|
|
Christian Life
|
Title
|
Lecturer
|
Description
|
|
Christian Ethics
|
Dr Brigid McKenna
|
Based on Pope John Paul II’s encyclical on moral thinking
The Splendour of Truth, this unit will enable students to approach
moral issues with clear thinking based firmly on the foundations of
the natural law and the teachings of Christ. It will also provide
an insight into some modern ethical issues we face at a personal
and national level.
|
|
Theology of the Body
|
Fr Anthony Percy
|
Beginning with Pope John Paul II’s comprehensive teaching
about the human person, often called the Theology of the Body, this
unit will survey the Catholic Church’s teaching on the human
person. From the original intention of God for man and woman, we
draw some practical wisdom in caring for married and unmarried
persons in all vocations and occupations. The unit presents a
genuinely Catholic approach to issues of morality concerning our
body.
|
|
The Church
|
Fr John Flader
|
We all know that “the Church” is not just a
building, nor is it limited to the people we see at Sunday Mass.
But what exactly is the Church? This unit will use the documents of
Vatican II, the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Code of
Canon Law to foster a greater understanding and love for the
Church. It will examine what the Church is in herself and how she
operates in practice at both the universal and the local
levels.
|
|
Catholic Social Teaching
|
Fr John Flader
|
This unit will survey the key issues in the Church’s rich
teaching on social justice - the dignity of the human person, the
common good, the principle of subsidiarity, solidarity, care for
the environment, etc. - and will show how they can be applied to
everyday life.
|
|
The Mission of the Laity
|
Sr Moira DeBono
|
The Second Vatican Council encouraged more involvement and
leadership among lay people in the Church and in the world. What
does this mean for today? Drawing on Vatican II and other Church
documents, this unit seeks to answer the questions: What are the
rights and responsibilities of lay people and what is their role in
the new “Springtime” of the Church?
|
|
Liturgical Practices
|
Mayte Ramos
|
The Second Vatican Council called for the reinstatement of the
ancient Catechumenate as the regular way for parishes to assist
adults in making their way into the Catholic Church. This unit
explores the rich history of the Catechumenate, provides an
overview of the liturgical and teaching elements of the modern Rite
of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) and reviews some suitable
resources for the modern parish.
|
|
From Adversity to Hope
|
Bernadette Devine
|
Almost everyone encounters obstacles, disappointments and
hardships in their life. These problems can make us sad, angry,
depressed or anxious. This unit will examine some of the most
common problems in our society and will explore ways Catholics can
help friends, family and themselves to overcome adversity with
Christian hope.
|
|
Faith and Reason
|
Fr Richard Umbers
|
Catholic everywhere have taken up Pope John Paul II’s call
to think deeply about their faith. The Pope has said every person
is a wisdom lover, a ‘philosopher’. In this unit we
look at why this is so, why Catholics need to do hard thinking as
part of their religion, and what we should think about.
|
|
Ethics of Life and Love
|
Dr Brigid McKenna
|
John Paul II’s Theology of the Body has taught us that our
body has a supernatural meaning and purpose. From sexual ethics to
issues such as body piercing, smoking and eating, all manner of
simple everyday decisions we make about our body and other
people’s bodies have a spiritual significance. This unit will
provide a practical approach to thinking through some of the moral
decisions that involve our physical self to provide students with
the tools to work through such problems themselves.
|
|
Faith and Reason
|
Prof Hayden Ramsay
|
Catholic everywhere have taken up Pope John Paul II’s call
to think deeply about their faith. The Pope has said every person
is a wisdom lover, a ‘philosopher’. In this unit we
look at why this is so, why Catholics need to do hard thinking as
part of their religion, and what we should think about.
|
Church History
|
Vatican II for Today
|
Fr Anthony Robbie
|
Fr Robbie surveys the documents of Vatican II to provide
students with some background and tools to study the teachings of
the Council. This is an ideal opportunity to find out what the
Second Vatican Council really taught, using primary sources.
|
|
Doctors of the Church
|
Fr Anthony Robbie
|
The Church has identified a small number of saints as
contributing such unique wisdom to the Tradition that they are
called “Doctors of the Church.” This unit will explore
the history of these extraordinary individuals and their unique
contribution to our Church’s tradition.
