Archdiocese offers discounted educational, catechetical courses

Criterion staff report

The Archdiocese of Indianapolis partners with several learning institutions to offer all archdiocesan employees, volunteers and parishioners discounted opportunities to grow in knowledge of the faith.

Below are the various opportunities for learning more about the faith. More information and enrollment links can be found by logging on to www.archindy.org/layministry.

Catholic Distance University Catechesis Series

The Archdiocese of Indianapolis partners with Catholic Distance University (CDU), located in Hamilton, Va., to provide five non-credit, continuing education classes on the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Introduction to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, The Profession of Faith (The Creed), The Celebration of the Christian Mystery (The Sacraments), Life in Christ (Morality), and Christian Prayer.

CDU also offers two other non-credit continuing education classes: Catechetics for Discipleship, and Mary, Mother of the Redeemer, Mother of the Church.

Normally, online non-credit courses from CDU cost $150 each. Through the archdiocese’s partnership with CDU, archdiocesan employees, volunteers and parishioners can enroll at a discounted cost of only $30 per non-credit course. In addition, all full-time and part-time employees of archdiocesan parishes, schools and agencies receive full reimbursement of the $30 fee upon course completion.

Catholic Distance University Online Seminars

These three-week online seminars can be taken at the participant’s convenience and cover a variety of contemporary topics. For a list of seminars, log on to www.cdu.edu/take-a-class/3-week-seminar.

As with the CDU catechetical courses, the seminars are offered at a discounted cost of $30, which is reimbursable to full-time and part-time employees of archdiocesan parishes, schools and agencies.

STEP, through the University of Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame’s Satellite Theological Education Program (STEP) provides 45 online non-credit continuing education classes, ranging from four-week book reviews to seven-week theological explorations.

Normally, classes cost $39-$99, but employees, volunteers and parishioners of the archdiocese receive a 20 percent discount on enrollment. In addition, full-time and part-time employees of archdiocesan parishes, schools and agencies receive a 30 percent reimbursement upon course completion, and a $50 reimbursement for a retreat or day of reflection within 12 months of course completion (with a limit of one $50 retreat reimbursement per person per calendar year).

Lay Ministry Certificate Program

Through STEP of the University of Notre Dame, 12 specific, non-credited continuing education classes can be taken online to receive a Certificate in Lay Ministry from the archdiocese. The courses can be completed on the participant’s time frame and in any order (see related article above).

Normally, classes cost $99, but the same discounts, reimbursements and day of reflection stipend listed above for any STEP courses apply to the certificate program. †

The Criterion