Christianity is “an encounter with a Person,” Jesus Christ.
The St. Columba Office of Religious Education has put together a variety of ways in which you can engage with your Faith. These sessions are designed for those who wish to deepen their understanding of the fundamentals of the Catholic Church and the Christian Faith.
- Weekly bulletin column: Q’s from the Pews where parishioner questions relating to the Church or Christian Faith are answered.
- Monthly Sunday Infusions of Faith: Short topic presentations offered periodically on Sundays between the 8am and 10:30 Masses. No prep needed, just come and learn.
- Quarterly Exploring your Faith Courses: These are offered three times a year and cover a topic area in more depth. Sessions are weekly over 5-6 six weeks, and offered in both at AM or PM times. Included in these interactive discussions are a book, reference material and PowerPoints/ videos. The PPT and videos are posted on our website here after the course for continued self-study.
- Online short educational videos and Power Points. Our YouTube channel is regularly updated with videos to inspire and educate you on your journey of faith! Here is a link to the Catholic Faith Journey videos playlist.
If you would like to attend a course, register via the website. If you have any questions, please contact James Gregory, DRE@saintcolumbachurch.org
INFUSION of Faith Presenters needed: Do you have a particular passion for an aspect of faith life that you would like to share with your fellow parishioners. The office of Religious Education would like to hear from you. Contact Jim via email at DRE@saintcolumbachurch.org or call (570) 784-0801 x4
Upcoming Classes:
- Register here
During this Jubilee year, Pope Francis has offered indulgences for those who study the documents of Vatican II. This 9-week class unlocks the richness of the Dogmatic Constitutions of Vatican II. Using the book “Reclaiming Vatican II: What it (Really)Said, what it means and How it calls Us to Renew the Church” (Fr. Blake Britton Ave Maria Press) supplemented by “To Sanctify the World: The Vital Legacy of Vatican II” (George Weigel) we will seek to understand the meaning behind Vatican II and set in contrast many misconceptions. We will explore the pivotal papal documents of John Paul II and Benedict XVI seeing how they provided the keys to understanding Vatican II. Classes available AM or PM in a repeated fashion. Presented by James Gregory, M.A in Theological and Educational Ministry
July 28th – October 1st 2025 (9 weeks)
St. Columba Parish Center 342 Iron St. Bloomsburg, PA
08:30 AM or 06:30 PM 1.5 hrs. each
Mondays 7/28; 8/4,11,18,25; 9/1,15,22,29
Exploring Your Faith – Coming Attractions- Check the Website!
UPCOMING COURSES:
Mondays 8:00AM ,repeated 6:30 PM
Advent 2025
The Gospel of St. John
This six-week course will focus on the only non-synoptic Gospel. The synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke share common sources and therefore present similar accounts of the teaching and life of Jesus. Written well after the synoptics, John’s Gospel expects the reader to have been exposed to these prior writings. St John’s theology recapitulates creation in Jesus as well as accentuating his Divinity. St. John seeks to take us deeper into the mystery of Jesus.
11/15/2025 thru 12/15/2025, moderated by Joe Mullen
Lent 2026
Praying with the Saints
During this six-week Lenten meditation we will explore how the saints have taught us to deepen our spirituality. Ideally suited to our Lenten practices of Prayer, Alms giving and Fasting, this class will explore the prayer techniques of various saints. Such as: St. Ignatius of Loyola, St John of the Cross, St Theresa of Avila, St. Terese of Lisieux, and St. Benedict. We will also cover hindrances to spiritual growth such as discernment of good and evil spirits.
02/15/2026 thru 03/23/2026, moderated by Jim Gregory
Summer 2026
Theology of the Body
Pope St. John Paul II began work on what would become known as his Theology of the body while still a Bishop. During this 9-week course we will dive into the depth of this Saint’s teachings. We will see how reflection on the seemingly simple line from Genesis “Let us make man in our image and likeness” defines the entirety of man’s meaning and existence. In this class we will unlock the extraordinary beauty of TOB revealed by JPII through concepts such as Original Innocence, Original Solitude and the Gift of Self.
August 10-31: September 14-28, & Oct 5-12, 2026
Moderated by Jim Gregory
