Theological Studies for Adults

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 Our Background

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We cannot love God and live a holy life without sound doctrine because we need to know who God is and how He works. To a person, we need to know the person we love well. This is true of loving our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and His Church. Therefore, more than just having Jesus is needed; we need to know who He is, what He means to us, what He expects from us, and what the scripture means.

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Our History

Diploma in Theology Course

Recognizing the Church's and individuals' responsibility to create opportunities to learn scripture and strengthen our faith, Rev. Fr. Thomas Kadukapillil and Rev. Dr. George Danavelil discussed the possibility of establishing a systematic theology study program for adults. After making all arrangements with the president of Paurastya Vidyapitham, Pontifical Oriental Institute of Religious Studies, and Rev. Dr. Andrews Mekkattukunnel, we announced the first theology course for our diocesan community. Our first program was a two-year theology diploma course. The program covered 24 courses. The professors of the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Vadavathoor, Kottayam, India, provided the study material. The Cathedral Parish in Bellwood, Illinois. Arranged a special classroom in 5010 St. Charles Road, Bellwood, Illinois. The first session started on July 14, 2019.

After conducting six sessions in the classroom, the pandemic forced us to move online. We continued our classes on the WebEx platform, and the professors from Vadavathoor joined to introduce the lessons they were teaching. 46 students completed the program, and the diplomas were conferred during a graduation ceremony on February 5, 2022, at the cathedral. 

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Diploma in Gospel Studies

The second batch course introduced was "One-Year Gospel Study." The one-year Gospel Study program began on May 15, 2022, and concluded on May 25, 2023. One hundred plus students registered for this online program, and 68 participants satisfactorily completed the program.

The Second Year of the Gospel Study Program, covering the Acts of the Apostles, all the epistles, and the Book of Revelation, began on September 23, 2023, and concluded on September 15, 2024.

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