Theology – Page 2 – Pastoral Formation Institute

Introduction to Youth Ministry

25/10/2023

This course is eligible for the Get Formed! scheme, allowing students to reclaim 70% of their course fees upon completion. For more information, visit: https://pfi.edu.mt/get-formed/.

This course will serve as an introduction and foundation for youth ministry. Youth ministers, youth leaders and animators will reflect on who they are, their journey of faith and the call of being a youth minister/youth leader/animator in today’s society. This will involve a discussion on ‘tools’ that believers should have to live faith.

Serving youth ministers/youth leaders/animators
Youth aspiring to become youth ministers/youth leaders/animators

Target Audience Age: 16+

TBA

This course has two exit certificate options:

1. Certificate of Attendance

A Certificate of Attendance will be awarded to students who have attended at least 80% of contact hours for this course.

2. Certificate of Achievement

A Certificate of Achievement will be awarded to students who have attended at least 80% of contact hours for this course and successfully complete and pass written assessment.

Digital: Applicants are required to be digitally literate, including knowing how to access the internet and use office suite software.

The Jubilee – Pilgrims of Hope

25/10/2023

This course is eligible for the Get Formed! scheme, allowing students to reclaim 70% of their course fees upon completion. For more information, visit: https://pfi.edu.mt/get-formed/.

This course aims to help participants to prepare themselves and be able to prepare others for The Jubilee of 2025, centred around the theme of hope.

Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the biblical foundations of the words “jubilee,” “hope,” and “pilgrimage”. The course will delve into the teachings of Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis on the subject of hope. A dedicated session will be devoted to applying the concept of Jubilee in our contemporary context and understanding its relevance to the Church’s mission of Evangelisation.

Pastoral Workers
Individuals interested to prepare for the jubilee

Target Audience Age: 18+

TBA

This course has three exit certificate options:

Certificate of Attendance

The student will receive a Certificate of Attendance when attending a minimum 80% of all contact hours for this course.

Certificate of Participation

The student will receive a Certificate of Participation when attending a minimum 80% of all contact hours for this course and pass from short multiple-choice exam.

Certificate of Achievement

To obtain a Certificate of Achievement, students must:

attend a minimum 80% of all contact hours
pass from short multiple-choice exam
pass from written assessment

Language: Applicants must be fluent in English and have basic proficiency in Maltese.

Digital: Applicants must be digitally literate, especially on how to access the internet and use office suites.

Award in Augustinian Spirituality for Educators

25/10/2023

Elements of Augustinian charism and identity will be proposed in a meaningful manner to the building up of today’s society, especially in education. Thus, by exploring critically various aspects, the participants will grasp a deeper knowledge and experience of Augustinian values.

The main objective of the course is to present in a brief way the charism and the spirituality of the Augustinian Order through values and practical experience from education.

Dates will be announced soon.

Faith Foundations for Ministry

21/10/2023

This course is eligible for the Get Formed! scheme, allowing students to reclaim 70% of their course fees upon completion. For more information, visit: https://pfi.edu.mt/get-formed/.

This module offers a basic introduction to key themes of the main areas of Christian theology. These include fundamental, scriptural, dogmatic, ecclesiological, and ethical theological concepts guiding the evangelising mission of the Church.

By the end of the module the learner will have:

become aware of what the sources of theology are;
gained a basic understanding of the main areas of Christian theology.

This course is intended to form and support adults who wish to become better acquainted with the basic tenets of the Catholic Faith. This course is offered in asynchronous learning mode as a foundation course before applying for other courses offered by the Pastoral Formation Institute.

Adults who do not have an academic theological background and wish to widen their knowledge on the Catholic Faith.

Target Audience Age: 18+

Topic	Lecturer
The Sacred Scriptures	Mr Edward Wright
The Scriptures, Tradition and Magisterium	Mr Edward Wright
The Christian doctrine of God of Jesus Christ	Ms Dorianne Cassar
The Holy Spirit	Dr Dorianne Buttigieg
The Church as the builder of the Kingdom of God	Mr Edward Wright
The Meaning of the Sacraments and the Liturgy	Rev. Stephen Attard
The Catholic Social Teaching of the Church	Rev. Dr Carlo Calleja

Applicants will have access to this material on the PFI`s Moodle Portal. The module is delivered in short, recorded sessions which are each about 15 minutes long. The students will be provided with a username and a password so they can watch these sessions on their own devices. The total number of minutes amounts to 8 hours.

The course will be offered in October 2023. Usernames and passwords will be sent to students within a week of payment confirmation.

