DIOCESE OF GARY & OFFICE OF WORSHIP
LITURGICAL INSTITUTE

Purpose

The purpose of this program is to provide a comprehensive foundation in the academic, pastoral, and theological realms of liturgy with a strong emphasis on methods for pastoral liturgical practice in the parish.

Administered by the diocesan Office of Worship, the Liturgical Institute of the Diocese of Gary is divided into two tracks.  Track one consists of the first year of course work.  Persons who may wish to enter track one are those on the worship commission or those active in liturgical ministry.

Track two leads to the two-year certificate program for persons who are already engaged in significant liturgical ministry in the parish.  Thus, persons accepted into the certificate program must complete both years as well as formation days and the two retreats.  The certificate will only be awarded upon successful completion of all requirements.  This second track is ideal for liturgical coordinators, music directors, sacristans, graduates of the Lay Ecclesial Ministry Program, and commission chairs.

Who Should Apply

The program is geared to those whose major ministry will include significant liturgical responsibilities.  Strong candidates for admission include pastors, associate pastors, deacons, directors of music and/or choirs, liturgical musicians, spirituality and worship commission chairs, coordinators of Christian initiation, faith formation/religious education coordinators, youth ministers, environment and art coordinators, sacristans, graduates of the Lay Ecclesial Ministry Program, and diocesan staff members.  Those who market religious and/or liturgical goods and services for parish use are also appropriate candidates for admission.

Curriculum

The program consists of two tracks: (1) participation in year one or (2) successful completion of both years and all course work.  The track two certificate program will span four semesters with two weekend retreats (Friday night through Sunday afternoon) and four days of reflection which are held on Saturdays.  There are no classes scheduled during the summer.   The weekly sessions are held on Thursday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Pastoral Center.  The program is designed to meet the needs of parishes.

Coursework, taught by instructors from the Diocese of Gary, Archdiocese of Chicago and Notre Dame University, will include:

YEAR I

SEMESTER I: Autumn 2008

• Liturgy of the Hours
• Liturgical Document Series
      -Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy
      -Sacramentary
      -General Instruction of the Roman Missal
      -General Norms for the Liturgical Year
      -Built of Living Stones
      -Environment and Art in Catholic Worship
      -Music in Catholic Worship
      -Liturgical Music Today
      -General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours
      -Lectionary
      -Lectionary for Masses with Children
• Liturgical Year

SEMESTER II:  Spring 2009

• Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation & Eucharist)
• Liturgical Prayer
• The Psalms and Liturgy

       FORMATION MINISTRIES:
            Lector
            Environment and Art
            Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
            Lay Leader of Prayer

YEAR II

SEMESTER I:  Autumn 2009

• Sacraments of Vocation & Healing
• Order of Christian Funerals
• Liturgy and the Arts
• Liturgy, Justice and Ethics
• Multicultural Liturgy
• Liturgical Spirituality

SEMESTER II:  Spring 2010

• The Liturgy Team
• Training Liturgical Ministers
      -Skills for lay leaders of prayer
      -Skills and principles for training liturgical
       ministers in the parish
      -Liturgy and religious education/schools
      -Worship and adolescents
      -Liturgy with persons with disabilities
• Parish-wide Formation

        FORMATION MINISTRIES:
            Ministry of Initiation
            Liturgy Commission
            Adult Formation
           
Tuition and Fees

A table of the cost of tuition is below.

Please note:    The costs below do not include the additional costs of retreats and textbooks.

There are three rates: individual, group rate for five or more individuals from a specific parish and a rate per topic for those who wish to participate in a particular topic.  The rate per topic is designed for those who wish to participate in a topic(s) (e.g.. liturgical year) without enrolling in either track I and track II.  A schedule of topics with dates and cost is available.   Advance notice, however, is required--in order that the Office of Worship might have an indication of the number of participants for any given topic.

INDIVIDUAL RATE
$175 per semester

GROUP RATE (5+)
20% discount per semester

RATES PER TOPIC
Please contact the Office of Worship for dates and cost of topic.

To Apply

Applications may be obtained from your pastor, the Office of Worship, or click here to view and print the application.
NOTE: the application form is in PDF format which requires the adobe acrobat reader to view and print..

For additional information please call or e-mail Kristopher Seaman in the Office of Worship.

Application deadline is July 28, 2008.

All applicants will be interviewed prior to their acceptance in the program.

For additional information please call or email:

Office of Worship
Kristopher Seaman
Phone: 219.769.9292 ext 226
Fax:     219.738.9034
 email

[Class schedule]     [Application]        [Office of Worship]