When Maria Natoli, a 65-year-old grandmother, accepted a challenge from her university-student grandson to enrol in Didaskō—an online theology course—she had no idea how this decision would invigorate her entire parish community.
Offered by the Parish Renewal team in the Sydney Centre for Evangelisation, Didaskō, meaning “to teach,” connects parishioners with the best educators and university lecturers from the University of Notre Dame (UNDA), for a series of short courses directly to homes and, in this case, Maria’s parish, All Hallows in Five Dock.
“During a meeting of our faith formation committee, which included our parish priest, we collectively recognised the potential benefits of this course. There’s a growing need for diverse faith formation activities tailored to our community,” Maria reflects.
The course, held over three evenings, can be enjoyed by individuals from the comfort of their home as well as church groups in their parish halls and churches.
Maria and her team transformed a corner of their church into a makeshift classroom, utilising the church’s laptop along with tables and chairs to create a welcoming learning environment.
“It was incredibly easy to set up, and the learning experience has been wonderful. We enjoyed delving into the history of the church—discovering why certain elements are present in the Mass and understanding the influences that shaped its development,” she shared.
Professor Renee Kohler-Ryan from UNDA highlighted the course’s accessibility: “The university lecturers effectively meet the participants where they are. It’s a cost-effective and time-efficient option, structured over three nights, offering concise, easily digestible content in philosophy and theology,” she said.
For Maria, the course was personally enriching, particularly the lectures on church history and the evolution of the Mass.
“Learning about how St Paul composed his letters was fascinating. I appreciated the insights into Stoic philosophy and alternative perspectives on our beliefs. It’s essential for us to engage with this knowledge,” she emphasised.
As anticipation builds for the next Didaskō course in March, the parish of Our Lady of the Rosary in Fairfield has also signed up. George Azzi, a pivotal organiser of this initiative, aims to provide high-quality, university-level content in a parish setting at an accessible price.
“We’ve seen remarkable interest from our parishioners,” Azzi explained. “Many are keen to explore the deeper aspects of our faith that they weren’t aware of before.”
Azzi views this course as a natural extension of the parish’s ongoing educational efforts.
“This initiative offers a great opportunity for our parishioners to delve deeper into their faith. University education is often expensive, but this is both affordable and accessible,” he noted.
He describes the learning experience as “addictive” in the best way possible revealing the beauty and richness of Catholic teachings.
“Many people associate Catholicism with only a narrow perspective. However, our faith is incredibly diverse and profound. We have yet to unpack and appreciate all its dimensions, which can be quite enriching for personal growth and understanding.”
The cost is $30 per person or $100 for parish groups. Each course will be delivered online via Zoom. To register go to follow the link.
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