highlights from the Prophets, Psalms and Wisdom literature
Introduction to the New Testament I
This course examines the Church’s understanding of the historicity of the Gospels and the role of typology in the Gospels in light of narrative of the Gospel of St. Matthew, described by Pope John Paul II as the Gospel of the Catechist. Emphasis will be on understanding the Gospels as a continuation and the culmination of God’s plan of salvation, centering on the Person of Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity.
Introduction to the New Testament II
This course continues the study of the New Testament through an examination of the Acts of the Apostles, letters and theology of St. Paul, the Catholic Epistles and the Book of Revelation.
Christology
This course will study the Person of Christ as presented in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It will examine the Person of Christ as the Second Person of the Trinity; His Divine and human natures, the purpose of His Incarnation; the historicity of the Resurrection; His establishment of the Church and the role of His mother Mary as His model disciple.
The Church (Part I) Nature and Understanding
The nature of the Church (ecclesiology) is studied in light of the themes and principles that have emerged since the Second Vatican Council. Participants will explore the theological foundations for understanding the Church as a visibly organized society in the world, and as the mystical Body of Christ. Documents of the Second Vatican Council and contemporary magisterial teaching will be studied
The Church (Part II) Historical Development
This course will look the Holy Spirit as the principal agent of the Church. It will examine the Church as the Bride of Christ and the Sacrament of salvation to the world. It will discuss the four marks of the Church, her hierarchical structure, and the foundation of holiness in the lives of all those who are her members.
Theology of the Body
The course will examine the history, foundations, and dimensions of Blessed John Paul II’s five-year catechesis on human love in the divine plan, popularly known as the theology of the body, 135 audiences given in Rome at the beginning of his pontificate. Through this course, participants will understand how the embodied person “speaks” of God, revealing His wisdom and goodness, and speaks of us, illuminating our vocation to love, a vocation illuminated and fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. Students will cultivate an appreciation for the meaning, unity, and destiny of the body through a contemplative approach to the human person.
The Sacraments & Liturgy
This course will identity the purpose of liturgy and sacraments in God’s plan of salvation and in the life of the Church today. It will examine Christ’s death and Resurrection as the source of all grace; the corporate nature of liturgy; the purpose of sacraments as the normal means of receiving God’s grace; the role of each sacrament in the life of the Christian. It will look at Sacraments in light of Christ’s mission and God’s entire plan of salvation.
Catholic Moral Responsibility
The course will examine the foundation of the Church’s teachings on morality as rooted in the uniqueness of each person as being created in God’s image and likeness. It will look at the Church’s teaching on morality as our life in Christ, a life ordered to Beatitude, virtue and holiness. It will discuss the importance of conscience, the nature of sin, and the demands of the first Three Commandments in the life of the Christian.
Catholic Social Teaching
This course will examine the principles of social morality as summarized in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It will discuss the person and society, participation in the social life, social justice, and commandments Four through Ten, the commandments that order social relationships, with an emphasis on the role of the family as the foundational cell of all society and social living.
Service and Leadership
Through Baptism, each person is incorporated into Christ and with him assumes the role of servant. This course will explore the mission of the Church, the role of lay people in that mission, and the relationship between faith and service. Taking into account the principles found in the New Testament, participants will analyze the multiple faces of service and leadership as well the demands of lay people in renewing the temporal order and serving the Church.
Introduction to Christian Spirituality
“The wonder of prayer is revealed beside the well where we come seeking water: there, Christ comes to meet every human being (CCC 2559).” Jesus is our preeminent model of prayer as the source of our transformation into the life of God. This course examines the nature of Prayer and Christian Spirituality as understood within the Catholic tradition. Participants will become familiar with Church teaching concerning the nature of prayer and spirituality and explore major spiritual writers and practitioners whose legacies include spiritual experiences, devotions and practices, together with insights in spiritual direction, counsel and instruction for others.
Leadership Conference attendance and workshops are required for those seeking the Leadership Certificate. (Kino Leadership Conference)
Classes meet for three hours, one night a week in five week blocks from late August through May.