|
|
The Early Church
|
Mayte Ramos
|
Most people do not realise that many Catholic teachings and
practices can be traced back to the first years of the Church. This
unit will survey the very early years of the Church for
foundational beliefs and practices such as the Mass, prayers and
moral teachings that have been faithfully preserved for us in
Sacred Tradition.
|
|
The Church in the Modern World
|
Fr Anthony Robbie
|
The 19th and 20th centuries were a time of immense upheaval for
the whole world and presented the Church with many challenges. This
unit discusses their impact on the Church and the history of
Nationalism and Liberalism, Catholic Missions, the growth of
Totalitarianism in the 20th century, and the Second Vatican Council
and its aftermath.
|
|
The Reformation
|
Fr Anthony Robbie
|
Christian unity is no longer a reality in the western world.
Today each of us has co-workers, friends and relatives who are
Christian, yet not Catholic. This unit aims to educate participants
in how Protestantism grew, its main points of disagreement with
Catholic teachings and its major varieties. The unit will also show
how Protestantism has shaped the world we live in, and some points
of influence on the Catholic Church.
|
|
The Crusades
|
Mayte Ramos
|
Many people refer to “the Crusades” in passing but
few actually know the real stories and facts behind the
clichés. This unit will provide an historical overview of the
Crusades, exploring the key controversial elements and their
lessons for today.
|
|
How Christianity Saved Civilisation
|
Mayte Ramos
|
In a time where Christianity is often criticised as being an
obstacle to progress, rational thought and learning, Mayte will
show that it was the Church, in the dark times throughout the
centuries, that protected and upheld rational thought, learning and
progress in society.
|
|
Controversies in Church History
|
Fr Anthony Robbie
|
Modern historians sometimes identify Church history with stories
of the Inquisition, condemnation of scientists, burning Bibles and
murderous crusades. This unit will examine the facts of these
accounts in order to distinguish myth from reality and to encourage
students to learn from the lessons of history.
|
Sacred Scripture
|
St Paul and His Letters
|
Peter Holmes
|
St Paul brought Christ to the non-Jewish peoples of the ancient
world. He is also the human author of much of the New Testament. In
this close study of his writings and life we will aim to uncover
how he persuaded his world to embrace Jesus Christ. Many insights
into how we can do our part to spread the Good News today will be
gained from the study.
|
|
The Gospel of Matthew
|
Peter Holmes
|
What is the Gospel all about? How is Matthew’s Gospel
different from the others? This course will provide tools to better
understand Matthew’s context, purpose and message. A must for
anyone seeking to lead Bible studies or develop a deeper
understanding of this Gospel.
|
|
Life and Death in Scriptures
|
Peter Holmes
|
We tend to read the Scriptures with a modern worldview, but how
did the scriptural authors view life and death? What do the
Scriptures say about when life begins, or life after death? This
unit will explore the Scriptures to uncover the issues of life and
death and their application for today’s world.
|
|
The Gospel of Luke
|
Peter Holmes
|
This unit introduces students to some basic studies on the main
Gospel appearing in the lectionary for Year C, the Gospel according
to St Luke. By studying some issues of context, use of language and
interpretation in Luke, students will discover the joys and
challenges of studying the Scriptures and the Gospel of Luke in
particular.
|
|
Suffering and Hope in the Scriptures
|
Peter Holmes
|
‘Why do bad things happen to good people?’ This unit
will search the Scriptures for the answer to one of the
world’s oldest questions. Why is there suffering? Is
suffering a punishment or a lesson? How should Christians deal with
suffering in our own lives and what can we say to others who are
suffering? Suffering in the Old Testament, Christ’s ultimate
suffering and the persecution of Christians in the early Church are
the focus of this Scripture unit.
|
|
In the Beginning
|
Peter Holmes
|
Since God said ‘Let there be light,’ we have
struggled to understand the meaning and purpose of his creation.
This unit is an examination of the Scriptural creation accounts
with the aim of teaching God’s purpose and plan for us, built
into creation from the beginning.
|
|
Books of Wisdom
|
Peter Holmes
|
Rather than a loose collection of wise sayings, the books of
Wisdom in Scripture are practical guides to living a holy life.
