Adult Education
Jesus instructed his disciples to "go and teach all nations." Especially in an age of greater formal education, one of the most urgent needs is for an adequate formation of Catholic adults.
I spend a lot of time conducting adult education classes on a variety of topics. As I have the chance, I am uploading many of those texts in case others might be interested in learning more about their faith.
Most of the texts will be in PDF format, which means, to read them, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. If you do not have this program, you can download it for free by clicking here.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr. Roger J. Landry
Adult Education Texts
This is a 2002 speech given to young adults about the importance of reading and sharing the Word of God. It tackles many of the common objections Catholics might raise.
This is a 2003 speech given to businessmen in Sacramento, detailing how God has raised up saints to confront every crisis the Church has faced in her history. It also charts the path taken by many of these saints, moved by the Holy Spirit, to rebuild the Church. This would be good for those whose faith has been shaken as a result of the scandal and for those who encounter people whose faith has been shaken.
This is a speech given on the Pope John Paul II's 25th Anniversary at the Church of Our Savior in Manhattan. It traces what I deem the dominant theme of the Holy Father's thought throughout his pontificate.
This is from a speech given in Manhattan on October 16, 2002, on the 24th Anniversary of John Paul II's election to the papacy. It describes five central insights of John Paul II's work with young people and then presents a lexicon of the types of phrases John Paul II uses again and again -- which encapsulate his theological and psychological approach to the young person made in God's image. I hope this will be a stimulating read for young people and all who want to help them respond to God's call.
This 200-plus page sourcebook puts in one source dozens of papal addresses to and about young people in various forums, including World Youth Days. It would be helpful for young people to discern their important role in God's plans and an important read for all those who minister to young people.
This is a series of three conferences given to the Capuchin Sisters of Nazareth in 2000. It collates the statements of the magisterium from the Second Vatican Council through the Pontificate of John Paul II. A useful resource for religious, for those who are discerning religious life, and for those who minister to religious.
This lecture, from a 1999 Adult Education Course on the Controversial and Often Misunderstood Issues in Catholicism, gives the foundations for the Church's teaching in the area of human love and sexuality and then addresses head-on the various questions young adults have today.
This lecture, from a 1999 Adult Education Course on the Controversial and Often Misunderstood Issues in Catholicism, discusses in depth what marriage is and the requirements for a valid marriage. It also describes the grounds on the basis of which a marriage may be declared "null" from its inception by a Church tribunal and gives an overview of the process of applying for a declaration of nullity. This is a very useful resource for those who are contemplating seeking a declaration of nullity as well as for those who mistakenly look at such declarations as merely the "Catholic form of divorce."
This lecture, one of a series of "Chaplain's Conferences" given in 2001 to students at Bishop Connolly High School, provides the historical and theological background to the sacrament of reconciliation. It discusses why it is necessary to confess one's sins to a priest as well as the requirements for an integral confession. This is a good resource for Catholics who want to understand this great sacrament better, as well as for those who might be sceptical of the Catholic practice.
This is the text of a 2000 lecture I gave at the North American College in Rome to the Joint College of African-American Pentecostal Bishops. It describes in clear detail the historical evidence for the presence of SS. Peter & Paul in Rome, and how the early Church looked at the inheritance they left to their successors and heirs as the Living Rock and Living Doctor of the Gentiles. This will be helpful to Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
This lecture, one of a series of "Chaplain's Conferences" given in 2001 to students at Bishop Connolly High School, describes why, from a theological and historical perspective, the ordination of priests is reserved to baptized men. It discusses why there is mandatory priestly celibacy in the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church and tackles frequently-asked questions and misunderstandings about the practice. It then gives the foundations for the Church's teaching of the equal dignity of women in the Church.
This lecture, one of a series of "Chaplain's Conferences" given in 2001 to students at Bishop Connolly High School, confronts the historical challenges that have been made against Jesus' bodily resurrection and shows why they are all untenable. Then it assembles the compelling evidence in favor of the resurrection and derives various lessons for Christians today. This will profit all Christians, by grounding their belief in the resurrection more firmly and equipping them better to convince others of its historical reliability.
This is the detailed annotated outline of a presentation I gave in August, 2000, and is based heavily on the Vatican's excellent commentary on the three parts of the Secret of Fatima.
This lecture, one of a series of "Chaplain's Conferences" given in 2001 to students at Bishop Connolly High School, tackles the major theological issues involved in the Church's teaching on the death penalty. It addresses and responds to the major arguments in favor of the death penalty. It also discusses the analogous issues of legitimate self-defense and just war.
This is a 34-page didactic recension or summary of the Holy Father's revolutionary thought on the Gospel of Human Love in God's Divine Plan. It was done to provide comprehensive lecture notes for those who teach the theology of the body, but it will also assist those who want to know the theology of the body, but might not have the time or the background to master the 400+ page series of catechetical addresses.
This is a one-hour lecture I gave in 2003 to various training couples and leaders in the Engaged Encounter Movement. It would be a good resource for those who want a quick overview of John Paul II's revolutionary work on the Redemption of the Body and the Sacramentality of Marriage.
This is a 2004 talk given to the priests of the Diocese of Burlington, Vermont, applying the theology of the body to priests' spiritual lives and pastoral work. Lay faithful may also profit in terms of living well the common priesthood flowing from their baptism.
This is a 2001 speech given at World Youth Day in Toronto as part of a forum organized by the World Youth Alliance. Inspired largely on Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body, it describes man's (the human male's) vocation within God's plan from a theological point of view, gives two practical models of Christian manhood, and then tackles common contemporary challenges to the education of Christian men.
This document from Analecta Cracoviensa is the "bridge" between Wojtyla's Love and Responsibility and Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body, This translation from the French original is a must read for serious students of the Pope John Paul II's thoughts on human sexuality in general and rejection of artificial contraception in particular.
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