MMGSI offers laypeople the opportunity to take college-level courses on a range of topics, including Sacred Scripture, Trinity, Christology, and moral theology, without the financial or time commitments required for formal undergraduate study.
Covenant & Blessing: Understanding the Old Testament
A comprehensive introduction to the Old Testament, exploring its rich narrative, theological depth, and relevance to the Catholic faith. Students will journey through the Pentateuch, Historical Books, Wisdom Literature, and Prophetic Writings, examining the importance of narrative and covenant promises and their fulfillment in Christ. Topics include the creation and fall, the Exodus, the monarchy, and the prophetic call to justice and hope. Emphasizing Catholic interpretation, the course integrates Scripture with Tradition, highlighting typological connections to the New Testament and the Church’s liturgical life. No prior biblical knowledge required.
Instructor: Andrew Courter, M.A., Director for Catholic Identity, Catholic Diocese of Cleveland
Meeting times: Tuesdays 6:00 - 8:45 p.m., January 13th - May 5th | Location: St. Basil the Great Catholic Church, Brecksville | Registration info coming soon!
Rooted in Relationship: Christian Spirituality I
Go deeper in your walk with Christ this Lent! This six-week course on Christian spirituality emphasizes the inherently relational nature of our faith. We live in relationship with the Church, Sacred Scripture, the Saints, and above all, God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Instructor: Rev. G. David Bline, Lecturer in Pastoral Studies and Spiritual Director, Saint Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology
Meeting times: Mondays 6:30 - 9:15 p.m., February 23 - March 30 | Location: Center for Pastoral Leadership, Wickliffe | Registration info coming soon!
MMGSI plans for later in 2026 include semester-long courses focused on the Trinity, moral theology, and the Church, as well as shorter courses focused on prayer and spirituality. Check this page for updates, or sign up to receive email announcements about MMGSI activities here!
In addition to college-style courses like the ones above, MMGSI offers standalone seminars that give participants a deeper understanding of the intellectual foundations of our faith.
No prior study in philosophy or theology is assumed.
Sessions 1-7 are strongly recommended for incoming students in the Saint Mary Seminary Master of Arts in Theology program who do not have formal undergraduate preparation in these areas. Other participants are welcome to register for any particular sessions in which they are interested.
Participants are encouraged, but not required, to complete a substantial reading assignment prior to each session. Details will be sent by your instructor after you register for a session. Each session is three hours long and features a combination of lecture and discussion.
The next series of Veritas Seminars is TBA. If you'd like to request the series for your parish or other Christian group, email us at mmgsi@dioceseofcleveland.org.
What is philosophy, and why does it matter? This seminar provides an overview of the main questions philosophers wrestle with, and a big-picture overview of the history of philosophy from Ancient Greece to the modern day.
Next opportunity: TBA
Should we think of faith and reason as enemies or as allies? How does faith support reason, and vice-versa? How do we cultivate intellectual virtue in ourselves as individuals and in our parish communities? Pre-reading may include Pope Saint John Paul II’s Fides et Ratio.
Next opportunity: TBA
What do philosophers mean when they talk about “arguments”? What’s the difference between a good argument and a bad one, and how can we learn to argue well? This seminar will unpack these questions through a careful examination of some traditional arguments for theism. Pre-reading may include portions of Ed Feser’s Five Proofs of the Existence of God.
Next opportunity: TBA
The most famous philosophical challenge to belief in God is the problem of evil, often expressed in the form of a question: if God exists and truly loves us, why is there so much suffering in the world? In this seminar, we will explore this problem and the principal responses offered by theistic philosophers. Pre-reading may include excerpts from Wandering in Darkness by Eleonore Stump and The Problem of Pain by C. S. Lewis.
Next opportunity: TBA
Christian philosophers and theologians have found the tools and resources of Greek philosophy useful for developing a philosophical understanding of the nature of morality. This seminar involves a close reading and discussion of passages from Plato's Republic and Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, both of which are recommended as pre-readings for the course.
Next opportunity: TBA
This seminar provides students with an overview of several influential moral theories, with an emphasis on the implications of those theories for particular moral controversies, such as debates over abortion and euthanasia. Pre-reading may include Pope Saint John Paul II's encyclical Veritatis Splendor.
Next opportunity: TBA
[There is no prerequisite for this or any other Veritas Seminar. However, participants in Seminar 6 are strongly encouraged to complete Seminar 5 first.]
Many people in the world today believe that truth is accessible exclusively by means of the hard sciences, and that no scientifically literate person can take the Christian faith seriously. This seminar will examine and challenge both of these beliefs. Pre-reading may include Spencer Klavan’s Light of the Mind, Light of the World.
Next opportunity: TBA
All of our instructors have earned graduate degrees in relevant disciplines, have taken the Oath of Fidelity, and have received the academic mandatum from our bishop.
Students who complete a ten-course curriculum designed by our diocesan Lay Ecclesial Ministry Office earn a certificate in theological studies, fulfilling the academic requirements of the LEM formation program. Please note that these courses do not count toward the M. A. Theology degree at Saint Mary Seminary.
For more information about these courses, please email us at mmgsi@dioceseofcleveland.org.
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