The St. Bernard’s Course Catalog is a document of record issued every academic year containing information related to the courses offered throughout the curriculum. This document sets out the “beating heart” of the School: its mission to form and to educate takes place primarily in the classroom, in the midst of an encounter between faculty and students as they seek together ever greater knowledge and love of God. To view our 2025 - 2026 Course Catalog, click here.
The location of a course is designated below by one of two geographic areas, indicating the location from which the live course is taught. Students who are within commuting distance to that location are encouraged to attend class in person. All Catholic theology courses online can be accessed synchronously for those unable to attend in person or not in commuting distance. Live course times are listed in Eastern Standard Time (EST) and Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). Further details on distance learning can be found here.
Fall 2025 Courses
August 25th - December 12th, 2025
Application deadline for Fall is August 15th; add/drop deadline is September 5th.
ROC (Rochester Campus)
A202: Old Testament (Matthew Ramage, Ph.D.)
Introduction to the Old Testament introduces exegetical methodology and theology of the Old Testament. Students will consider the fruits and the assumptions of exegesis, using and examining its methodologies both as helpful tools and as products of a particular era. Hebrew poetry and narrative, ritual and ethical instruction, prophecy, historiography, and novella will be analyzed as literature, and students will also examine the development of traditions within the texts of the canon. Since Sacred Scripture is double-authored by both man and God and interpreted in the context of the Catholic Church, this course will also emphasize the theology of the Old Testament, with a special focus on the People of God, and will cover spiritual readings of the Old Testament from the Church Fathers to present.
3 credits | Online
Every other Wednesday, 6:30 — 9:30pm EDT, August 27th, September 10th, September 24th, October 8th, October 22nd, November 5th, November 19th, December 3rd
B/C354: In the Heart's Place: Reading St. Augustine of Hippo's Confessions (Marco Stango, Ph.D.)
The course will be a close reading of St. Augustine of Hippo’s Confessions. The aim of the course is twofold: to introduce the main concepts and themes of Augustine’s Christian thought as it is genetically presented in the Confessions, including, but not limited to, language, human questioning, human knowledge, time and eternity, the problem of evil, memory, creation, and friendship; to evaluate the reasons for the enduring presence of Augustine’s thought in some contemporary thinkers, such as Martin Heidegger, Jean-Luc Marion, and others.
3 credits | Online
Thursdays, 6:00 — 9:00pm EDT, August 28th, September 4th, September 11th, September 18th, September 25th, October 2nd, October 9th, October 16th, October 23rd, October 30th, November 6th, November 13th, November 20th, December 4th, December 11th
C/D333: Catholic Bioethics at the Beginning of Life (Jean Baric Parker, D.Be.)
This course concentrates on bioethical topics and ethical principles that are most relevant at the beginning of human life. It commences with a biological examination of the beginnings of embryonic life, leading to an in-depth discussion of abortion, artificial contraception, natural family planning, NaPRO Technology, in vitro fertilization, gamete donation, surrogate pregnancy, fetal research, and other related topics. All topics are grounded in a discussion of the history of Catholic health care and fundamental Church teaching on natural law, human status, the human act, conscience, theology of the body, and the common good. Common secular arguments opposed to Church teaching in these areas are critiqued. All issues are considered in a highly practical light, with emphasis on real-life applications in pastoral, academic, and health care settings. This course will benefit health care professionals, clergy, chaplains, pastoral workers, life science researchers, ethics committee members, and ‘Catholics in the pew’ who are interested in learning more about applying Catholic bioethical principles to real life situations that they and their loved ones routinely encounter.
3 credits | ROC and Online
Tuesdays, 6:00 — 8:30pm EDT, August 26th, September 2nd, September 9th, September 16th, September 23rd, September 30th, October 7th, October 14th, October 21st, October 28th, November 4th, November 11th, November 18th, November 25th, December 2nd, December 9th
C/D460: Faith, Fiction, and Film: The Drama of Belief (Matthew Kuhner, Ph.D.)
