Introduction

With the advent of Parish Pastoral Councils and the structured involvement of lay people in the life of the diocese, St Kieran’s College Kilkenny, as part of its mission of education and formation, wishes to offer, on behalf of the Catholic Diocese of Ossory, a programme of education for those involved in parish life. The programme will be offered on the Kilkenny Campus of NUI Maynooth, based at St. Kieran’ s College. It will continue a tradition of education based on the values of the gospel, of both lay and clerical students, which began in 1782. The programme will be accredited by St. Patrick’s College Maynooth as a Level 7 Certificate in Theological Studies. This course will be of interest to people who are involved in parish life or to those who are involved with the diocesan forum. It may also be of interest to those who wish to deepen and enrich their own understanding of their faith and who are prepared to become involved in parish life.

Course Aims

• To provide general theological education and formation in the main aspects of faith.
• To provide the theological background needed for lay involvement and leadership roles at parish and diocesan level.

Content

Students will participate in the following six modules from September to June:

• Getting to Know the Old Testament: -  R ev. Dr. Terence Crotty
• Understanding the New Testament: -  R ev. Prof. Seamas O’Connell & Ms. Olivia Maher M.A.
• The Church: A Living Faith Community: -  R ev. Dr. Dermot Ryan
• Liturgy and the Sacraments of Initiation: -  R ev. Dr. William Dalton & Rev. Dr. Edmund Cullinan
• Introduction to Moral Theology: -  R ev. Dr. Michael Shortall
• An Introduction to the History of the Catholic Church through its Ecumenical Councils: -  Prof. Salvador Ryan

Course Duration

100 hours part-time over one academic year from September 2011 to May 2012