WHY CONTINUING EDUCATION ?

WHY DO WE NEED CONTINUING ADULT EDUCATION IN OUR PARISH COMMUNITY ?  SOME THOUGHTS FOR US TO CONSIDER

What the world needs now is spiritual and moral values in terms of which sound judgments can be made. The problems we face involve people, families, communities and nations, not merely things, and so we are dealing primarily with values and ideals and this is a special concern of the Church. Civil rights, poverty, peace and war are not issues that can find solutions in mere economic, or social, or intellectual terms; these questions and thousands like them will be answered primarily in terms of spiritual and moral values, and here is where we can make our greatest contribution.

An Incarnational View of the World

We can learn that God is present and active in our lives and in the world. We can learn to recognize the "footprints of God" in our daily experiences.  In an incarnational view of the world, there is no such thing as a secular subject as all learning helps to develop and bring to full bloom that image of God that is in each person.

Immersion in the Paschal Mystery

Our lives are a series of small and not so small dying’s and risings. In union with the Paschal Mystery, we realize that there is redemptive power in suffering, and in the power of the cross. In it lies the answer to the mystery of all of life's successes and failures. In the experience of the Paschal Mystery, we also realize the need for community. Like Jesus, we encounter our own Simon of Cyrene to help us along the way.  

Service for the Common Good

We can learn that since community is at the heart of who we are, there are no strangers, only brothers and sisters in the Lord. We have a responsibility to respond to the needs of others because we are all part of God's family.

A Nuanced View of Scripture
We can be given the opportunity to explore the beauty and richness of Sacred Scripture seen through the lens of faith and lived out in daily practice. We can experience the ongoing revelation of God in Scripture as the One who leads the Israelites through the promised land, and who redeems them through His cross and resurrection. We can learn to apply Scripture to our own lives as a tool for prayer and the true guide for virtuous living

The Value of Relationships as a Reflection of the Divine
As a community we celebrate our successes and achievements. We share grief and downfalls. We unite together in solidarity, and even challenge each other to become better reflections of the divine. We are made for community.