Leap of Faith, Ethos
The Season of Aging - Legacy and Spirituality
Giving Thanks
As we enter this season of gratitude, Thanksgiving offers us a beautiful reminder to pause and reflect on the blessings in our lives. In North America, we celebrate this day on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the last Thursday of November in the United States. However, Thanksgiving isn’t unique to one place; across the world, many cultures and countries have their own traditions for giving thanks.
From a global Catholic perspective, gratitude forms the heart of our faith. We at the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives and VLCFF are deeply thankful for our vibrant global learning community—students, facilitators, designers, and staff. Your dedication and passion for faith formation make our mission possible—it surely takes a village!
As 2024 comes to a close, we reflect on the blessings God has bestowed and encourage everyone to see His grace in their lives. May this Thanksgiving season inspire deeper connections and gratitude for the love and abundance that surround us. Thank you for enriching our journey!
Registration is Open for
Cycle 1, 2025
It's hard to believe 2025 is just around the corner! With that in mind, now is the perfect time to plan and register for a VLCFF course in Cycle 1 of 2025. We are ready to serve you with over 50 courses in English, Spanish, and Arabic, each designed to deepen your faith and understanding of the Catholic Church’s teachings.
Cycle 1 will offer a wide range of topics, from foundational theology to spiritual formation, all delivered in an engaging, interactive, and fully online format. These courses are taught by experienced facilitators who guide your learning and foster community through meaningful discussions. Whether you’re seeking to grow in your role as a catechist or simply enrich your spiritual life, there’s a course for you.
Registration is open now through January 16th, with classes starting on January 20, 2025. Don’t wait to invest in your faith journey. Register today and start 2025 with a commitment to grow spiritually and intellectually through the VLCFF.
Who is Mary of Nazareth,
and Why Should We Care?
Have you ever wondered about the woman behind the nativity scene? Who is Mary of Nazareth, and why is her story still relevant today? The VLCFF is offering an engaging course (part of the Marian Studies certificate program ) that invites you to explore Mary’s role as the Mother of God and her profound influence on our faith and Church tradition.
Through an in-depth look at Mary’s life, virtues, and presence in Scripture, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for her significance. Why should we care about Mary today? Because her example of faith, courage, and discipleship continues to inspire and guide us in our spiritual journey.
Led by knowledgeable facilitators, this course fosters thoughtful discussion and personal reflection, helping you to connect Mary’s story to your own life. Don’t miss this opportunity to understand Mary’s impact and grow closer to her as a model of faith. Join us in Cycle 1, starting January 20 2025, and unveil the many questions about Mary of Nazareth.
An Advent Invitation:
A VLCFF Virtual Retreat Dec 1
The season of Advent will be here before we know it! Advent invites us to still our hearts in preparation for the coming of Christ. To enrich this blessed time, we humbly offer you a transformative online e-retreat.
Embark on a four-week pilgrimage of the soul as you delve into the sacred themes of hope, peace, joy, and love. Through contemplative scriptural readings, uncover deeper meanings and applications to your life. The online format allows you the flexibility to reflect and engage at your own pace, while forming meaningful connections with spiritual seekers worldwide.
As our gift to you, this course is being offered at a reduced rate and is open to all.
Registration closes November 30th, with our spiritual journey commencing December 1.
Learn more...
and
Register here.
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
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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.
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