Course Number: IMTH-761
Course Title: Mission Here and Now: An Introduction to Missiology for the Parish
Taught by: Dr. Helene Paharik
Course Dates: June 23-27, 2025 (follows the St. Vincent College academic calendar)
Number of Credits: 2
Course description: How does a parish respond to the decreasing engagement in its sacramental and community life? How can a parish form missionary disciples and why would someone want to be a missionary disciple? What lessons from the early church can we apply to become a parish that is a center of missionary discipleship? What are the best practices of effective missionary parishes? These are some of the questions that will be explored in this summer intensive course designed for parish leaders.
This course will equip students with an understanding of the Trinitarian origin for mission, the biblical basis for mission, the sacramental impetus for mission, the church’s teaching on mission, as well as the processes for making missionary disciples. A survey of Catholic missiology in the documents of Second Vatican Council, the magisterium of Popes John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis will provide students with the theoretical knowledge to design strategies to transform existing parish processes into a missionary mode. This course will require not only learning Catholic missiology, but applying it to parish life today.
This course is an intensive, five-day course that will require your total dedication. You will receive five and a half hours of instruction per day. You will need evenings for homework and reading. A Eucharistic holy hour is also provided for prayerful integration.
Location: Saint Vincent College and Seminary, Latrobe, PA
Daily Class Schedule
Monday, June 23 to Thursday June 26, 2025
Session 1: 9am-11:30am EDT
Session 2: 1:30pm-4:30pm EDT (with a break)
Friday, June 27, 2025
Session 1: 9am-12:30pm EDT
Tuition and Fees:
| Level 1 (not for academic credit) | Level 2 (for academic credit) |
| $670 –Tuition ($335 per credit)
$150 – Sundry Fees (once per summer semester) |
$1,340 –Tuition ($670 per credit)
$50 – Application Fee (new students/non-refundable) $150 – Sundry Fees (once per summer semester) |
| SV Room and Board Cost ($250 total) | SV Room and Board Cost ($250 total) |
| Total $1,070 | Total $1,790 |
If you have previously taken an IMF course or any course through Saint Vincent Seminary or Saint Vincent College, you will be able to login to mysv.stvincent.edu and register through the student portal beginning April 8th.
If you have not previously taken an IMF course, you need to register as a new student. Click here for instructions on how to register. Please note that a first time registration is done using the secure program DocuSign because a social security number is required to register. You should complete this registration process as soon as possible. You do not need to wait until April 8th to register.
Academic Credit: Level 1 and Level 2 Students
Students may participate in the Catholic Theology program at two different levels. Level 1—Non-Credit Participation (audit) or Level 2—Academic For-Credit Participation.
Level 1—Non-Credit Participation (audit). Level 1 students are required to complete most coursework, including full participation in the interactive online class sessions, reading assignments, and weekly assignments and discussion posts. Level 1 students typically are not required to write papers and take exams. Students who successfully complete the Catholic Theology Program at Level 1 will receive a Letter of Program Completion. Successful completion at Level 1 requires a passing grade (70%) in all courses.
Level 2—Academic For-Credit Participation. Level 2 students must complete all coursework with a passing grade (70%) including exams and papers. Students who successfully complete the Spiritual Direction Program at Level 2 will receive a Certificate in Catholic Theology, the foundational certificate in our Master of Arts in Ministry program.
