Our “commercial break” continues! Last week, I gave you some information about studies that are offered free from Ascension Press (and Fr. Mike Schmitz). This week, I’ll focus on some local offerings, and give some background on why I hope that you might join us. Spoiler alert! When it comes to offerings in adult formation, it is often the case that you don’t know what you don’t know, and that’s true for me as well!
First, please note that I’ll be offering Dr. Brant Pitre’s “Lectio: The Case for Jesus: The Biblical and Historical Evidence for Christ” on Tuesday mornings, at 9:30 AM, starting January 16, 2024. This class will be wonderful for anyone who wants to know more about Jesus, especially those seeking the foundational proof for Jesus’ existence and for belief in him being exactly who we believe him to be: fully human and fully divine. The class will run for 9 weeks in total, with a book and homework for those who can manage it, and something new: For those who struggle finding the time (or any reason) to do the homework, we’ll provide the opportunity for class participation without the commitment of homework! Now, truth be told, doing the homework provides you with the best, and most complete, learning experience, but we all know that it can be a struggle to manage a busy life without throwing in extra commitments. So, if the idea of homework is holding you back, fear no more! We’ll have discussion tailored for those who completed the work, and for those who didn’t. Everyone will be able to view Dr. Pitre’s insightful videos each week, and join in the conversation. Please contact me, the Formation Department, or the Parish Office to register. The fee is $10 to cover the book, and other materials. –a real bargain.
Next, mark your calendars! Beginning March 14, 2024, we’ll be offering an evening class: “Lectio: Eucharist: Discovering the Mass in the Bible,” from 6:30pm – 8:00PM. This is the class that was offered, during the day, from September through December, this past year. It was so well received that folks were asking for it to be offered in the evening, so working adults would have the opportunity to partake, and those who wanted to repeat and reinforce the content could do that as well. Registration and more information will be coming soon.
Finally, just as promised, I want to offer a couple of thoughts on why adult formation (Wisdom) might be calling YOU – even if you aren’t hearing her yet. To start, I have to say that I can’t begin to count the times that individuals have spoken out in class to say, “Why weren’t we ever taught this?” or “Why aren’t there more people here? Every Catholic should know this stuff!” Their comments point out that facilitators can offer far more information to adult learners than they ever could to children and teens. The level of life experience and previous knowledge boosts the learning experience. The other huge factor is that adult learner’s attitudes toward the learning process is a game changer for them. The walls are down, so learning becomes an enjoyment. Parish adult formation offerings aren’t like a standard school experience. They are more like the sharing of information that you’d experience from participating in a club, or watching a good documentary. If you haven’t ever participated in one, I hope that you’d consider joining us. Hopefully, you’d find it to be a fun dive into new information that is both informative and spirit-lifting.
