New instructor joins Church Ministries team

By KATIE LEFEBVRE , Globe staff reporter
October 19, 2006

The Diocese of Sioux City is once again offering Church Ministries courses this winter.

The Church Ministries classes are held at the Sacred Heart Parish Center in Early. The dates for the winter courses are Dec. 2 and 16, Jan.13 and 27 and Feb. 10. The snow dates are Feb. 3 and 17 if needed. The class runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on each date.

The Church Ministries Program has been available to people of the diocese since the late 1980s.

"It is good, solid, foundational theology. The courses are taught by people who are either professors at Briar Cliff or who have been approved by the Briar Cliff theology department," said Bev Hurni, director of the Office of Adult and Family Ministries for the diocese. "It is an opportunity to get a standard of education that is equivalent to taking a college class, but it costs much less."

David Lopez, diocesan director of diaconate formation, will be a new instructor for the Theology of Peace: Development of Catholic Social Teaching course that has been offered occasionally over the years.

"This is a survey of the main ideas of Catholic Social Teaching - where they come from, how they are expressed in the actual documents, how that fits in with the context of that particular time period and how that fits in with the context of it today," said Lopez. "Where have we been? How did it develop? Where are we going? A basic structure."

He intends for the class to be "reasonably thorough and useful." He has taught this class prior to coming to the diocese so he is familiar with the material.

"We are very fortunate to have David Lopez on staff and willing to teach this class," said Hurni. "It is something that the men who are entering the permanent diaconate need to have, but it is open to anyone who would like to take the course."

Lopez noted that the main audience for the class are people who are in formation for ministry. The class is open to anyone and there is not a prerequisite to take the course.

"I would like people to deepen their understanding of where these ideas come from," said Lopez. "I would like to see people have a better grasp overall, have a better understanding of what it means in practice and how to apply it to a given situation."

The other course offered this winter is Introduction to Ministry taught by Sister Rose Hacker and Hurni. This course is an introduction to the continuation of ministry and message of Jesus. It will explore the historical developments of Catholic Christian ministry from Scripture to the post-Vatican II church and models and definitions of church.

The Sacraments course will be offered in the spring with instructor Sister Michaela Galles, a Briar Cliff theology professor.

For all participants the registration fee is $85 ($45 of this is required with the registration form). Books will cost approximately $60 and be purchased independently. For those interested in taking the course for credit, the Briar Cliff fee is $125.

Registration forms are to be returned one month prior to the start of the course and sent to Church Ministries Program, PO Box 3379, Sioux City, IA 51105. For more information, call (712) 233-7530 or e-mail sandiw@scdiocese.org.

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