This course has two exit certificate options:

Certificate of Participation

To obtain a Certificate of Participation need to watch all the online material and successfully complete all the short multiple-choice exams.

2. Certificate of Achievement

To obtain a Certificate of Achievement, students need to:

pass the short multiple-choice online exams;
and successfully complete a written assignment;

An electronic certificate will be sent via email, within a week of successfully completing the course.

Click here to view the PFI’s Grading System

AFF Level: Level 4

Total Credits: 1 Credit

Teaching and Awarding Institution: Pastoral Formation Institute

Qualifications: Every application will be considered on its individual merits. The Pastoral Formation Institute accepts a wide range of qualifications, and we always try to judge applications on the basis of academic potential. We do consider a very wide range of academic, vocational, and professional qualifications, as well as work and other appropriate experiences and skills.

Language: Primary level understanding of Maltese and English.

Digital: Knows how to access the internet and use a word processor.

Introduction to Holy Mass

01/01/2023 Online

Course Description

The course Introduction to the Holy Mass is designed to give all those involved in the preparation of the Liturgy, formation for a better understanding of the different parts of the Eucharistic celebration. In light of Sacrosanctum Concilium’s desire to restore the celebration of the Mass to the vigour it enjoyed in Patristic times the course intends to explain the liturgico-historical roots of the different rites of the Mass for a better understanding of the celebration of the Eucharist according to the post-conciliar Missale Romanum. Moreover, such knowledge will enable the participants to put into practice the much desired active participation of the faithful in the celebration of the Mass. By the end of this course the student will: 

have a basic liturgical and theological understanding of the celebration of the Mass according to the Missale Romanum 1975.
know the language in which liturgical worship is explicated. 
know the historical roots of the different parts of the Mass.
learn most matters concerning the different rites which compose the celebration of the Mass.  
acquire a deeper understanding and appreciation of the different roles, members of the assembly hold. 
grasp the spiritual meaning that these roles entail

Intended For

Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion,
Lectors, Animators,
Choir members,
members of the Parish Liturgical Commission
and those interested in understanding better the celebration of the Eucharist.

Curriculum

Part 1: The Introductory Rites  

The Introit
Greeting of the Altar and of the Assembly  
The Act of Penance
The Kyrie Eleison
The Gloria
The Collect

Part 2: The Liturgy of the Word  

The Readings and the Responsorial Psalm
The Acclamation and the Gospel
The Homily
The Profession of Faith
The Prayer of the Faithful.

Part 3: The Liturgy of the Eucharist 

The Offertory
The Preface
The Eucharistic Prayer I
The Eucharistic Prayer II
The Eucharistic Prayer III
The Eucharistic Prayer IV
The Eucharistic Prayer V
The Eucharistic Prayer of Reconciliation I and II

Part 4: The Communion Rite

The Lord’s Prayer
The Rite of Peace
The Fraction
Communion
The Concluding Rites

Calendar

The course is delivered in short, recorded sessions which are each about 15 minutes long. The student will be provided with a username and a password so s/he can watch these sessions at his/her own computer or other technological device. The total number of minutes amount to 6-7hrs including the assessment.

Usernames and passwords will be sent to students within a week of payment confirmation.

Assessment & Certification

Assessment: Multiple choice test after each online session. The pass mark is 60%.

Certificate: Certificate of completion will be awarded to those who complete all the sessions and pass all the assessments.

An electronic certificate will be sent via email, within a week of successfully completing the course.

Awarding and Teaching Institution: Pastoral Formation Institute

Entry Requirement

Every application will be considered on its individual merits. The Pastoral Formation Institute accepts a wide range of qualifications, and we always try to judge applications on the basis of academic potential. We do consider a very wide range of academic, vocational, and professional qualifications, as well as work and other appropriate experiences and skills.

Benedictine Spirituality Today

17/10/2022 Ta` Mlit, Mosta

The course Benedictine Spirituality for Today is designed to introduce people to the life and teachings of St Benedict of Norcia (480 – 547), Patriarch of Western Monastics, and Patron of Europe. St Benedict is well-known for his Rule, in which he carefully integrates prayer, manual labor, and study into a well-rounded daily routine.

His Rule for Monasteries is steeped in Sacred Scripture and is presented as a small guide for beginners. This course shows the Rule of St Benedict as a handbook whose teachings can be readily applied to twenty-first century Christians willing to live their Christian lives in a parish, school, hospital community, or any other community, which for them would be a school of the Lord’s Service’. The ultimate aim is holiness and beholding the face of God.

