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Theological Institute to offer virtual courses, speaker series
By Jacqueline Tetrault Pilot Staff
Posted: 10/16/2020
BRAINTREE -- The Theological Institute for the New Evangelization (TINE) will be offering its upcoming programs through live online instruction, including its certificate programs that begin next month.
The certificate courses will take place one day a month, starting Nov. 14. Instructors will teach live lessons from the Pastoral Center. TINE decided to conduct live instruction instead of pre recorded sessions to allow for interaction between participants. Thanks to a donor, they were able to invest in livestreaming kits with high quality cameras.
Michael Lavigne, assistant cabinet secretary for evangelization and discipleship, said that even before the pandemic they had planned to offer the courses virtually in order to accommodate people who cannot come in person to the Pastoral Center for the daylong sessions.
He added that even if they are able to hold in-person classes again, they will continue to livestream them for those who do not want or are not able to attend in person.
In addition to offering a certificate in Catholic theology, TINE has added a certificate in Catholic evangelization.
Lavigne said that this certificate "will take what we do in the Forming Disciples in Mission workshop but go deeper and allow for more time for conversation and in-depth discussion and reading to help folks master the information and the skills that we try to cover in that workshop."
He said that TINE received "positive feedback" from last year's class, which consisted of about 50 people.
"It's a wonderful opportunity to take that next step and to learn more about our beautiful Catholic faith," Lavigne said.
In honor of the archdiocesan Year of the Eucharist, TINE is also holding a series of lectures on the topic of the Eucharist throughout the year. Registration for these lectures is free. Each presentation will be followed by a live question-and-answer session.
On Oct. 29, Julianne Stanz, an author and a consultant to the USCCB Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis, will speak about "H.O.P.E.: Healing, Opportunity, Prayer, and Eucharist." On Dec. 7, Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers will speak about "Living a Eucharistic Faith." On March 4, 2021, Father Sebastian White, OP, will speak about "My Sacrifice and Yours: Offering Our Lives in Union with the Mass."
Lavigne said the speaker series will be an "opportunity to go deeper in learning about the Eucharist and, hopefully, fall more in love with that special encounter with Jesus Christ that we have as Catholics."
He encouraged those interested in the certificate courses to register by Nov. 11 to allow enough time to communicate before the sessions begin on Nov. 14.
Information and registration for the Theological Institute of the New Evangelization's certificates, workshops and speaker series can be found at www.TINECatholic.com.
