In keeping with the Order’s charism to “practice and defend the Catholic, the Apostolic, the Roman faith,” the Michigan Area has begun a series of virtual monthly classes in Catholic theology, taught by Detroit-area Jesuits.

The Michigan Area holds a symposium every year with in-depth discussion of topics in Catholic life, history, and teaching. The virtual course is an extension of the Area’s commitment to ongoing education in the faith for its members.

The faith-formation series consists of three modules of four classes each, meeting on or about the third Tuesday of each month. The first module, “Eschatology,” met for the first time on May 14; the initial meeting was in-person with the option of virtual attendance, attracting 20 Dames, Knights, Auxiliaries, and Candidates. Fr. Dan Kennedy, SJ, a faculty member of the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy, is leading this module, as well as organizing the course as a whole.

The May 14 meeting focused on the Scriptural basis for the Catholic understanding of the “four last things.” Participants broke into four discussion groups to compare and contrast the scientific/atheistic, post-Christian-spiritual, and Christian views of death, the afterlife, and the end of history. Fr. Kennedy pointed to Scriptural passages that direct the Church’s teaching on death, the afterlife, Heaven, and Hell.

Starting in September, Trevor Rainwater, SJ, will lead a module on “Sacramental Theology” for four class sessions. The topic of the third module is to be determined.

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