Virtual Learning Community

The Institute of Pastoral Initiatives is pleased to announce an exciting new initiative by our Institute: courses which can be taken for undergraduate credit!  These courses, with their content, requirements, and facilitators, offer a level of study enabling students who cannot devote the time or resources to a traditional undergraduate-level course of study to earn college credits in theology.  These courses:

Are approved by the University of Dayton as credit yielding courses. Can be used toward completion of an undergraduate degree at another school, provided the student was admitted into the program and the host school accepts the credits. Last five weeks per course for one credit hour.  If students finish at least three courses, they will have earned three credits or the equivalent of completing a traditional semester-long class.

Each one credit class costs $200.  Even after calculating the total for a full-track of classes, this is a great value considering the content and personal attention a student would receive from our course facilitators when compared with traditional classes.

The first classes are available to register in right now and will begin on January 10th.  They are: Rel. 210: Introduction to Scripture, Rel. 211: Introduction to Old Testament, Rel. 212: Introduction to New Testament, and Rel. 264: Poverty in the U.S. and the World.  More classes have already been approved, or are in process of being approved, for undergraduate credit and will be introduced later in 2010.

If you have any questions, please contact Richard Drabik

Registration for the 7th Cycle of 2009 has reached 675. This is an all time high and reflects just how popular our new Certificate in Catechesis is. Thank you all for promoting the program and sharing the journey. If you need fliers for the Certificate in Catechesis or the Certificate in Adult Faith Leadership just let us know. Registration for the certificate program is just over 330. Just to keep things in perspective, Cycle 1 is usually our biggest enrollment of the year. Back in Cycle 1 we had 447 registered.

We have two new facilitators this Cycle. Please join me in welcoming: Kathleen Logan: Diocese of Rockville Center (NY), facilitating: Sacrament of Marriage: A Holy Calling Jonathan Sullivan: Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, facilitating: New Testament

I received this from a facilitator. The ideas and emotions that this student expresses are a wonderful statement of what I hear people tell me all the time when I am out on the road:

Thank you for all of the beautiful insights. I read and re-read the discussion boards…I want to let you know that the postings, to me, are a form of God’s blessings and grace. To be able to communicate online, exchange, share and spread the goodness of God is a huge blessing. The grace to be able to receive them with an open heart, mind and soul is truly humbling. Prayer helps a lot.  It shows how much the Holy Spirit wants us to be active in our lives, thank you to our facilitator, most especially… she is like a shepherd of the flock. No we’re not lost sheep or else we won’t be here, and that’s what I want to share. I realized that just within this class, we have so much to thank for. We’ve gained so much from everybody, and from [the facilitator]. The class recharged us to, as we learned, continue God’s work of love and salvation, through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Ours is just one class, there are more VLC classes out there, so them, too, are blessed and receive the grace. No it’s not the same grace for everyone, only the perfect love of one another, our neighbor, that God dearly wants us to have, “so that all may be one.” This is our faith, this is what we do! So let’s pray that the blessings continue and more graces pour on us so that we may be able to receive Jesus, and bring people to Jesus and Jesus to the people.”

What else can I say but Amen

Greetings All! Just wanted to pop in and leave a message about a couple up and coming things we have been working on.

The Adult Formation Leadership certificate program in nearly ready for prime time. We are on track to start the first offering in January 2010.

By popular request, the team that is working on the Prayer and Liturgy track is going to put together a set of course aimed at helping RCIA teams.

A team has been formed here at UD to push forward with enhanced virtual conferencing. It is highly likely that this project will have impact on how closed groups for parishes function.

I would like to encourage all you VLCFF podcast fans to submit your ideas here about what you would like to see in the future of the VLCFF. Many of our best ideas for improvement and innovation have come from our students. Each of you are a very important part of this initiative for the Church.

Together we make Good News happen.

We am very happy to announce that the sixth Cycle of the VLCFF for 2009 has a record enrollment!

As of this announcement we have 565 students in nearly 50 course sections.

This is due in-part to our new Certificate in Catechesis. However, in looking over all our first time students more than half are talking courses simply for personal enrichment in faith. This is a wonderful thing to see as it shows just how much the laity is looking for and needing solid, authentic teaching. We at the VLCFF shall always strive to meet the high standards that our students demand.

As we enter into these last months of 2009 we wish for you not only a rich harvest of fruit and grains, but an even richer harvest of spiritual and actual graces.

In Christ, through all and for all.

The Certificate in Adult Formation Leadership is intended for:

• Adults in parish or diocesan ministry wishing to design, implement and facilitate adult learning and faith formation for all ages of adults as Adult Faith Formation leaders, coordinators, catechists and facilitators in parishes or dioceses.

How do I Register?

• The registration process is online at vlc.udayton.edu
• Click on “Certificate Programs” in the left margin of the web page to begin

How much does it cost?

• The application for enrollment is $ 15.00 for persons in a partnering diocese, $ 30.00 for non-partnering diocese.
• Each course within the certificate program Costs $ 40.00 for persons in a partnering diocese, $ 90.00 for non-partnering diocese.
• See our website for a list of our Partnering (Arch)Dioceses.

Required Courses: The courses must be taken in sequence.  You may register for the Certificate in Adult Formation Leadership at any time, however, the certificate start dates will be in January and July.  These are the months in which the first course will be offered.

• Foundations and Vision of Adult Learning and Faith Formation
• Parish as a Learning Community
• Many Faces of Adults
• Facilitating Adult Learning and Faith Formation
• Leadership Roles and Skills for Adult Learning and Faith Formation
• Spirituality in Adult Learning and Faith Formation
• Designing & Implementing Adult Learning and Faith Formation

We are very close to the official announcement of the Certificate in Adult Faith Formation. I have the proof copy of the announcement and expect to be posting it within the next two weeks!

Greetings All!

By January of 2010 we have a Certificate in Media Literacy Education available. The bulk of the course design is being done by Sr. Rose Pacatte. Some of you may know her by the Movie Lectionary books she helped create. Check them out at Amazon. Here is the link to info on the Cycle A book. You can also check out her blog.

To get you warmed up for the Certificate in Media Literacy we have placed a video at the VLCFF Youtube page. Don’t worry, you have not been missing anything not knowing about the VLCFF having a Youtube page. This is the first video we have ever put up!

In a few days I will be putting up a video here on the blog of an interview I did with Sr. Rose.

It has been a long time in coming and is one of the most requested course topics we have.

NEW COURSE ANNOUNCEMENT: Just in time for Cycle 5 registration we now have a wonderful Basic Level course on the Letters of Paul. Cycle 5 starts July 12. Registration ends July 8.

Here is the course Introduction: This course will introduce the learner to St. Paul as a person of faith, a missionary and apostle to the Gentiles.  The background of St. Paul’s letters will be examined for their purpose, audience, context and theology.  The learner will distinguish three ways to analyze a text.  Four of the authentic letters will be read and studied for their significance in the early Church and in the present Church reality.  These letters are Galatians, 1Thessalonians, Corinthians and Romans. The value of Paul’s work will be evaluated for the past as well as the present circumstances.

So head on over to the VLCFF Website and register now!

Trying my hand at a video podcast this time!

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