Currently, enrolment is not open for this course. For further information contact us on [email protected]

have a basic knowledge of the life of St Benedict of Norcia as described in the Dialogues of St Gregory the Great;
be conversant with the major themes in the Rule of St Benedict;
be able to describe Benedictine Spirituality as a way of receiving and giving Blessings within the context of a School of the Lord’s Service;
have read at least the most important parts of the Rule of St Benedict;
be able to identify some major Benedictine geographic landmarks today;
have come across some of the commentators on the Rule of St Benedict;
have been introduced in general terms to Basil and Cassian, as indicated by St Benedict himself;
have been introduced in general terms to the life and writings of Bernard of Clairvaux.
attempt to work out a spirituality based on Benedict’s teachings for the workplace, the family, leisure time, and the digital world of social media

confidently discuss the values and virtues that St Benedict promotes in his Rule;
have had time to reflect on how to apply Benedictine values in their daily lives.

Those who are in search of God in their daily lives.
Beginners in the spiritual life who would like to explore ‘a small rule for beginners’ as they journey towards God.
People are interested in Saint Benedict as a master and guide of the spiritual life.

People who would like to explore what Saint Benedict may have to offer for their spiritual journey.

Target Audience Age: 18+

Currently, enrolment is not open for this course. For further information contact us on [email protected]

Lecture 1: Introduction

Benedictine Places and things: Via Benedicti, Pax inter Spinas, Pax, the Benedictine Medal, and St Benedict from the Dialogues of St Gregory the Great Book 2
Reading St Benedict 1 – Introduction on preparing a personalized list of Benedict’s maxims
Prologue, Chapter 73, texts on the Abbot

Lecture 2:

Texts on Meekness and Obedience
Texts on Prayer and Liturgy

Lecture 3:

A school of the Lord’s Service
Texts on Synodality

Lecture 1:

The Three Benedictine Vows – Obedience, Stability, and Conversion of Manners
The Three Components of the Benedictine Day – Ora et Labora et Lege

Lecture 2:

The Ten Benedictine Values – I: The Three Ls – Listening, Lectio Divina, Liturgy
The Ten Benedictine Values – II: The Three Hs – Humility, Humanity and Hospitality

Lecture 3:

The Ten Benedictine Values – III: The Four Ss – Spiritual Fatherhood, Stability, seeking God, and Silences
The seventy-two instruments of good works

Lecture 1:

Towards a Benedictine Spirituality of the workplace for managers and others
Towards a Benedictine Spirituality of Parish Life

Lecture 2:

Hints from Benedict that may be applied to the digital world of social media
Spiritual Direction in the Rule of St Benedict

Lecture 3:

Reading Basil and Cassian – selected texts
Bernard of Clairvaux – the purification of Benedict

The course is delivered over 27 contact hours over 9 weeks. The 3-hour sessions are held weekly on Mondays between 5:30 pm and 8:30 pm.

Venue: Ta` Mlit, Mosta

Currently, enrolment is not open for this course. For further information contact us on [email protected]

Part 1 : Reading the Dialogues of St Gregory the Great and The Rule of St Benedict

Lecture 1	Monday 17^th October 2022	5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Lecture 2	Monday 24^th October 2022	5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Lecture 3	Monday 31^st October 2022	5:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Part 2: Benedictine Spirituality in Numbers – The Major Themes of The Rule of St Benedict

Lecture 1	Monday 7^th November 2022	5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Lecture 2	Monday 14^th November 2022	5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Lecture 3	Monday 21^st November 2022	5:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Part 3: Applying Benedict

Lecture 1	Monday 28^th November 2022	5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Lecture 2	Monday 5^th December 2022	5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Lecture 3	Monday 12^th December 2022	5:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Certification: 

This course has three exit certificate options:

Certificate of Attendance

To obtain a Certificate of Attendance, students must attend at least 80% of the course’s contact hours.

2. Certificate of Participation

To obtain a Certificate of Participation, students need to meet the attendance criteria and successfully conclude the three-course multiple-choice online exams.

3. Certificate of Achievement

To obtain a Certificate of Achievement, students must:

attend at least 80% of the course`s contact hours;
pass the three short multiple-choice online exams;
and successfully complete a short essay of at least 500 words;

Teaching and Awarding Institution: Pastoral Formation Institute

Language: Applicants are required to have an end-of-primary school level of understanding of Maltese and English

Digital: Applicants are required to be digitally literate, including knowing how to access the internet and use a word processor