On Friday 9th September, five of the seven persons who completed the 2010 Social Justice online course with the University of Dayton (UD) – in partnership with CREDI – The Catholic Institute, and CCSJ, graduated at St Finbar’s Auditorium along with those who had completed their Masters in Educational Leadership course with UD.
Leela Ramdeen, Chair of CCSJ, presented the five students and recommended them to receive certification to Dr Kevin Kelly, Dean of UD’s School of Education. Sr Angela Zukowski, Director for the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives, presented each student with his/her Certificate.
The following are the seven persons who completed the course.
Ms Rhonda Joy Earle
Ms Andrea Joseph-Hutchinson
Mr Sean Julien
Ms Anne Marie Richardson
Mr. Cheridan Zachary Woodruffe
Renessa Kuanyin Tang Pack and Joan Harrison were unable to attend the Graduation.
Members of CCSJ extend warmest congratulations to these students who are all committed to supporting CCSJ in our work in their parishes and across the Archdiocese. We also congratulate the graduands of the Masters in Educational Leadership. These two groups are the first fruits of the partnership between UD and CREDI. The following are some comments by various individuals about the Social Justice online course – including comments by some of the graduands:
Leela Ramdeen, CCSJ Chair: “Many Catholics are still unaware of the social teachings of our Church. It is critical that the faithful access appropriate, well-planned training such as the SJ online course at UD if they are to use the SEE-JUDGE-ACT methodology effectively. It is significant that our first cohort of students on this course will be graduating in the year in which the Church marks the 40th Anniversary of the Synod of Bishops 1971 Document: Justice in the World.
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Students who have completed the 2010 UD course are fired up and have committed themselves to work with CCSJ in achieving our goals. I am extremely proud of the students who are graduating as I know of the sacrifices they made to complete this course. They were all employed full time and had a range of other commitments, yet they stayed the course.
Inter alia, they will be working with CCSJ to prepare a series of 5 minute bite-size videos on the social teaching of the Church – to be aired on Trinity Communications Network on a regular basis. These videos will focus on issues relating to the 8 modules covered on the course: Conscience, Introduction to Christian Morality, Faith and Human Development, Poverty in the Caribbean and Around the World, Introduction to Practical Morality, Scripture and Justice, Advanced Catholic Social Teaching, Parish and Social Action.
Mission is where people are – in their parishes. Therefore, we must empower Catholics to carry out their mission. The UD Social Justice online course gives Catholics the tools they need to be true witnesses to their faith – to demonstrate love for God and for neighbour.”
Dr Vena Jules, President of CREDI: “In the present social context, we cannot underscore the need for values education and this Social Justice online course fits right into that niche.”
Msgr Jason Gordon, former Chair of CREDI and Bishop-elect of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgetown, Barbados, and Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines: “It is said that the Church’s teaching on social justice is the Church’s best kept secret. But for a Church to be mature, alive and faithful to Christ, its members have to know and live the Catholic justice tradition. The Social Justice online Certificate and those who have just graduated are a very important step of deepening this process for CCSJ and the Church.”
Sr. Angela Ann Zukowski, MHSH, D.Min., Director, Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation (VLCFF), UD: “The University of Dayton’s VLCFF Program continues to grow throughout the world. Our collaboration supporting the social justice ministry with the Archdiocese of Port of Spain is an example of the possibilities a quality online program offers dioceses to enhance diocesan ministry formation. We are thrilled with our first CREDI Social Justice cohort! We have no doubt that with the combined outstanding leadership of Leela Ramdeen these graduates will be animating gospel social justice transformation within their parishes and country”.
Anne Marie Richardson: “This course was tough but so rewarding! The reality of being “my brother’s keeper”, Gen. 4: – 9, was solidified when I did this online course as we were exposed to the diverse needs of our brothers and sisters here and in the wider world. We were scripturally challenged with the knowledge that social justice has been an issue from time immemorial and through the ages it has constantly been addressed by our Church through the many encyclicals and other writings of our leaders. I now ask myself, how I am going to put all this new information to use in my church and in my parish. The answers are coming slowly but surely; I just have to be open to them.”
Rhonda Earle: “This online social justice course has been a tremendous experience, both in terms of knowledge of the principles of social justice, but even more significantly for me, in being part of a community of faith exploration. As we all participated in the discussions and shared in the ways that knowledge was impacting on our individual faith journeys, we came as a group, to know what a true community of love, growing together in wisdom, could mean.”
Cheridan Woodruffe: “The course allowed me to crystallize my ideas on Social Justice in a formal way. I have been exposed to SJ through the SVP for over 35 years but for the first time undertook any formal studies. The course also impressed on me the urgency and responsibility of all Christians to embrace and live the principles of SJ. At the same time the course brought to the forefront the critical need for training by the Church through its parishes in order to prepare the laity in taking up the challenge of transforming the world.
I see this course as an opportunity for getting the message out and helping to view SJ in a structured way. I will continue to recommend others to do the course.”
For further information on the VLCFF Certificate in Social Justice link into vlc.udayton.edu, or contact, angela.zukowski@notes.udayton.edu, or Leela Ramdeen (Archdiocese of Port of Spain), leela_ramdeen@hotmail.com
