Here are of some of the workshops the Institute has to offer. Not finding a topic you are interested in? Contact Chris for more offerings.
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Discipleship
What, exactly, does it mean to be a Christian, to follow Jesus Christ as His disciple, and how do we do that in our daily lives? This workshop explores the basics of Christian discipleship: its meaning and how to grow in it.
Walking With Others Closer to Jesus
God has put particular people in your path at a particular time and place for a particular reason. In this workshop we are going to see how you can walk with these people effectively and fruitfully in your daily life.
Conversion: Evangelizing Catholics
If we are going to make disciples of all nations, we first have to begin with ourselves, individually, at a family level, a parish level, even a diocesan level. As a Church, we need to be a people set ablaze with love for Jesus Christ so we can answer his call to go out and evangelize the rest of the world.
You Too Go Into the Vineyard
Everyone in the Church, including the laity, are called into the Lord’s work of making disciples of all nations. In this workshop, we will learn the ways we can make disciples of Jesus Christ.
Evangelizing and Stewardship
To Evangelize means to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and Stewardship means to take care of something that belongs to someone else. In this workshop we will see how both of these fit together and how living them out well fulfills our calling to be disciples of Jesus Christ.
The Good News!
The Gospel, the good news, tells us that Jesus Christ came to die and to rise again to save us. In its fullness, it reveals the depth and beauty of God’s plan for us, far beyond what we could imagine.
Obstacles and Aids to Conversion
In this workshop, we will look at the things in our culture that make it easier and more difficult to lead others to Christ in order to make our work of evangelization more effective and fruitful.
Why Be Catholic?
Being Catholic today is a hard thing, and there are so many other options available to us. In that light, This workshop focuses on the basic answers to the question, “Why should I — or anyone — be a Catholic?”
The Catholic Church: Does it Matter?
While we often see the sinfulness of the Church’s leaders and other members, the deeper reality is that the Church is the Bride of Christ and is the means by which we deepen our discipleship with Him. This workshop addresses the importance and necessity of the Church for growing closer to God and growing in His truth.
Four Marks of the Church
Each Sunday we profess that the Church is One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. But what do these words mean and how do they matter in my life? This workshop will explore these four characteristics or marks of the Church and how they matter for us today.
The Church and the Eucharist
Both the Church and the Eucharist are described as the Body of Christ, but their relationship goes much deeper than simply sharing the same name. This workshop explores the deep relationship between the Church and the Eucharist and shows how our own participation in one impacts the other.
The Mass: Its Biblical Origins and Its Meaning for Us Today
When we deepen our understanding of the Mass, we come to behold the hidden but deep truth: the Mass is a participation in the heavenly worship of God which is happening right now. This workshop looks at the basis for the Mass in the Word of God and its relevance for us today as we seek to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.
Getting More Out of the Mass
At this day of reflection, participants will learn how Jesus turned the Passover meal (the Seder) into the ultimate fulfillment of all God’s Promises. They will experience a simple Seder celebration, see how Jesus took the Seder meal and turned it into the Last Supper and celebrate Mass with a greater understanding and renewed heart.
How to Read the Bible
Reading the Bible can be intimidating or confusing, but it doesn’t have to be that way. In this workshop, you will learn how to prayerfully and fruitfully read the Bible and in doing so, transform your life and your relationship with Jesus Christ.
How to Pray
Often we think of prayer as something we memorized as a child or perhaps the petitions we have for our loved ones, but prayer can be so much deeper than that. Dr. Chris shares how we are able to pray in lived relationship with Jesus Christ that leads us to the heavenly Father by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Vatican II: Source of Renewal
St. John Paul II described the Second Vatican Council as the great gift of the Spirit to the Church in our time, and yet it in many ways it remains an unopened gift. This workshop will provide an introduction to the Council and some of its key documents and show its continuing relevance to Catholics in our time.
The Relationship Between the Parish and the Diocese
While our regular experience of the Church is in our local parish, it is the diocesan Church that is actually the “local Church”. But what does that mean, and how does the diocese relate to the parish? This workshop answers these and related questions about the relationship between the parish and the diocese.
High Priest of the Land: The Role and Importance of a Diocesan Bishop
With the arrival and ordination of a new bishop, many people naturally wonder about what, exactly, a bishop is and what he does. In this workshop, Dr. Chris will explain and unpack the role and importance of a bishop for the life of every Catholic — and even every person — within the diocese.
Strengthening our Faith When It’s Stormy
Throughout the centuries the Church has experienced corruption, turmoil, and chaos and yet we cling to our faith because Jesus promised us that the ‘gates of hell will not prevail’ against His Church. In this talk Dr. Chris Burgwald explains how we can strengthen our faith in times of turmoil and the reasons why we can confidently proclaim “I am proud to be Catholic”.
Who Are You to Judge: Truth, Happiness and Love
Have you ever been accused of being judgmental or intolerant just because you are a Christian or more specifically a Catholic? Dr. Chris will share ways to help others see that the Church’s teachings are actually all about Truth, Happiness, and Love.
The Rise of the Nones
Dr. Chris will give us insight into the rising number of people leaving the Church and what we can do to stop and even reverse it.
Male and Female He Created Them
God created our bodies and our sexuality as an essential part of who we are. A misunderstanding of their purpose is at the heart of many controversial issues today. So what is the true purpose of our bodies and how can understanding that purpose transform our lives?