"Every genuine art form in its own way is a path to the inmost reality of man and of the world. It is therefore a wholly valid approach to the realm of faith, which gives human experience its ultimate meaning" (Pope St. John Paul II, Letter to Artists, 6). This course will explore how the art forms of fiction and film approach the realm of faith, reverencing its mystery and disclosing its richness. Beginning with a theological discussion of the relationship between Catholicism and art, the course will move to enjoy and reflect upon recent examples of fiction and film that have explored the drama of belief. Works of fiction by Flannery O'Connor, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Graham Greene, and films by Karen Blixen and Xavier Beauvois will be explored.
3 credits | ROC and Online
Every other Wednesday, 6:00 — 9:00pm EDT, September 3rd, September 17th, October 1st, October 15th, October 29th, November 12th, December 3rd, December 10th
C217: Fundamental Moral Theology
This course introduces the field of moral theology. Students will contemplate the purpose of moral theology in the life of the Church, its methods, and the problems it addresses. Topics will include happiness, action theory, sin, conversion, vice and virtue, and methods of moral decision making.
3 credits
Dates TBD
C226: Liturgical and Sacramental Theology (Rev. Anthony Barratt, S.T.L., Ph.D.)
An historical, anthropological, and theological investigation of Christian worship and sacrament with special attention to the Roman Catholic Sacraments of baptism and Eucharist; historical overview of liturgical practices, texts, and theology from Jewish and Scriptural origins to the 20th-century reforms of the Second Vatican Council; basic principles of liturgical and sacramental theology; and groundwork for interpreting liturgical documents and ritual texts from pastoral practice, multi/inter-cultural concerns, and ecumenical considerations. (Formerly “Worship and Sacraments”)
3 credits | Online
Every other Wednesday, 6:00 — 9:00pm EDT, September 3rd, September 17th, October 1st, October 15th, October 29th, November 5th, November 12th, November 19th
C302: Christology and Trinitarian Theology (Anthony Coleman, Ph.D.)
This course treats the biblical, historical, and dogmatic dimensions of Christology and Trinitarian theology. It aims to treat the person and mission of Jesus Christ, showing the mutual illumination and inseparability of anthropology and Christology, as well the unfolding of Trinitarian theology from the revelation of God fulfilled and completed in Christ. Central to the course will be an in-depth reflection on the statement of Gaudium et Spes 22: “… Only in the mystery of the incarnate Word does the mystery of man take on light…. Christ, the final Adam, by the revelation of the mystery of the Father and His love, fully reveals man to man himself and makes his supreme calling clear.” The course will thereby introduce students to an understanding of Jesus Christ as a union of two natures in one divine person, and the One Triune God as a communion of three persons in one divine nature.
3 credits | Online
Every other Monday, 6:00 — 9:00pm EDT, August 25th, September 8th, September 22nd, October 6th, October 20th, November 3rd, November 17th, December 1st
CP601: Introduction to Catholic Philosophy (Marco Stango, Ph.D.)
This course centers the student upon the discipline of philosophy as it has been developed and practiced within the Catholic intellectual tradition. The methods particular to philosophical investigation will be examined as the philosopher seeks to articulate the nature of wisdom, how it can be attained, and especially incorporated into the entirety of one’s life. The student will understand the differences between philosophy, the sciences, and theology, as well as their respective complementarities, with a focus upon the supportive and illuminative role that philosophy plays in theological education.
3 credits | Online
Every other Tuesday, 6:00 — 9:00pm EDT, August 26th, September 9th, September 23rd, October 7th, October 21st, November 4th, November 18th, December 2nd
CP614: Epistemology (Eric Manchester, Ph.D.)
This course will consider the nature of knowledge, whether the human mind can know things as they really are, the twofold nature of human cognition (normative and empirical/rational and sensual), the relationship between the human person’s empirical and normative knowledge, the different kinds of knowing as well as their degrees, the different approaches to truth, belief, and error, and the metaphysical underpinnings of different approaches to the aforementioned concerns.