These books are practical meditations, in graceful literary style,
on God’s Law and its lasting value for daily life and for
eternity. Learn the tools for unlocking the great wisdom of these
ancient books.
|
|
Christ in the Scriptures
|
Peter Holmes
|
‘Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of
Christ.’ If we wish to know and follow Christ then we must
seek to know and live the Scriptures. This unit will examine the
Old Testament promises of the Messiah, the Gospels and the
Epistles, in order to understand Christ as the living voice in
every verse of the Scriptures. In this way we will come to see the
Scriptures in their most important aspect: as the revealed Word of
God.
|
|
The Gospel of Mark
|
Peter Holmes
|
The Gospel of Mark is written like a fast-paced
mystery-thriller, centred around one question: Who is this man
Jesus? Students in this unit will develop a deeper understanding of
the shortest Gospel by following its exciting story as it unfolds
the mystery of Christ. This unit is a must for anyone seeking to
understand the Gospel readings for this liturgical year.
|
|
The Gospel of John
|
Peter Holmes
|
The Gospel of John is very different from the other three
gospels. This course will provide tools to better understand what
John wants his audience to understand about Jesus, about God and
about our life in his Church. A must for anyone seeking to lead
Bible studies or develop a deeper understanding of the Gospel.
|
Core
|
Christian Leadership
|
Peter Holmes
|
Leadership skills are fundamental to any ministry in the Church,
but how do we develop to become Christian leaders? This course
examines the Scriptures, Tradition and the lives of great Christian
leaders for the qualities we need in order to lead others to
Christ.
|
|
Moral Life in Christ
|
Fr John Flader
|
God’s Revelation to us includes not only what is true
about God but also how we ought to live to be true to ourselves.
This course takes the Catechism of the Catholic Church and opens up
what is contained in divine Revelation about how we are to live to
be happy here and hereafter.
|
|
Teaching Religion
|
Gerard O’Shea
|
This unit explains how we teach Catholic Religion in a way that
helps the children to the real aim, a personal encounter with
Christ. This course provides an overview of teaching theory as
applied to Catholic Religion (catechetical theory), then focuses on
the classroom and how we make the theory a reality.
|
|
The Creed
|
Fr John Flader
|
Fr Flader uses the Catechism of the Catholic Church to introduce
the main themes of Catholic teachings, life and practice. The aim
is to help participants update their working knowledge of the sense
and unity of the Church’s teaching and to provide them with a
key to using the Catechism as a resource in practical and pastoral
settings.
|
|
Christian Prayer
|
Fr Bernard Gordon
|
Prayer supports us in all our works and makes them fruitful.
This unit aims to help you to live a fuller, richer life of prayer,
and to make it easier for you to teach others to pray and to lead
others in prayer. Based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church
this unit will cover the fundamentals of Christian prayer, forms of
prayer including liturgical prayer, prayerful leadership and
developing a rhythm of prayer in your life.
|
|
The Sacraments
|
Fr Peter Joseph
|
Everything you need to know to understand the seven sacraments:
why we have them, how they are celebrated, the benefits they bring
about in our lives and how we can receive them better ourselves.
Based on the relevant sections of the Catechism of the Catholic
Church.
|
|
Jesus Christ
|
Fr John Flader
|
Jesus Christ is the heart and centre of Christianity. In the
person of Jesus, God has revealed himself, his love, and his divine
plan for humankind. This unit will survey the essential truths of
Christology (the study of Christ) and explain their importance and
practical application for today.
|
|
Opening the Bible
|
Peter Holmes
|
For many people the Bible is a confusing and difficult book to
read. This unit aims to instil a sense of familiarity and at the
same time wonder, excitement and awe for the wonderful world of the
Biblical texts. The course will familiarise participants with the
structure and parts of the Scriptures and give an introduction to
genre, context, language and interpretation.
|
Electives
|
The Genius of Woman
|
Dr Brigid McKenna
|
Much has been written about the equality and liberation of
women. Too little, perhaps, has been said about the unique nature
of womanhood. As John Paul II wrote, “Society certainly owes
much to the genius of women.” Presented by women from a
variety of experiences, education and occupations, this unit
celebrates the unique nature and gifts of women and explores ways
of reclaiming the influential role of women in society.
|
|
Sharing Your Faith Without Losing Your Friends
|
Peter Holmes
|
‘How do I share my faith without losing my friends?’
Most people are afraid to share their faith because they believe it
may cause friction with their friends and family. This unit
provides an approach to personal evangelisation that is effective
and yet aims to strengthen friendship rather than weaken it.
