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SPECIAL SECTION Catholic Colleges and Universities Teachers Growing in Faith, Leading with Joy: Notre Dame’s Catholic Faith and Tradition Course Enriches Catholic Identity of Schools JENNIFER MONAHAN | nsuring Catholic identity has become a high priority in recent years for many principals, superintendents and bishops charged with shepherding Catholic schools. At the same time, finding outstanding faith formation opportunities for teachers who range from practicing Catholics to non-Catholics serving in Catholic schools can be daunting. One tool helping school leaders enhance Catholic identity is a new online course, Catholic Faith and Tradition, created for educators by the University of Notre Dame’s Institute for Church Life. The Catholic Faith and Tradition course has formation that is accessible to people wherever they helped reinvigorate Catholic identity in schools might be on their faith journey. To date, more than across the United States. The seven-week class 850 Catholic school educators from around the coun- covers the core elements of the Catholic faith and try have participated. utilizes the U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults as In the Diocese of Salt Lake City, Associate its primary textbook. The course addresses issues Superintendent Sister Catherine Kamphaus, C.S.C., related to Catholic identity, and offers adult faith oversees about 450 teachers, administrators and staff. FALL 2015 • MOMENTUM 39 Approximately 30 percent of the fac- ulty is not Catholic, but all employees are asked to participate in continu- ing faith formation and education. Prior to working with the Institute for Church Life at Notre Dame, the diocese offered a series of on-site workshops over a three-year cycle. “The teachers are better trained because of the course,” noted Kamphaus. “Taking a more in-depth course over seven weeks is better than accumulating 36 hours in a more hit-and-miss fashion over three years. The quality of the program is excellent. Our teachers have loved rote memorization. “Each week, course participants it—and have learned a lot.” read, reflect upon and discuss the course material with Kamphaus also appreciates the flexible schedule each other. We invite them to integrate key concepts and reduced administrative workload offered by the and put them into their own words in the form of a online classes. Teachers are able to work on the read- short weekly written assignment,” said Orchen. “They ings and course assignments at times that are conve- discover the intersection between the teaching of nient for them rather than driving long distances to the Church and the practice of the faith. We do not attend diocesan workshops. Additionally, school leaders require memorization of information and we do not are freed from tracking hours and arranging for on-site employ tests or quizzes. We facilitate synthesis of the instructors. material and collaborative learning among course “Our goal for each participant is to be able to ar- participants.” ticulate the Catholic faith more clearly and confident- Unique to the Institute’s learning model, class ly,” said Lisa Orchen, Catholic schools STEP outreach discussions typically happen via weekly online chat ses- coordinator at Notre Dame’s Institute for Church Life. sions. When a group of teachers from the same school “Throughout the course we draw connections between takes the course together, they have the option of re- knowing the Catholic faith and the Catholic identity placing the online chats with weekly on-site small-group of the school. At the same time we try to lead course discussions. According to participants, those in-person participants to a deeper practice of their personal faith, conversations among colleagues can be transformative. which in turn influences and strengthens the Catholic Deirdre Senkewicz, vice principal of St. Leo the identity of the school.” Great School in the Diocese of Trenton, witnessed sig- “The content is done at such a level that it doesn’t nificant changes in her school community’s approach make you feel unintelligent about your faith. Instead, to Catholic identity. Senkewicz and Principal Corneilius it makes you excited about it,” said Dr. Ann Zeches, Begley first took the course themselves, and were eager principal of St. Cyril of Alexandria School in the Dio- to share it with colleagues. Two years ago, the school cese of Tucson. committed to have every member of its faculty and staff “Catholic identity is about so much more than complete the Catholic Faith and Tradition course. The knowledge. It’s how the teachers live out their faith. initial cohort included teachers, the school custodian The course made everything come alive. Catholic iden- and a member of the food services staff. The school tity is about believing it—this course made teachers opted to gather for on-site small-group discussions. feel more connected to their faith, and that translates The shared experience among the teachers and into how they share