Institute for Pastoral Initiatives News
Making Caribbean connections through online learning
By John LeComte
At 75 years young, Celestine St. Jean registered for a VLCFF online e-course to make a difference in her community.
“I took the Catechist formation course because I have an urge to spread the knowledge that I have learned to those I teach and meet,” said St. Jean.
As a member of Holy Family Cathedral parish on the Caribbean island of Antigua, Celestine found out about the VLCFF through her catechetical coordinator, Morvette Thomas.
“Why not?” said St. Jean when asked by Thomas to register for an online course.
"From the first day to the last, it was very informative. It was amazing how I felt such a presence during the dissemination of God's word from each session.”
As a single mother of now three grown children, St. Jean says she raised them Catholic but allowed her children to travel on their own spiritual journeys.
She recommends any young member of the church to complete these online courses so they may embrace the opportunity in educating themselves.
"It was an amazing experience. I still have that open feeling for more truth, principles of God's words, and to apply these in my faith formation.”
“I had no idea the VLCFF e-course would have turned out so beneficial to me.”
VLCFF’s next learning cycle starts August 30. Go to VLCFF.UDayton.edu to create a profile and register for an e-course.
The VLCFF has served the dioceses associated with the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) for several years now. A significant number of people have participated in the AEC’s Pastoral Letter on Communications: New Way of Being Church in a Digital Milieu’s VLCFF e-seminar that is also available throughout the Caribbean via the VLCFF.
For more information, contact John LeComte, jlecomte1@udayton.edu