Friday, August 14, 2009

DAYTON DEANERY — The Archdiocese for the Military Services is now a partner with the University of Dayton to provide catechist certification and other religious education online.

With the addition of the archdiocese as a partner, the University of Dayton’s online program is now serving catechetical leaders in 50 U.S. Catholic dioceses and more than 28 foreign countries.

Sister Angela Ann Zukowski (Courtesy photo)

The university’s Institute for Pastoral Initiatives created the online program, called the Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation, to extend its adult religious education and faith formation training to anyone with access to the World Wide Web, said Mission Helper of the Sacred Heart Sister Angela Ann Zukowski, director of the institute and a professor of religious studies at UD.

More than 145 people are working toward the certificate in catechesis, the first of five certificate programs the institute is rolling out over the next 18 months. The others will be in adult faith formation, lay ecclesial ministry, digital catechesis and media education. Current enrollment per cycle has topped 400.

Seminars and courses cost $30 to $40 for those in partner dioceses; those in other dioceses pay $70 to $90 each.

Visit the VLCFF at http://vlc.udayton.edu or call 937-229-3126 for more information.