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Current Online Learning Opportunities
Finding God in All Things Virtual Retreat Series
Starts Saturday, September 18. 9:00am-1:00pm. This monthly virtual retreat, sponsored by the Franciscan Spirituality Center in LaCrosse, is based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. It invites participants into a safe virtual community where they can ask these questions and seek answers that reflect the uniqueness of each individual and their individual lives.
> Learn more and register online here.Freeing Jesus Virtual Retreat
Saturday, June 19. 9:00am-4:00pm. This one-day retreat with Diana Butler Bass is based on her latest book, Freeing Jesus--Rediscovering Jesus as Friend, Teacher, Savior, Lord, Way, and Presence. Described as a retreat for heart and head, the day will focus on the ever-compelling, and sometimes confounding, figure at the center of Christian faith: Jesus. Hosted by the Franciscan Spirituality Center in LaCrosse.
> Learn more and register online here.New -- Ignatian Prayer
Mondays, June 14, 21,28 or Tuesdays, July 13, 20, 27. 6:30pm. (Iowa Time). This three-part examination of Ignatian Prayer explores several methods of prayer that call us to a real encounter with God, using our mind, imagination, and heart. Each week includes a guided meditation in the week’s Ignatian prayer practice by Andy Otto. Sponsored by God in All Things. Zoom account required.
> Learn more and register online here.All Will Be Well--Julian of Norwich Virtual Retreat
Friday, May 14-Saturday, May 15. This virtual retreat faciliated by Carl Colman will weave together the joyful, optimistic spirituality and contemplative prayer practices inspired by Julian of Norwich, a 14th century mystic and author who, even in her own lifetime, was renowned as a visionary and spiritual director. Hosted by the Franciscan Spirituality Center in LaCrosse.
> Learn more and register online here.New--Wake Up Grateful Course
Tuesdays, May 4-June 8. This six-week online course, sponsored by the Network for Grateful Living, explores five foundational principles of grateful living articulated by Kristi Nelson in her book Wake Up Grateful. The course, facilitated by Sheryl Chard, invites participants to deepen and expand their relationship with grateful living as a way of life, an orientation for day-to-day living in the best and worst of times.
> Learn more and register online here.Centering Prayer--Silent Listening
Saturday, May 1. 9:00am-5:00pm. This day-long online retreat is designed to help participants learn and practice a Christian style of prayer characterized by silence and surrender. Centering Prayer helps an individual enter into a deeper relationship with God through contract with one's deepest spiritual life. Hosted by the Franciscan Spirituality Center in LaCrosse.
> Learn more and register online here.Desires of the Heart Virtual Retreat
Saturday, April 17. 8:30am-2:00pm [Iowa Time]. This one-day retreat, sponsored by God in All Things and Ignatian Resources, will explore how God speaks to us in the deep desires of our heart and examine three questions which can help us identify those desires.
> Learn more and register here.Journey With the St. John's Bible
Available Through May 2021. This six part series presented by the McGrath Institute at the University of Notre Dame Choose the days and times you wish to engage with the series.
> Learn more and register here.Growing Back Better Online Lenten Retreat
Posted online each Monday during Lent, starting February 22. The reflections by Margaret Silf will examine how the past year has challenged us, individually and collectively, in ways no-one could have imagined and has confronted us with the question of whether we want to go back to how things were, or to ‘grow back better’.
> The audio reflections will be posted online each Monday during Lent here.Synodality--The Long Game of Pope Francis
Tuesday, April 20. 4:00-5:30pm. Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark discusses the concept of synodality, which literally means “walking together,” in this Cardinal Bernardin Common Cause Lecture sponsored by the Hank Center for Catholic Intellectual Heritage at Loyola University in Chicago. Pre-registration required.
> Learn more here.
