Roncalli High School winter theology courses begins TONIGHT

Roncalli High School, part of Roncalli Catholic Schools, will hold “Learning on the Journey: A winter series of courses on faith, practices and perspectives” beginning tonight, Jan. 16 at the high school following a postponement Jan. 9 due to inclement weather.

The series, which will run each Tuesday through Feb. 13, is open to the public and there is no admission fee. Sessions will be held at the high school, 2000 Mirro Drive, Manitowoc, on Tuesday nights from 6-7 p.m. with a social to follow. Refreshments will be served. Attendees should enter through the Fine Arts Center doors.

Tonight’s session will alter the typical schedule slightly to combine the previously scheduled Jan. 9 offerings with the planned presentations for tonight. There will be two rounds of classes, which will last 45 minutes each with a short break in between. The evening will begin as usual at 6 p.m., but be extended until 7:40 p.m. this week only to accommodate the schedule change.

People may attend as many or few session dates as they’d like. No reading or homework will be required to participate. Child care services will be provided, but families hoping to utilize this service must provide at least a week’s notice to ensure sufficient number of volunteers are available. Registration is not required, but appreciated, to attend the sessions. Please contact 920-682-8801 or [email protected] for child care and registration.

The series is presented with support from the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Green Bay, Inc. and the Koch Foundation.

Participating event presenters include:
• The Rev. David Beaudry, M.A.
• Michelle Bishop, M.S.
• The Rev. Matt Colle, M.S.
• Taylor Geiger, M.A.
• Janine McIlheran, Ph.D.
• Tim Olson, M.A, principal emeritus
• Paul Schweigl, Th.D.
• Dianne Vadney, M.T.S.

Each session date will typically feature four speakers. Tonight’s session will feature the following eight presentations and five speakers due to the scheduling change:

Round I: 6-6:45 p.m.

The Acts of the Apostles presented by Paul Schweigl, Th.D.
Easter Sunday had come and gone, having made clear that Jesus truly is Christ and Lord. What remained to be seen, though, was whether anyone would take up the commission to spread the Good News. This session will explore Acts of the Apostles, the riveting story of how the Church rallied to carry Christ’s mission forward.

Paul Schweigl is a Roncalli alumnus, holding degrees from St. Norbert College, the University of Notre Dame, and La Salle University. He has taught theology at Roncalli since 2011. He lives in Sheboygan with his wife and three children and is a member of Holy Name of Jesus parish.

Parables: The Parable of the Prodigal Son presented by The Rev. David Beaudry, M.A.
This session will explore the use of parables by Jesus and the Jewish use of parable as riddle with the theological, spiritual and pastoral depth of the Parable of the Prodigal Son by way of example.

A graduate of Catholic University in Washington, D.C. and a priest of the Diocese of Green Bay for 41 years, the Rev. David Beaudry currently serves as pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Community in Newton and as Director of Mission and Discipleship for Roncalli Catholic Schools. He also completed 25 years as Instructor with the former Holy Family College, Manitowoc.

Christian Detachment: the Evangelical Counsels presented by Taylor Geiger, M.A.
This session will explore the often uncomfortable necessity of detachment in the Christian life through the lens of the Evangelical Counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience and how they prepare us for our eternal life in heaven.

Taylor Geiger was born, raised, and still lives in Manitowoc with his wife and his two daughters. He graduated from Holy Family College with a degree in theology in 2015 and earned an M.A. in Theology from the Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado in 2022. Geiger serves on the Mission and Theology team at Roncalli High School as a freshman theology teacher and campus minister.

Forgiveness presented by Dianne Vadney, M.T.S.
This class will draw from the radical call to forgiveness put forth by Jesus in the gospels. Why is forgiveness of neighbor so much at the heart of our faith? How is forgiveness linked to justice, but also to mercy? What does science tell us about forgiveness that shines light onto who we are made to be and why doing the hard work of forgiving is good for us? What are some practical strategies to help us forgive when it’s hard?

Dianne Vadney, an alumnae of Roncalli and a former member of their Campus Ministry staff, received a Biology degree from The Catholic University of America and her Master of Theological Studies from the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family. She is campus minister at Marian University in Fond du Lac, along with being a wife and mother of six.

Round II: 6:55-7:40 p.m.

The Book of Job presented by Paul Schweigl, Th.D.
Among the most difficult of the Biblical texts, Job challenges us to consider what theological lessons may be found in life’s most difficult circumstances. What does it mean to speak rightly of God in the midst of human suffering?

Paul Schweigl is a Roncalli alumnus, holding degrees from St. Norbert College, the University of Notre Dame, and La Salle University. He has taught theology at Roncalli since 2011. He lives in Sheboygan with his wife and three children and is a member of Holy Name of Jesus parish.
God Exists and Here Is How We Know presented by Tim Olson, M.A, principal emeritus

A rational approach to the existence of God. How can we respond to the talking points of the “New Atheism?”

Tim Olson is a graduate of St. Mary’s University with a B.A. in music and holds an M.A. in administration from North Dakota State University. He has been a teacher and administrator in Catholic schools for 45 years. After serving Roncalli for more than 20 years as principal, he retired from administration, but has stayed on as a part-time teacher. He currently teaches classes in public speaking and theology.

Ways of Praying: The “ARRR” Method presented by Taylor Geiger, M.A.
Prayer can be a difficult thing to begin, but having a method of praying can be a helpful way to guide our prayer. The, “ARRR” method is an acronym for, “acknowledge, relate, receive, respond.” This talk will explore what that means and how it can help boost your prayer life.

Taylor Geiger was born, raised, and still lives in Manitowoc with his wife and his two daughters. He graduated from Holy Family College with a degree in theology in 2015 and earned an M.A. in Theology from the Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado in 2022. Geiger serves on the Mission and Theology team at Roncalli High School as a freshman theology teacher and campus minister.

A Man of Hope: St. John Paul II presented by Dianne Vadney, M.T.S.
A look at the life of Karol Wojtyla, whose Polish roots during WWII along with his close circle of friends and family, would go on to inform his body of work and contribution to thought on community, social relations, as well as marriage and family. A brief history of his life, along with key passages from some of his major writings will be considered.

Dianne Vadney, an alumnae of Roncalli and a former member of their Campus Ministry staff, received a Biology degree from The Catholic University of America and her Master of Theological Studies from the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family. She is campus minister at Marian University in Fond du Lac, along with being a wife and mother of six.

Jan. 23:
Judges (Schweigl)
The Call to Holiness (Beaudry)
Eucharistic Miracles (Colle)
Humanae Vitae: Considerations 55 Years Later (Vadney)

Jan. 30:
The Sacred Liturgy as the Living Spring of Assembly Spirituality (Beaudry)
The Life of Moses (Schweigl)
Marian Apparitions (Colle)
Eucharist: Source & Summit of Our Faith (Vadney)

Feb. 6:
Jesus of Nazareth: What Reason Can Tell Us (Olson)
Can God and Science Coexist? (Bishop)
The Word of God at Vatican II (Geiger)
Finding Mary in the Search for Jesus (Schweigl)

Feb. 13:
History & Charisms of Religious Orders (Vadney)
Mary: Our Model of Discipleship (Geiger)
70 Years: A Faith Journey (Olson)
Achilles, St. Joseph, Turbulence, and Humility (McIlheran)