Beginning with the sure doctrine that every human being is made for
union with God, we consider the things that may be stopping people
from coming to God and the ways we can genuinely help them.
|
|
Teaching Religion (K-2)
|
Sue Moffat
|
Following on from very successful units on the methodology of
teaching the faith to young people, this unit will explore the
particular challenges, joys and opportunities involved in handing
on the faith to the youngest in our schools, children in years
K-2.
|
|
Liturgy in Schools
|
Fr Timothy Deeter
|
The way we pray both expresses and teaches us our faith. In this
intensive unit Fr Tim Deeter explains how we teach the faith
effectively through liturgy in classrooms, and in Masses involving
young people.
|
|
Generation Y and the Faith
|
Peter Holmes
|
Most of the young people who attended World Youth Day last year
are part of the so-called “Generation Y”. These young
people live within a very different context and experience very
different problems compared to previous generations. This unit will
explore the unique characteristics of “Generation Y”
and prepare Catholics for the new challenges and opportunities for
evangelisation among the young at a time when it is most
needed.
|
|
Getting More from the Mass
|
Fr John Flader
|
This unit will explore the precursors of the Mass in the Old
Testament, the Mass of the early Christians and the theology of the
Mass, before entering into a detailed examination of each of the
parts of the Mass. Through this study it is intended that
participants will come to a greater appreciation of this central
reality in the life of the Church and of each one of us, and that
they will be able to explain the meaning of the Mass more
effectively to others.
|
|
The Spiritual Life
|
Fr John Flader
|
All the baptised are called to holiness, as the Second Vatican
Council taught. But what is holiness and how do we grow in it? This
unit will first survey the history of spirituality, from New
Testament times to the present, to see the different ways the life
of holiness has manifested itself. It will then study the different
elements that make up the spiritual life, based on a solid
Christian anthropology: grace, the intellect and will, the sense
appetites, the virtues, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, prayer and
penance.
|
|
Liturgy and Life
|
Fr Timothy Deeter
|
Our lives are full of liturgy. Routines, habits of speech and
informal rituals make up the bulk of daily life. In this unit Fr
Deeter examines the meaning and purpose underlying Divine Liturgy
and encourages an appreciative and meaningful participation in the
Church’s liturgy.
|
|
The Genius of Man
|
Peter Holmes
|
Much has been written about the equality and liberation of
women. Too little, perhaps, has been said about the unique nature
of manhood. John Paul II wrong of the “genius of
women”; this unit will explore and celebrate the unique gifts
of men and will explore ways the Church can facilitate their
important contribution to our Church and society.
|
|
Christian Traditions
|
Peter Holmes
|
Many people around us are coming from other faith traditions
from within the Christian context, that is non-Catholic Christians:
Baptist, Anglican, Lutheran, Pentecostal, etc. What do they
believe? How do they differ from Catholic Church teaching? This
course will look at various ecclesial communities and the reasons
they separated from the Catholic Church. This course is a unique
opportunity to understand the beliefs of others with whom we come
into contact in the classroom or in everyday life.
|
|
Mary for Today
|
Sr Isabell Naumann
|
Is the Rosary or Marian devotion only a thing of the past? In
this unit Sr Isabell will provide an introduction to Marian
tradition. Anthony English and Tajana Destoop will reflect on
Marian devotion from a male and female perspective respectively,
showing how relevant Mary and Marian devotion are for Catholic life
today.
|
|
Spiritual Heroes
|
Fr Anthony Robbie
|
In the lives of the saints we can see Jesus Christ’s
message realised in human flesh, brought about by the power of the
sacraments and a holy life. The saints are a real proof of the
truth of the Gospel, both in their particular lives and in their
incredible diversity. This unit considers the lives of a
representative number of these spiritual heroes, drawing from them
lessons for our own lives and inspiring examples to imitate, and
introducing us to powerful intercessors to appeal to for spiritual
aid.
|
|
| Click for Term 4 Details |
|
CAEC
|
|
Catholic Adult Education Centre
A work of the Archdiocese of Sydney
Postal Locked Bag 888 SILVERWATER DC NSW 1811
Street 3 Keating Street, Lidcombe, NSW 2141
Tel (02)9646 9010 / Fax (02)9646 9090 /
Email info@caec.com.au / Web
www.caec.com.au
|
Ph 02 9646 9010
During business hours Mon - Fri
|
|
|