Contacts & Publisher

Subscription Form

Home  / News & Publications /  Michigan Catholic News / 2008 /  On-line religion classes catch on with Detroit laity

by Joe Kohn of The Michigan Catholic
Published December 19, 2008

Detroit — For those who want to learn about Christ on a college level, yet don't have the time, money or ability to attend a Catholic seminary or university, there's now a "virtually" perfect way to do it.

The Archdiocese of Detroit for three years has been a partner with the University of Dayton Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation (VLCFF), a series of online classes that cover Church doctrine, Scripture, sacraments, prayer, morality, catechesis and evangelization. The classes are available online at vlc.uddayton.edu.

And while the classes are geared toward lay catechists who minister to others, they've been growing in popularity among other people in the pews, as well.

"I took five or six courses mostly just to increase my knowledge of the Catholic faith," said Dennis Christina, a 58-year-old member of St. Ephrem Parish in Sterling Heights. "I'm trying to improve my background and knowledge more so I can participate at my parish."

Christina says he's taken in a lot of information from the VLCFF courses on liturgy, Catholic beliefs, and especially Catholic social teachings. He's been able to use what he's learned in his volunteer roles on the parish council and worship commission.

For Christina, like many others who have taken the courses, the biggest benefits are drawn from its format. People from all over the country — and oftentimes from countries around the world — sign up for a five-week class, or a three-week seminar. Just as in a college classroom, they're assigned a textbook to go along with the course, from which there are assigned readings.

Instead of going to a school building and listening to a lecture, however, the teacher weighs in via an online forum — similar to online chat rooms — where he or she leads a discussion among the students. Each week, a new lesson is posted, and students, over the course of the week, are required to converse with each other via postings at the forum. There may even be multiple forums per class, each addressing a different topic.

With this method, students can process information, do their reading, and contribute to the discussion at their convenience.

Carol Jadach, associate director of the archdiocesan Office for Faith Formation/Catechetics, says it helps participants gain perspective on the universal Church.

"It allows them to interact with other people across the country — not just in your own little parish or vicinity," she says. "It gives you a sense of the wider Church."

Plus, she explains, Catholics in the Archdiocese of Detroit have the benefit of a discounted price when they take a VLCFF course, because the archdiocese has partnered with the University of Dayton to offer the courses. Those in the archdiocese can take most classes for just $40.

Linda Solis, 57, a parishioner at St. Elizabeth Parish in Wyandotte, says the main difference between VLCFF and driving to a school is the flexibility.

"I can do it day or night," Solis says, adding that she can basically go to class whenever she wants. "If you wanted to go in and discuss every single day, you have that opportunity — or if you wanted to do it in the middle of the night."

She also says it's handy having what amounts to a transcript of a class discussion.

"If you want to print out what people are saying, you can hold onto that and go back to it later," Solis says. Most importantly, though, she says, is what the classes have done for her relationship with Christ. When she volunteered for her parish's evangelization commission, and with the adult faith formation team, she was able to learn more about her faith first.

Even when she went on a more personal part of her faith journey — where she's currently been in formation in the Secular Franciscan Order for the past year-and-a-half — she says she was able to learn more about Scripture and what it meant to her, personally.

"I always felt I needed more background information before I jumped into (Scripture)," Solis says. "By taking these classes, I understand exactly what the Bible is, who the Gospels are written for, who wrote them… it really gave me a visual of what was going on at the time."

For those in adult faith formation and catechetics, the University of Dayton courses fulfill various requirements for training. But those who take the classes say it's more than just a formality. Plus, it's something they'll want to share with those they help catechize, or even their family and friends.

"For me, it's really increased my love of my religious tradition, of being Catholic," says Cindy Willman, 43, who volunteers in adult faith formation at St. Blase Parish in Sterling Heights. "It's made me look at the people I'm in church with — and in service in the Church with — differently… I recommend to friends, who aren't involved in committees or things like that, to definitely take classes online."