Read the June 2023 issue of the Diocesan newsletter, "The Belleville Deacon"

APRIL/MAY CLASS: The last two months of formation were focused on the study of Catholic Sexual Morality teaching. We learned how to better understand, dialogue and respond to the many cultural challenges to the Christian view of sexuality. The course discussed how many sexual images appear in our society, but it is rare to find a coherent discussion on the meaning and purpose of human sexuality. The course examined God’s design for married love according to the teachings of the Catholic Church...READ MORE

CLASS SUMMARY: We visited Saint Meinrad Monastery in Indiana and finished study on the Holy Trinity. We learned about how the early Church struggled with defining the identity of Jesus Christ. For example, there was significant debate on whether Jesus was created by God and perhaps divine but still less than God. Ultimately, the debate and divine guidance led to ...READ MORE

Read the March 2023 issue of the Diocesan newsletter, "The Belleville Deacon"

Read the February 2023 issue of the Diocesan newsletter, "The Belleville Deacon"

CLASS SUMMARY: For November & December, we studied Canon Law or what might be called the “legal system” of the Catholic Church. We covered areas of Canon Law history, theological background for Law, obligations of the Christian faithful and the valid celebration and reception of the Sacraments. A special emphasis was given to areas related …

Read the December 2022 issue of the Diocesan newsletter, "The Belleville Deacon"

RECENT CLASS SUMMARY — In September and October, the topic for study was Moral Theology. We referenced the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) for much of our class discussion. The CCC is the compilation of Catholic Church teachings and is the go-to resource for teaching the Catholic Faith. For centuries, Theologians guided by the …

RECENT CLASS SUMMARY — After a short summer break, we are back for our 5th and final year. Earlier this month, we spent a full week at Saint Meinrad Seminary in Indiana. It was a privilege to spend time in daily prayer with the Benedictine Monks that live at Saint Meinrad. The topic for our class was sermon preparation and delivery. To prepare... READ MORE

RECENT CLASS SUMMARY — For our class in May, we studied Homiletics or Preaching the Word of God. One of the roles of a Deacon is to preach on the Word of God during the celebration of Holy Mass. The goal of preaching is to hopefully facilitate dialogue between God, people, and life in the …