Soil For the Seed: Exploring our Faith as Adults is a two-year, one evening a week introduction to some of the key themes of Christianity, as experienced in the Catholic tradition.  It is being held in Drogheda community Services Centre, Scarlet Street, Drogheda from September 2009 – April 2011. The course is for adults, of all ages, who wish to explore their faith, who are willing to listen and participate, and are open to new ideas and ways of ministry. No academic qualifications are necessary.

The first session will begin at 7.30 pm on Monday 7 September. You can sign up for the whole year or simply for any of the individual modules.  Soil for the Seed was previously held in Cookstown and Dundalk.  The dates and descriptions of the modules are as follows:

Module 1: Exploring the Bible – September 14th – October 19th, 2009

This module aims to introduce participants to the narratives of salvation history as presented in the Jewish and Christian Scriptures. It will enable participants to have an overview of the bible and will provide them with some basic skills with which they will be able to engage with the text as individuals and as small faith sharing groups.

Module 2: Jesus God’s Beloved – November 2nd – December 7th, 2009

This module will deepen participants understanding of the person of Jesus as central to Christian faith.  We will explore his relationship to the Father, his ministry in service of God’s reign, the role of the Spirit in his living, dying and rising and how as the Christ he offers salvation.

Module 3: Church: A Sacramental People – January 4th – February 8th, 2010

This course will explore what it means for Church: A Sacramental People to be both sign and agent of Jesus’ vision of God’s Kingdom, in the context of a changing Ireland. Various models of Church will be assessed in terms of their capacity to be open to the world and rooted in the gospel. There will be exploration of ways in which the faith community can be a liberating and transformative presence, embodying alternative values and relationships, in today’s world.

Module 4: Moral Decision Making – February 22nd – March 29th, 2010

This module will help participants to reflect on making moral decisions as a Christian. There will be six sessions in all. The themes include:

1. Introduction to Christian ethics

2. Moral decision making

3. Relationships, sexuality and ethics

4. Conscience and Church teaching

5. Ethical issues at the end of life

Module 5: Christian Spirituality in the 21st Century – April 16th and 17th, 2010 (a weekend residential module, held in Dromantine Centre, Newry)

This modules aims to introduce participants to the exploration and reflection of the experience of faith expressed in scripture, liturgy and private prayer in our post-modern context. It will focus on the full range of life as understood, felt, imagined and decided upon in relationship to God in Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit. It will seek to offer some basic tools to enable participants continue on their spiritual journey.

Module 6: Called to Serve – September 13th – October 18th, 2010

This module will explore the pastoral vocation of all the baptised.  Emphasising the continuity between the ministry of Jesus, ministry in the early Christian communities and ministry today, participants will be introduced to various forms of ministry and invited to consider how they can respond.

Module 7: Liturgy – November 8th – December 13th, 2010

This module will introduce participants to the principals of liturgical renewal set out in the Second Vatican Council and in the documents that followed it.  Attention will be given to the rites of Christian initiation, celebrating the Sunday liturgy, the liturgical year and the lectionary.

Module 8: Leadership Training – January 10th – February 14th, 2011

In this module participants will be helped to gain a fuller understanding of the dynamics of leadership and will be enabled to acquire a set of skills that will help them to lead more effectively.  Topics include group leadership, collaborative leadership, spiritual leadership and prophetic leadership.

Module 9: Interfaith Relations – February 28th – April 4th, 2011

A shrinking world and the experience of immigration have brought us into contact with those of world faiths as never before.  We now talk of neighbour religions and all of us are challenged.  This course will look at changing Ireland and what it means to dialogue with members of neighbour religions.  There will be exploration of particular issues raised for Christians such as who is Jesus in a multi-faith world and what is meant by mission.  Ethical questions not least that of peace in the world will be explored in this global context.

Tuition fees per year are €250 for the first year and €200 for the second year (reduced for those experiencing financial difficulties). Fees may be paid at the beginning of the year or in instalments. Fees for individual modules are €60 each. Some parishes may offer sponsorship to parishioners. Contact your parish priest for more information.

For more information or to make a booking contact: The Co-ordinator, Soil for the Seed, Armagh Diocesan Pastoral Centre, The Magnet, Dundalk, Co. Louth.

Tel 00353 42 933 6649; Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .