Archives

Expressions of Personal Prayer

23/05/2024

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 acquaints students with the more common expressions of prayer within the Catholic Church, exploring their origins, strengths, limitations, and appropriate contexts. By internalising this knowledge, students will be motivated and equipped to advance in their own prayer journey and to guide communal moments of prayer effectively.

To be eligible for this course, participants must have completed the ‘Introduction to Prayer’ course or possess at least an MQF Level 4 qualification in religion or theology. Please upload a copy of your relevant certification with the application form.

  • Pastoral Workers involved in general ministry.
  • Christians committed to continual growth in their relationship with God, who, however, have little to no experience in the formal study of prayer.

Target Audience Age: 18+

Students have the option to join this course online via Zoom

Session
Praying with Nature and Music
Praying with Art
Praying with Scripture
Devotional Prayer
Praying Like the Saints

This course has three exit certificate options:

1. Certificate of Attendance

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

2. Certificate of Participation

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

3. Certificate of Achievement

To obtain a Certificate of Achievement, students must attend a minimum of 80% of all contact hour and pass from a short multiple-choice exam and written assignment.

To be eligible for this course, participants must have completed the ‘Introduction to Prayer’ course or possess at least an MQF Level 4 qualification in religion or theology. Please upload a copy of your relevant certification with the application form.

Language: Applicants must be proficient in both Maltese and English.

Digital: Applicants must be digitally literate particularly, in use of office suites and internet access.

Introduction to Prayer

23/05/2024

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/.

The aim of this course is to provide participants with a foundational understanding of the place of prayer in the Catholic tradition. Rather than offering a manual or handbook on how to pray, this course will serve as a springboard for exploring prayer within Christianity. Participants will be challenged to consider what it means to see themselves as persons of prayer, deepening their spiritual practice and enriching their faith experience.

  • Pastoral Workers involved in general ministry.
  • Christians committed to continual growth in their relationship with God, who, however, have little to no experience in the formal study of prayer.

Target Audience Age: 18+

This course will be offered from October 2024

The course will be delivered entirely through a series of pre-recorded lectures accessible on our VLE platform at a time and place convenient for you.

In these pre-recorded lectures, the following subjects will be covered:

  • What is Prayer?
  • The Universal Call to Prayer
  • Prayer in the Old Testament: Models, Advice and Material
  • Prayer in the New Testament: Models, Advice and Material
  • Prayer Times and Environments
  • Praying together and for others
  • The Mass: The Ultimate Prayer
  • Aids to Prayer
  • Leading a Life of Prayer
  • Important Aspects of Prayer

This course has one exit certificate option:

1. Certificate of Participation

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

Language: Applicants must be proficient in both Maltese and English.

Digital: Applicants must be digitally literate particularly, in use of office suites and internet access.

Introduction to Sacred Scriptures

16/05/2024

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/.

The Bible is not a single work, but a library of books that, while sharing the same divine authorship, differ greatly in their styles, history, cultural background, themes, and interpretation.

Through this course, students can expect to develop a basic understanding of why and how the Bible came to be, considering its different sources, transmission, redaction, consolidation, and intentions.

By integrating their newly acquired knowledge of the Bible’s history and the roles of divine inspiration and human cooperation in its creation, students will be able to interpret Biblical passages with greater depth, meaning, and truth. They will also learn to recognize and avoid common errors in Scriptural interpretation. Above all, they will grow in their passion for God as present in His Word.

  • Pastoral Workers involved in the Ministry of the Word.
  • Christians committed to continual growth in their relationship with God, who, however, have little to no experience in the formal study of Sacred Scripture.

Target Audience Age: 18+

Students have the option to join this course online via Zoom

Session
Canonicity
Inspiration
History of the Old Testament
History of the New Testament
Hermeneutics

This course has three exit certificate options:

1. Certificates of Attendance

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

2. Certificate of Participation

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

3. Certificate of Achievement

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

Language: Applicants must be proficient in both Maltese and English.

Digital: Applicants must be digitally literate particularly, in use of office suites and internet access.

Introduction to Franciscan Spirituality

03/05/2024   ĊAK

This course delves into the timeless relevance of St Francis of Assisi’s life and teachings, portraying him as both a devoted disciple of Christ and a prophetic figure for our contemporary world. Participants will explore how St Francis’s wisdom can be applied to everyday life, including aspects such as prayer and discernment. Additionally, in anticipation of next year’s Jubilee of Hope, participants will explore St Francis as a companion figure for the upcoming Jubilee.

  • Franciscan collaborators
  • Individuals interested to explore and deepen their knowledge in Franciscan Spirituality

Target Audience Age: 18+

Session
Introduction – The Saint’s Life
The Franciscan Rule
The Mysteries of the Incarnation and Easter in the life of St Francis of Assisi
Agiography
St Francis and the Word of God
St Francis’s Testament
The Contemplative Dimension and the Stigmata of St Francis of Assisi
St Francis of Assisi and the Jubilee of Hope
Franciscan Discernment
The Franciscan Dimension of the Liturgy and Particular Devotions
The Economy of Francesco
Franciscan Spirituality in Everyday Life
Half-Day Seminar on The Canticle of Creation*

*Seminar venue will be different from lecture venue.

This course has three exit certificate options:

1. Certificates of Attendance

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

2. Certificate of Participation

To obtain a Certificate of Participation, students must:

  • attend a minimum of 80% of all contact hours
  • successfully complete and pass from a short multiple-choice exam

3. Certificate of Achievement

To obtain a Certificate of Achievement, students must:

  • attend a minimum of 80% of all contact hours
  • successfully complete and pass from a short multiple-choice exam
  • successfully complete and pass from written assignment

Language: Applicants must be proficient in both Maltese and English.

Digital: Applicants must be digitally literate particularly, in use of office suites and internet access.

Introduction to Youth Ministry

25/10/2023
Introduction to Youth Ministry

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.

Award in Augustinian Spirituality for Educators

25/10/2023
Augistinian Spirituality

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+

TopicLecturer
The Sacred ScripturesMr Edward Wright
The Scriptures, Tradition and MagisteriumMr Edward Wright
The Christian doctrine of God of Jesus ChristMs Dorianne Cassar
The Holy SpiritDr Dorianne Buttigieg
The Church as the builder of the Kingdom of God Mr Edward Wright
The Meaning of the Sacraments and the LiturgyRev. 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: 
  1. 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
introduction to holy mass

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
St Benedict

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.
  1. Those who are in search of God in their daily lives.  
  2. Beginners in the spiritual life who would like to explore ‘a small rule for beginners’ as they journey towards God. 
  3. 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 1Monday 17th October 20225:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Lecture 2Monday 24th October 20225:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Lecture 3Monday 31st October 20225:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Part 2: Benedictine Spirituality in Numbers – The Major Themes of The Rule of St Benedict
Lecture 1Monday 7th November 20225:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Lecture 2Monday 14th November 20225:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Lecture 3Monday 21st November 20225:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Part 3: Applying Benedict
Lecture 1Monday 28th November 20225:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Lecture 2Monday 5th December 20225:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Lecture 3Monday 12th December 20225:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Certification:  

This course has three exit certificate options: 

  1. 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

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: 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