Online High School Theology Course: Catholic Spiritual Writers

Update: This live course has concluded and is now available as a recorded course through our Subscription Service. This is a great way to learn at your own pace when your schedule allows.To subscribe or learn more: Online Catholic Courses

Although we are scheduling spring courses there are still two fall class still open. One is Catholic Spiritual Writers and it starts November 5, 2009. Dr. Gotcher's classes are terrific for high school students as they are not only academically challenging but also spiritually uplifting. This course is a terrific opportunity for you to give your high school student credit for literature and theology as well help him or her grow in love with all things Catholic.

Course Title:
Catholic Spiritual Writers
(click on the hyperlink to register)

Course Description:
In this course we will look at the basic principles of Catholic spirituality as they are explained by some of the great spiritual writers, such as St. Augustine, St. Francis of Assisi, Thomas a Kempis, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Francis de Sales, and St. Therese of Lisieux. We will especially emphasize their application to the life of the young laity.

Homework
The assignment will be to pick one of the great spiritual classics, read the entire book over the six weeks of the course, and keep a journal of reflections as you read.

Fee:
Six-week course for $120.

Dates and Time:
Classes will begin Wednesday, November 4, 2009 and meet every Wednesday through December 16, 2009. The time will begin 8:00 PM Eastern (7:00 Central). The class is one hour 15 minutes.

Enrollment Period:
Enrollment is currently open and will close when the class is filled. (Maximum 15 students.)

Course Materials Needed by Students:
The text will be The Classics of Catholic Spirituality by Fr. Peter John Cameron, O.P. (editor of the English language edition of Magnificat magazine). It is very inexpensive ($7). The rest of the texts from the great spiritual writers are available free online.

Equipment requirements:
Because this is a discussion course, students are required to have high-speed internet and a headset with a microphone. If you do not own a headset, you can find them for a reasonable price at Amazon.

Course Access:
All Homeschool Connections courses are recorded and available to registered students for up to six months.

Professor's Biography:
Dr. Robert F. Gotcher most recently served as Associate Professor of Systematic Studies at Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wisconsin. He and his wife, Kathy, are raising their seven children in Franklin, Wisconsin. Dr. Gotcher has been actively involved in the home schooling of his children, especially in the junior high and high school years. He has taught Latin, literature, physics, astronomy, and religion to homeschooled students. He has a special devotion to the classical trivium of grammar, logic and rhetoric, especially as they pertain to the written arts.

Dr. Gotcher graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1981 with a B.A. in the Program of Liberal Studies. He received his M.A. in Theology of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul in 1991 and his Ph.D. from Marquette University in 2002. In his adult life he has done everything from volunteering with the poor in Appalachia, to religious education and youth ministry, to desktop publishing and computer related responsibilities at a law firm. At the seminary he taught introduction to theology, the doctrine of God, one and three, theological anthropology (creation, sin, redemption, grace, four last things), life principles, and human sexuality and has given public presentations on Vatican II, the encyclicals of the pope, social justice, life issues, human sexuality and the theology of the body. His publications focus on family issues, lay spirituality and issues related to the Second Vatican Council. He is involved in the secular Franciscan order, home schooling, and pro-life activities in the Milwaukee area and nationally.

Dr. Gotcher blogs at Heart, Mind & Strength, Classic Catholic and Love2Learn.

Click here to learn about other homeschool online classes.