3 credits
Every other Wednesday, 6:00 — 9:00pm EDT, August 27th, September 10th, September 24th, October 8th, October 22nd, November 5th, November 19th, December 3rd
CP631: Metaphysics (Marco Stango, Ph.D.)
This course examines the basic concerns and principles that undergird the whole of reality and guide the way by which we think of the ultimate things to which the mind can aspire: existence, essence, the categories of being, the transcendentals, the analogy of being, and the existence and creative activity of God. This course acts as a capstone study to the whole of philosophy and is preferably engaged upon at the end of one’s certificate/degree studies.
3 credits | Online
Every other Tuesday, 6:00 — 9:00pm EDT, September 2nd, September 16th, September 30th, October 14th, October 28th, November 11th, November 25th, December 9th
D214: Spiritual Formation (Lisa Lickona, S.T.L.)
This course seeks to approach the world of prayer in its unity with lived experience. Beginning with a consideration of the witness of the Son of God who “teaches us how to pray” in and through His relationship to the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, we will then move to consider the lives of various saints, including Ignatius of Antioch, Anthony of the Desert, Benedict of Nursia, Bernard of Clairvaux, Teresa of Avila, Ignatius of Loyola, Francis de Sales, Thérèse of Lisieux, Charles de Foucauld, Teresa of Calcutta, and Tagashi Nagai. The attention to each figure will include both an awareness of their place in the history of Catholic spirituality and a consideration of their contribution to the life of prayer. Asynchronous lectures will focus on particular topics in the “practicum” of prayer, including spiritual direction, prayer to Mary, lectio divina, and Ignatian meditation/contemplation.
3 credits | ROC and Online
Every other Thursday, 6:00 — 9:00pm EDT, August 28th, September 11th, September 25th, October 9th, October 23rd, November 6th, November 20th, December 4th
D218: Pastoral Ministry in the Parish: Approaches to Faith Development, Cultural Challenges, and Community Engagement (Jessica Cole, D.Min.)
This course examines a variety of issues surrounding pastoral care and ministry in the parish. We will examine the theology of pastoral ministry, as well as exploring stages of faith development, ministering to Gen Z, family ministry, Eucharistic affiliation, and the current USCCB Strategic Initiatives.
3 credits | Online
Every other Tuesday, 6:00 — 9:00pm EDT, August 26th, September 9th, September 23rd, October 7th, October 21st, November 4th, November 18th, December 2nd
W500: Academic Research and Writing (Lisa Lickona, S.T.L.)
This course is intended for students who have never written or have been long removed from the task of writing a research paper. It will focus on research methods and techniques with an emphasis on: selecting a topic, identifying sources, as well as writing and grammar principles and style. Students will be afforded guidance and suggestions on how to compose a research document written on a scholarly level. Students will also receive helpful information for constructing theological questions and arguments.
1 credit | ROC and Online
Every other Monday, 6:00 — 8:00pm EDT, August 25th, September 8th, September 22nd, October 6th, October 20th
Summer 2025 Courses
June 30th - August 15th (Session II)
Application deadline for Session II is June 30th.
Add/drop deadline is July 7th [Session II].
ROC (Rochester Campus)
A205: Introduction to Biblical Studies (Matthew Ramage, Ph.D.)
The sequence of Sacred Scripture courses at St. Bernard’s is meant to instill habits and skills of reading the Bible that will nourish the spiritual life of the student and candidate for ministry. This first course lays a foundation for all other Scripture courses. It intends to head off simplistic and hackneyed interpretations of Dei Verbum and instead to pursue the development of a rigorous ecclesial hermeneutic. Students will learn the practical building blocks and essential theoretical principles for a Catholic theological approach to the interpretation of Sacred Scripture. Topics treated include biblical geography, biblical history, biblical languages, biblical narrative, the framework of theology, textual criticism, historical criticism, biblical canon, patristic interpretation, the four senses of Scripture, philosophical hermeneutics, and Dei Verbum.