their faith with enthusiasm in their staff opened up new vistas in their faith formation. classrooms, with their students, and with their students’ “The group has come together and developed a sense families,” Dr. Zeches added. of trust that allows deeper relationships to form. Teach- The Institute’s courses rely on best practices in ers talk about what is going on in their classrooms and adult learning, favoring dialogue and reflection over how the Catholic Faith and Tradition content is rele- 40 MOMENTUM • FALL 2015 vant. Our small groups have really become a wonderful course is still important, I can show them by example faith journey,” Senkewicz said. “One of the important that I’m trying to expand my faith life. The course outcomes is that we are all speaking the same language experience sparked something in me that helped me about our faith. [It] has helped us articulate a big-pic- to become closer to God and I’m grateful.” ture vision that makes sense for everybody and provides The Catholic Faith and Tradition course was a context we can start from.” developed by scholars in the STEP program at the At St. Francis High School in the Diocese of Sacra- University of Notre Dame’s Institute for Church mento, Athletic Director Mark McGreevy served as the Life. In 2002, the Institute launched the STEP on-site coordinator for an in-person discussion group program to provide quality online theology courses similar to the one at St. Leo the Great. “There are primarily to Catholic lay ministers, catechists and sometimes trade-offs with online learning. This hybrid those in diaconate formation—and more recently, model worked well for us,” McGreevy noted. “Having to Catholic school teachers across the country. Ac- the in-person discussion really complemented cording to STEP’s founding director, the [online] part.” Thomas C. Cummings, M.Div., STEP’s McGreevy found the content worked offerings connect the excellent content well for people at different places on their The biggest impact of Notre Dame’s theology courses with faith journeys, including colleagues from the local church. other faith traditions. “As a cradle Catholic, I this class had on “We tailor our courses to fit the wasn’t expecting to hear much that was new, needs of the local diocese,” Cummings but I learned some things and was able to ap- me was about the explained. “The common denominator proach other things from a new perspective, is that the courses are of high theologi- and that was exciting,” McGreevy said. Eucharist and what cal quality. Our programs are open to The influence on educators’ personal anyone, but we develop a lot of content faith journeys is a common theme among a tremendous gift relevant to the articulated needs within a participants. Debbie Ippolito, a second-grade given diocese or school system.” teacher at St. Leo the Great said that she it is….Being part STEP is a department within the developed a deeper understanding of her of this experience University of Notre Dame’s Institute for faith. “That understanding sometimes makes Church Life (ICL). Founded in 1976 by teaching easier and sometimes more chal- made me more then University President Rev. Theodore lenging, but it is worthwhile,” Ippolito said. Hesburgh, C.S.C., the ICL provides “The biggest impact this class had on me was excited about my direct service to the church through about the Eucharist and what a tremendous outreach in theological education, faith gift it is….Being part of this experience made faith and the kids formation, research, and leadership me more excited about my faith and the kids development. Its director, John Cavadini, can see that.” can see that. Ph.D., served as Chair of Notre Dame’s Ippolito’s colleague Sherri Baker, who Department of Theology for 14 years, teaches Pre-K through sixth grade Spanish at and has led the Institute since 2000. St. Leo the Great, has felt the influence of the course In addition to STEP, the ICL is also home to Notre in her own life as well as in her classroom. She said Dame Vision, a week-long summer experience where that the course enabled her to talk about Catholicism high school students explore God’s call in their lives; at a deeper level because she grew so much in her the Center for Liturgy, dedicated to scholarship, pas- own faith. “The Lenten season was approaching as I toral education, and spiritual formation; and Echo, a was finishing up the course. When students asked me two-year service and master’s degree program train- what I was giving up for Lent this year…I was able to ing a new generation of catechists and high school share with students that I was approaching my faith in theology teachers. a deeper way by participating in the ARISE! program For more information about the Catholic Faith in my parish, a weekly centering prayer group, and a and Tradition course, visit step.nd.edu or contact Lisa Soup and Scripture program at a local Catholic retreat Orchen ([email protected]), M.Div., Catholic school center,” said Baker.

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