Theological Education

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.

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.

The first two (and inaugural) MMGSI courses will be taught in summer 2025:

Moral Theology, taught by Dr. Matthew Carey Jordan, will provide students with an overview of the foundations of morality and an understanding of the Catholic perspective on contentious social issues. It will meet on Monday evenings from June 2 through August 18, with no meeting on June 16 or July 28. [Please note: We are aware that summer schedules can be very complicated. Reasonable accommodations will be made for students who cannot attend all class meetings.]

Catholic Prayer I, taught by Fr. Ryan Mann, is an intensive three-day course exploring the transformative power of prayer. It will take place in conjunction with the MMGSI Summer Session, with meetings from 6-9 p.m. on August 5, 6, and 7. Participants will deepen their understanding of prayer as a personal encounter with Christ, guided by scripture, tradition, and papal reflections that illuminate the beauty of a life rooted in prayer.

Visit our events page to register!

For more information about these courses, please email us at mmgsi@dioceseofcleveland.org.