3 credits | Online
Wednesdays, 6:30 - 9:30pm EDT, July 2nd, July 9th, July 16th, July 23rd, July 30th, August 6th, August 13th
B/D435: Contemplative Prayer: A Monastic Immersion (Lisa Lickona, S.T.L.; Fr. Isaac Slater, OSCO)
This course will introduce students to the world of contemplative prayer within the context of Catholic theology and lived experience. Three online classes focusing on the experiences of prayer in the lives of the saints will serve as preparation for the five-day retreat at the Abbey of the Genesee. During the retreat, students will be invited to the experience of contemplation within a monastic environment that fosters silence, presence, stillness and spaciousness.
3 credits | Abbey of the Genesee
July 28th - August 1st, 2025. Retreat Course format. Not included in the One Free Summer Audit. Learn more here!
C/D375: Atonement: Soundings in Biblical, Trinitarian, and Spiritual Theology (Margaret Turek, S.T.D.)
The theme of atonement takes us to the very heart of the mission of Jesus Christ. It should be cause for concern, then, that a conspicuous characteristic of much of contemporary theology and catechesis is the absence of efforts to understand the Cross of Christ as a work of atonement. This course examines the central importance and perennial value of the mystery of atonement in the face of the modern aversion to it. Rooted firmly in Sacred Scripture and drawing insights from the writings of Popes Benedict XVI and John Paul II, as well as Hans Urs von Balthasar and St. Therese of Lisieux (among others), the course aims to elucidate the Cross event as a dramatic epiphany, shaped in response to sin, of the staggering love of God for us, while we were yet sinners. In addition to exploring the atoning work of Christ in view of its closeness to and distance from the old covenant history of eliminating sin, the course uncovers resources and unfolds implications for a renewed spirituality of atonement in which we personally participate in the atoning mission of Christ.
3 credits | Online
Wednesdays, 6:00 - 9:00pm EDT, July 2nd, July 9th, July 16th, July 23rd, July 30th, August 6th, August 13th
C/D397: The Whole Breadth of Reason: Faith, Science, and Technology (Siobhan Latar, S.T.D.; Apolonio Latar, S.T.L.)
Are faith and science compatible? What is the appropriate way to respond to the exponential growth of technology in our time? This course is designed to provide an understanding of science and technology within the intelligence of faith. Students will learn how having a Christian philosophical foundation allows for a truer vision of science and technology in contrast to contemporary naturalistic worldviews. It will offer a framework for students to think about and relate to modern technologies and contemporary issues, in order to have “the courage to engage the whole breadth of reason” (Pope Benedict XVI, “The Regensburg Address”). Topics will include, but are not limited to: scientism, the nature of science, contemporary medicine, genetic engineering, and artificial intelligence.
3 credits | Online
Tuesdays, 6:00 - 9:00pm EDT, July 1st, July 8th, July 15th, July 22nd, July 29th, August 5th, August 12th
CP621: Philosophy of Nature (TBD)
This course offers an examination of the ancient and medieval accounts of the natural world, specifically their understanding of nature, change, space, time, purpose, chance, and the principles upon which they rest. This is perhaps the most fundamental of all philosophy courses and, together with logic, establishes the vocabulary basic to the whole of the Catholic philosophical tradition.
3 credits
Dates TBD
D210: Lord, Teach Us to Pray: An Introduction to Prayer and Discernment (Lisa Lickona, S.T.L.)
What is prayer? How does one pray? What is discernment? Is it possible to discover God’s will and respond to it? What does it mean to make “spiritual progress”? This course attempts to answer these questions by drawing on classical texts from Scripture and Tradition. The emphasis throughout the course will be on both theology and practice, as students bring their own lived experience into dialogue with the witness of Jesus, Mary, and the saints.
3 credits | ROC and Online
Mondays, 6:00 - 9:00pm EDT, June 30th, July 7th, July 14th, July 21st, August 4th, August 11th
