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Part I: Theological Foundations

Course Requirements

There are five theological foundation courses.These courses are recommended of all lay ecclesial ministers in the Diocese of Honolulu, which include religious education catechists, teachers in the Hawaii Catholic Schools, youth ministers, young adult ministers, RCIA team members and liturgical ministers. Other lay ministers, indeed, all adult Catholic parishoners, are also invited to participate. The courses are:

PART I: THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS COURSES
Course Number and Title	Course Description
107 Sacred Scripture	The foundation of all evangelization and catechesis is the Word of God, especially as it finds expression in the Bible. Sacred Scriptures provides an overview of how we can effectively read, understand and use the Bible in our personal faith life as well as in catechetical settings.
108 Prayer and Spirituality	Prayer and Spirituality addresses our relationship with God and how He navigates us through the joys and difficulties of our spiritual life. Founded on Christ’s examples and teachings on prayer, we explore the diversity of the spiritual life, and practical applications to be utilized for personal growth. Catechism of the Catholic Church pillar: “Christian Prayer”.
109 Catholic Creeds	In Catholic Creeds we reflect upon and articulate our personal faith, and understand more fully the truths we profess as members of a believing community so we can more confidently share our faith with others. Catechism of the Catholic Church pillar: “The Profession of Faith”.
110 Catholic Morality	Catholic Morality examines how we are to live as Christians in and through Jesus, who describes himself as “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Catechism of the Catholic Church pillar: “Life in Christ”.
111 Liturgy and Sacraments	We explore the meaning of liturgy and sacraments and gain insights into why the sacramental life of the faith community is so central to our Catholic identity. Catechism of the Catholic Church pillar: “The Celebration of the Christian Mystery”

Options for Completing the Theological Foundations Courses

1. Parish-Based Training Process

Using the Echoes of Faith booklets published by RCL Benziger, your parish group may complete the theological foundations courses on your own.

Interested? Here are the basics:

Contact the Office of Religious Education to borrow sample copies of the Echoes of Faith catechist certification booklets published by RCL Benziger. These booklets are:
1. Introduction to Scripture (107)
2. Prayer and Spirituality (108)
3. I Believe/We Believe (109; Introduction to Catholic Doctrine)
4. Catholic Morality (110)
5. Liturgy and Sacraments (111)
Choose your facilitator and decide on your facilitation process:
Work with your pastor to identify several qualified facilitators. Each facilitator should have proven success in engaging/facilitating adult learning and completed formal training in the areas of education, catechetics, theology, or diaconal formation, etc.

The faciliation process can: