Registration is now open for The Art of Evangelization through Apologetics, which will be held October  3–24. Participants will learn to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others in a natural and engaging way, as Jesus did, and why being a credible believer is the most effective apologetic tool.

The seminar will be taught by Allan F. Wright, an author, professor, speaker, and Catholic radio show host who has a passion for scripture and the Catholic faith. He will cover current trends in the Church, models for evangelization, parish structures that support effective evangelization, and the role of apologetics in making disciples of all nations.

Professor Wright says, “While articulating the truth of the Gospel, we need the relational tools to start a conversation, build trust, serve, and then propose who Jesus Christ is. To quote St. Bernadette, ‘Our job is to inform, not convince.’”

Taking this seminar fulfills 1 continuing education unit for those who need to earn these units yearly to fulfill requirements.

Tuition is just $99. To register, visit https://www.pathlms.com/cdu/courses/38096.

Earlier this year, Dr. Marianne Evans Mount informed the CDU Board of Trustees of her desire to retire as President of CDU as soon as her successor can be recruited and engaged. A Presidential Search Committee, appointed by the Board of Trustees and representing all constituencies of the university, selected executive search firm Hyatt-Fennell to manage the search process under its guidance. Hyatt-Fennell was chosen from a field of highly regarded search firms because of its expertise in serving small- to medium-sized faith-based institutions and deep connections across the Catholic higher education community.

President Mount has served CDU tirelessly since 1983. Under her leadership, CDU has grown from a catechetical institute with a staff of two offering paper correspondence courses to the world’s only exclusively online, fully accredited Catholic university. She served as Education Director from 1983 to 1985, Executive Director from 1985 to 1996, Vice President from 1997 to 2008, and as President since 2008 after earning her PhD. Her zeal for CDU’s mission, in partnership with dedicated employees, has brought CDU to an inflection point, with unprecedented opportunities to enhance the value of a CDU degree and the contributions of our graduates to the Church. The enhanced value will be created by the university’s recent HLC and ATS accreditations, innovations in curricula enabled by grant opportunities, enrollment growth, and new academic partnerships.

Hyatt-Fennell’s founding partner, Cheryl Hyatt, is leading the search, supported by partner Dr. Robert Head, a former university President with 40 years of leadership experience. They began the process by conducting listening sessions with trustees, faculty, staff, administrators, and students. The goal is to have the newly appointed president begin work in mid-2023.

This is an exciting period of challenges and opportunities to advance CDU’s mission by playing a larger role in Catholic higher education in service to the Church. I will keep our community apprised of the progress achieved by the Search Committee at key junctures in the search process.

Thank you for all you do to advance the mission of Catholic Distance University. Your contributions are deeply appreciated.–Steve Pryor, Chairman Board of Trustees

Making the Case for Christ, offered August 8–29, 2022, will help Catholics strengthen their faith and develop objective and persuasive reasons for belief, which are valuable for sharing with those who may doubt the historical reality, divinity, or resurrection of Jesus. This continuing education seminar will help attendees better perform the Spiritual Works of Mercy to “counsel the doubtful” and “instruct the uninformed.” Making the Case for Christ is one of six online Apologetics seminars offered. Students who complete all six will earn a Non-Credit Basic Certificate in Apologetics.

The course instructor, Steven R. Hemler, is President of the Catholic Apologetics Institute of North America (CAINA). He is author of a trilogy of apologetics books, The Reality of God: The Layman’s Guide to Scientific Evidence for the Creator, Search No More: The Keys to Truth and Happiness, and Catholic Stories of Faith and Hope: How God Brings Good Out of Suffering.

Learn more and enroll today at https://www.pathlms.com/cdu/courses/42287.

Enrollment in fall classes is underway at Catholic Distance University, which is waiving the application fee through the end of 2022 to give students a break during these tough economic times. Students appreciate CDU’s 8-week-long online courses, affordable tuition, and faithfully Catholic focus. The university is also known for its exceptional faculty, personalized approach to education, and small class sizes.

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Affordability and Transparency list, CDU falls in the lowest 10% for tuition rates among 4-year not-for-profit universities nationwide.

Once admitted, students can begin classes in either the Fall I term, which starts on August 22^nd, or the Fall II term, which begins on October 24^th.

 Because all of CDU’s programs offered online, students living at home have no room and board costs to pay, and many choose to work part-time while attending. All of these factors help CDU students earn their degrees while avoiding the debt that has become so common in higher education today. Because classes have no set meeting times, students can manage work and family responsibilities while completing coursework at times that fit their schedules.

 Unlike many universities, CDU allows students to begin taking courses part-time. Students may choose to begin with one or two classes. Fall is the perfect time to begin or continue earning college credits! For more information, or to apply for free and enroll in the fall terms, click the “Apply Now” button at the top of the page or contact admissions director Todd Nolan at admissions@cdu.edu.