> Click here to register:What Is Spirituality? (2020-21)
This podcast series from the Franciscan Spirituality Center in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, examines the nature of the spiritual life. The Center's spiritual director Steve Spilde interviews a variety of spiritual guides in order to explore numerous topics related to an understanding of connection, the divine, compassionate listening, and the search for meaning and wholeness.
> Listen of past sessions in the series here.St. John's Theology Webinars (2020-21)
St. John's School of Theology and Seminary in Collegeville, Minnesota, presents this unique opportunity for Catholic adults and young adults who are seeking a deeper understanding of their faith and its place in their everyday lives. The live webinars provide an opportunity to learn from and interact with the theologians at Saint John's and offer a chance for these scholars to gain insights and grow in their faith, as well.
This online retreat sponsored by The Jesuit Post features a series of twelve talks published in video, podcast, and text formats available on demand across TJP ’s media platforms. The retreat seeks to assist Christians in their growth as anti-racist followers of Jesus.
> Learn more here.
"Know Justice Know Peace" Jesuit Anti-Racism Retreat (Spring 2021)
> Learn more here.Transforming White Privilege
The Catholic Parishes in Waterloo will host this four-week online opportunity designed to help participants better identify, discuss and address common culture assumptions, narratives and norms which create and protect white privilege and its consequences in the lives of people of color. Participation is limited.
> Learn more here.A Season With the Saints (Fall 2020)
The McGrath Center at Notre Dame University sponsors this series of presentations by scholars from the Center and the University. The presentations feature video recordings, reading materials, and discussion questions suitable for individual or group study and is available free through December 20. It examines the lives of St. Teresa of Calcutta, St. Padre Pio, St. Therese of Lisieux, St. John Newman, St. Gertrude and St. Nicholas.
> Learn more here.Crisis--Clergy Abuse in the Catholic Church (Fall 2020)
This ten-part podcast series is produced by The Catholic Project at the Catholic University of America. It examines the origins, characters, causes, and reforms of a systemic problem that has plagued the modern church for at least 70 years. New episodes are available every Wednesday and can be accessed on a variety of podcast platforms including Spotify, Google Podcasts and Apple Podcasts.
> Learn more here.• • •
Continuing Online Learning Opportunities
Catechetical Institute at Franciscan University
The Catechetical Institute at Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio makes the best of the University's resources available to Catholics everywhere. This includes a broad range of workshops which feature experts in catechetics, theology, counseling, education, life sciences, and communication. Access is available to local individuals and small groups and includes the guidance of a local mentor.
> Learn more here.
> View a list of courses available here.
> Email us at dbqwcaf@dbqarch.org for registration information.FORMED
A wide variety of on-demand opportunities for adults, young adults, families and children are available on this online platform sponsored by The Augustine Institute.
> Learn more about these opportunities here.
To access opportunities on FORMED: log-in and create a personal account; once you do you should not have to register again.
• Use parish name: Waterloo.Formed.org
• Use code QFCYJHLearn25
Learn 25 is a life-long learning service which provides over 300 online audio and video programs of special interest to Catholic learners. The provrams feature internationally recognized experts in presentations which combine scholarship with lively instruction designed to enlighten, entertain, engage and inform adult and young adult learners.
> Learn more here.STEP Online Courses
The McGrath Institute at the University of Notre Dame offers a wide variety of online courses about Catholic teaching, history and practice. Most of the classes are six weeks long. Participants read texts and watch video lessons before posting weekly assignments, sharing reflections in discussion forums and participating in real-time online discussions with classmates. Enrollment is limited.
> Learn more here.
> Learn about STEP programs in Spanish here.Word on Fire/Engage
Word on Fire/Engage provides virtual access to programs, workshops and sermons by Bishop Robert Barron, one of the preeminent Catholic evangelists in the church today. You can watch Bishop Barron's singular series "Catholicism--Journey to the Heart of the Faith" as well as programs on important historical figures in church history, the Sacraments, the Mass, evil and suffering, the "last things" and more.
> View programs available here.