Prompted by the Holy Spirit, lay Catholics in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend have shown a desire for deeper catechesis and formation in their faith. This longing has developed into the creation of the St. Cyril of Jerusalem Catechetical Institute, a new diocesan initiative to teach, form, inspire, and empower Catholics to love and share their faith with clarity and zeal. The program originated in 2023 as a lay-driven project through St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Fort Wayne, originally named the St. Paul School of Leaders. After a successful initial year, the diocese undertook and expanded the program, now offering a pathway toward obtaining a certificate of adult catechesis for various teaching ministries in the Church. The classes have been taught by local priests and scholars, including Father Mark Hellinger, parochial vicar at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fort Wayne, and Alex Giltner, who serves as dean of students, associate vice president for Catholic Culture, and assistant professor of theology at the University of Saint Francis. Father Hellinger has been involved since the beginning and has helped shape the program’s development and curriculum. “I am a firm believer in the need to offer adults deeper catechesis than most parishes are equipped to provide, and so I am very much a believer in this initiative. I have particularly enjoyed watching the joy on the faces of students as they learn more or make connections that they have not made before. It has been really edifying to see the way in which this undertaking is helping make aspects of the faith ‘click’ for people who have been practicing for a short or long time.” He continued: “The curriculum is designed to equip the students with a deeper understanding than mere apologetic facts. If we actually understand the deeper reasons for particular teachings or theological points, then we are better disposed to have meaningful conversations with others. That is the understanding I have seen growing in the students, which is the solid formation I think most of us desire when it comes to the faith. I have noticed a clear and lived hunger for this kind of formation and education, and it has only been growing as we go on with the rollout of curriculum.” Giltner echoed these sentiments, stating: “It has been such a joy to see our formators, catechists, teachers, and other members of this diocese so eager and excited to go deeper in their faith and to embrace Catholic catechesis not just as a transfer of information to believe but as a way of seeing and living in the world. I could not be prouder to be a part of a diocese filled with such disciples so on fire for evangelization and catechesis.” Scott and Michelle Nist, parishioners at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Garrett, offered feedback about their experiences in the Institute. Scott stated: “I am a lifelong Catholic and have been blessed with parents who ensured that we attended Mass every Sunday and holy day, and they sacrificed to ensure we received a Catholic education. Even with this influence in my life, I have found that the upbringing and formal education, though important, is a small part of the wealth of knowledge that forms the deposit of faith that is the Catholic Church. These classes took me to a new level of understanding in terms of the philosophical framework of faith and reason and how the Church, founded by Jesus and passed on through the apostles, comes all the way down to our current generation. Getting into the philosophical and historical details is not something that can be necessarily picked up at Mass or in an inspirational book. It was nice to be in a university-level setting without the pressure of grades and papers. Everyone seemed to want to be there, and Dr. Giltner was as entertaining as he was informative.” Michelle added: “I have enjoyed attending classes with my husband! We have made this our weekly date night, and after class we go to a late dinner to discuss the topics. We have learned many things since we began taking classes in 2023, but the biggest takeaway has been realizing the immense amount of information that the Catholic Church has to offer. We could keep studying for the rest of our lives and not even scratch the surface. Yet, everything we learn enriches our lives and makes the Mass and the sacraments even more amazing. We find ourselves more excited to talk about our faith with other people, too! God is moving in amazing ways, and we look forward to the future classes.” Father Hellinger indicated his hopes for the institute, emphasizing that “the curriculum is built to be able to incorporate different focuses and to be flexible to each person’s interest and needs.” He added, “I look forward to the time when the classes are being taught in English and Spanish and when we see students enrolled in various formation tracks, such as adult faith formation in general and parish catechist tracks, etc.” Echoing Scott Nist’s comments, Father Hellinger expressed that “to be a Christian in the modern world can really no longer be a cultural wave ride. Rather, more and more, it has to be an intentional choice. And that aspect of faith in the encounter with the living God needs to be nourished by solid formation in the intellectual component of the faith if it is to be credible as a witness to nonbelievers around us who are obsessed with an incomplete view of the exercise of reason. I see this type of initiative as essential to the mission of the Church in this era to give Catholics the tools to think and dialogue well from the informed perspective of the completeness of what the Catholic and Apostolic Tradition give to us. The gift is immense, and it demands we respond.” Wondering whether you could or someone you know could potentially benefit from this program? Giltner told Today’s Catholic: “If you want to go deeper into the logic of your faith, understand your beliefs and Catholic worldview better, to see why the Catholic faith is incredibly reasonable and persuasive, be more effective in speaking about the faith to catechumens, students, other Christians, and people outside of the Christian Faith, and even deepen your relationship and walk with Jesus, this curriculum is for you!” He added: “I am very excited to see where the Spirit leads. The diocese has definitely identified a need, and that has been met with an enthusiastic desire on the part of the faithful here. I am hopeful that this energy and excitement will continue, and that Jesus will continue to give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to perceive His awesome love, wisdom, and power.” While the institute has only been available to those in the Fort Wayne region thus far, South Bend area courses are being added for the upcoming winter and spring months. To learn more, visit diocesefwsb.org/cyril-institute. The post Diocese Encourages Faith Formation with New St. Cyril Institute appeared first on Today's Catholic.