Join us from August 8^th through August 29^th for an online seminar: Making the Case for Christ. This three-week online apologetics seminar will help you strengthen your faith and develop objective and persuasive reasons for belief that are valuable for sharing with those who may doubt the historical reality, divinity, or resurrection of Jesus. The seminar will also help attendees better perform the Spiritual Works of Mercy to “counsel the doubtful” and “educate the uninformed.”

Join us for an Open House Webinar on Tuesday, May 3rd, from 6-7 pm ET to learn more about CDU’s online degree and certificate programs. You’ll meet dean Dr. Peter Brown, professors Dr. Carole Brown and Dr. Elizabeth Shaw, Student Life director Mary McKay, and librarian Stephanie Garrett. You’ll also have a chance to ask questions during a live Q&A session and be entered in a raffle to win free CDU gear and a book written by one of our professors! Join us to learn more about what sets CDU apart from other online universities.

Are you looking for a theology program that is 100% faithful to the Church, 100% online and easily fits into your busy schedule? Then sign up for our Online Open House being held Tuesday, May 3, at 6 p.m. (EDT).

This event will introduce you to our different theology degree and certificate programs so you can choose the right program for you.

You’ll also get:

• A chance to hear from our admissions director, dean, director of student life, and professors about what sets CDU apart from other online universities.
• An overview of several fascinating courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels that will introduce you to the
  study of theology.
• Information on transferring credits, ensuring you a smooth transition into our program, and the opportunity to finally finish your undergraduate
  degree.
• An overview of the online Student Life Center, where you’ll obtain resources to help you successfully complete your degree.
• A Q&A session with our dean, professors, and staff.

Be sure to stick around until the end of the webinar, where you’ll have a chance to win free CDU gear and books by our professors!

The event will last about 40-50 minutes, and it’s completely free. Once you’re through, you’ll be well-positioned for an easy transition into one of our online theology degree programs.

Register Now!

What does it mean to live a moral life? How is the wisdom of Aristotle and Aquinas still relevant today? Learn the answer to these questions and many more by taking PHIL 311 Ethics, offered in the summer 2022 term. This engaging course is taught by popular professor Dr. Elizabeth Shaw. Students in the BA in Theology degree completion program can take PHIL 311 to fulfill three of the 12 required general education credits in Philosophy.

PHIL 311 explores moral philosophy and concepts of the good as applied to human action. Students will read the primary texts of philosophical masters and study modern challenges to the perennial tradition of realist ethics, including utilitarianism and moral relativism.

Dr. Elizabeth Shaw earned her PhD in Philosophy from The Catholic University of America, with a specialty in American Philosophy. She serves as CDU’s associate dean for accreditation and is associate editor of the quarterly journal The Review of Metaphysics, which is published by the non-profit organization the Philosophy Education Society, Inc. This summer she is also serving, by invitation, as faculty at the Dietrich von Hildebrand Project’s annual seminar at Franciscan University of Steubenville, which is now in its 12th year.

You asked, and we listened. Recognizing that many students serve the Church through volunteer or paid ministry work, a new Church Ministry Grant will be offered to help offset the cost of tuition, and it is available to students who have been accepted into an academic program.

Undergraduates who qualify will receive a grant of up to $20 per credit hour, and graduate students will receive up to $30 per credit hour. Visit the Paying for Education website page for full details and to access the application.

Winter II classes begin on March 14th, and registration is well underway. Be sure to secure your spot in
the class of your choice soon, and add meaning to your Lenten journey through study while earning
credits! Here is a sampling of a few fascinating courses being offered.

SPIR 501 Applied Catholic Spirituality is a practical how-to course that will help you examine the state
of your personal conversion, learn the art of Christian meditation, the skillsets for the
discernment of spirits and the discernment of God’s will, and much more. A surprising
number of professionals who work for the Church do not have a solid prayer life. Don’t
let that be you! Taught by Dr. Carole Brown, who holds a PhD in Systematic Theology
from Milltown Institute, Dublin, Ireland, and serves as director of the Sioux Spiritual
Center, a small Catholic retreat center in the Diocese of Rapid City. As a Catholic lay
woman, Dr. Brown has been involved in various evangelistic ministries throughout the course of her
adult life.

CHIST 224 & 524 Church History II: Renaissance to Modern Church, the second of two survey courses,
will introduce you to the vast panorama of key issues, leaders, topics and patterns
related to Church history throughout the Renaissance, Reformation, Enlightenment, and
into modernity. Taught by Dr. Marie Nuar, who received her STD in Theology from the
Pontifical University of St. Thomas, Rome; her STL in Missiology and MA in Jewish
Studies from the Pontifical Gregorian University; her License in Arabic and Islamic
Studies from the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies; and her MA in Theology from
Franciscan University of Steubenville.

BIO 101 General Biology will open your eyes to the wonder inside each of the 37.2 trillion cells of your
body. It will deepen your appreciation for the world around you and equip you to
grapple with the question of evolution from within the theological boundaries set by
the Church. Taught by Dr. Catherine Gara, an educator and writer who holds a PhD in
Biology from The Johns Hopkins University and specializes in “translating” scientific
research into lay language.