Leap of Faith, Ethos
The Season of Aging - Legacy and Spirituality
Jubilee! Celebrating Sister Angela’s
60-Year Religious Life
This year, our Director, Sr. Angela Ann Zukowski, MHSH D. Min., celebrates 60 years of religious life with her community, the Mission Helpers of the Sacred Heart. Her journey began in 1964, where she first met the Mission Helpers while volunteering at a Vacation Bible School. She first worked with the Diocese of Pueblo, Colorado and the Archdiocese of Boston, but eventually she was assigned to Dayton, Ohio in 1971 where she thought she’d be for only 1 year. Fast-forward to 2024, and you’ll see that God had different plans. Her interest in religious telecommunications paved the way to many great projects, collaborations, and recognition. This expansive work led to what we see today in the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives and the Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation. Join us in celebrating alongside her community and the other 2024 Jubilarians as we see the incredible work God has done through them!
Learn more about Sister Angela on our blog.
The Archdiocese of Toronto's Catechetical Mission
Every year, the Archdiocese of Toronto, a VLCFF partner, holds a Catechist Formation Program that runs for several months. The program always concludes with a joyful retreat in June. Students coming from a number of ministry leadership positions, ranging from liturgical ministers to stewardship committee members, desire to grow in understanding the basics of Catholic faith and pedagogy. These future leaders can choose from a 4-course program or a 5-course program, with many of these courses coming straight from the VLCFF! We are pleased to see our classes being used to support the Church in Canada.
If you are a member of the Archdiocese of Toronto, consider signing up for their program, or any of our individual courses for Cycle 6. Registration for their program begins every autumn. You can find more information here.
Save Time with Summer Seminars
With summer comes busy schedules, family obligations, and holidays galore. Even amidst the hustle, wouldn't you love to nurture your faith? Well, registration is open, and seminars could be for you! A seminar is a 3-week course (as opposed to our 5-week courses), and several are being offered in the upcoming Cycle 6:
- Explore the role of "Angels in the Bible."
- Learn the "Basics of Catechist Formation."
- Delve into the "Directory for Catechesis."
- Gain a historical and theological understanding of "Ecclesiology."
- Examine the impact of the "Echoes of Racism and Whispers of Healing."
- Contemplate the "Spiritual Essentials for Life's Second Act."
- Discover the "Spirituality of the Missionary Disciple."
¡Formación de fe en español!
¿Sabías que la Comunidad Virtual de Aprendizaje para la Formación en la Fe (VLCFF) ofrece cursos de idioma español? Nuestros cursos de español cubren más de 70 temas, diseñados para adultos que buscan profundizar su comprensión de la doctrina católica, mejorar las habilidades de catequista o prepararse para roles de liderazgo en la Iglesia. ¡Únase a una comunidad global de estudiantes y dé el siguiente paso en su viaje de fe con los cursos VLCFF en español! Visite nuestro sitio web VLCFF en español para obtener más información.
Faith Formation in Spanish! Did you know that the Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation (VLCFF) offers Spanish language courses? Our Spanish courses cover over 70 topics, tailored for adults looking to deepen their understanding of Catholic doctrine, enhance catechist skills, or prepare for Church leadership roles. Join a global community of learners and take the next step in your faith journey with VLCFF courses in Spanish! Visit our Spanish VLCFF website to learn more.
Trinity TV Collaboration
Trinity TV, a Catholic cable TV station broadcasting from Trinidad & Tobago, has launched an inspiring new program called Leap of Faith. Leap of Faith is the brainchild of Trinity TV station manager Lisa Bhajan. Her goal was to create a panel discussion program tackling issues affecting the modern Catholic Church.
To bring this idea to life, Lisa reached out to the IPI/VLCFF due to her over 20 year association with us. The VLCFF's Sister Angela Ann Zukowski enthusiastically supported developing the concept into a show. A regular episode of the half- hour show is called Ethos, and features well-informed guests from the University of Dayton and the IPI/VLCFF community. Feedback has been tremendously positive and we know you will enjoy the program. Individual episodes will be showcased here on our website, so check back often!
The Season of Aging - Legacy and Spirituality
Trending: News & Social Media
Our Mission
The Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation (VLCFF) is a growing initiative to offer adult religious education and faith formation anytime and anywhere via the internet. The goal is to support the church's professional ministry of religious education and faith formation in cyberspace.
The VLCFF is coordinated and sponsored by the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives (IPI) at the University of Dayton - a Catholic Marianist Institution.
From Eric F. Spina, University of Dayton President:
"The Institute for Pastoral Initiatives is a pioneer in the e-learning field,
delivering 24-7 remote classes to dioceses worldwide long before the pandemic
prompted schools to go online and offer hybrid learning.
With a successful model already in place, the VLCFF is poised to reach [even] more people with faith formation classes."
A Brief History of the VLCFF
Explore Our Program
Overview
Getting Started
Certificate Programs
Institute for Pastoral Initiatives
From our Students
"I have completed many courses through University of Dayton VLCFF online. I keep thinking I am through but the classes you offer are so interesting and beneficial for my job and in my personal faith growth that I continue taking classes!"
"I am eternally grateful to University of Dayton for treating me not as just a student, but as family. This was my first experience with online classes and I found myself struggling during a particular course since I was juggling studies, work, family and other activities. I felt swamped. I quickly fell behind and just as I was contemplating if I should quit, my facilitator taught me how to balance my assignments."
"So, every session has been awesome! Your facilitators take the time to give feedback on a personal level as well as reach out when assistance is needed."
University of Dayton Religious Studies
Did you know The University of Dayton offers undergraduate, masters, and doctoral degrees in Religious Studies?
As a Catholic Marianist university, the mission of the Department of Religious Studies is to discover, explore, and analyze religious experience in its various manifestations emphasizing the Roman Catholic tradition, in dialogue with the other Christian traditions and with the world religions.
For more information visit the Religious Studies website.
Make a difference!
Support the VLCFF.
The Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation is a non-profit organization at the University of Dayton. Your tax deductible gift can help further our mission of religious education and faith formation.
Learn More