The Priory Institute...

kelly1

Hello, just wondering if anyone has studied or is currently studying with the Priory Institute? I'm interested in doing a certificate course and I'd like to hear about peoples experiences with the institute.

http://www.prioryinstitute.com

Thanks,
Noel.

Fanny Cradock

Maybe not quite what you where looking for, but an old friend availed of their services for various addictions that were ruining his life a number of years back. Their input was key to him getting back on track. It sounds like a worthy organisation.

postcynical

Hi Kelly1, I can't help you either but have been looking at their courses for the last two years, hoping to attend. Afraid I'm just way too busy at the moment to follow up my interest. Even posting here is time away from my sleep or my prayers:o

If you learn anything, please share it. Especially concerning the actual time commitments.

kelly1

I got their prospectus in the post and it looks good!

It's a modular course and each module takes 15 weeks to complete. If you have the time, you can do 2 modules concurrently. They recommend allowing at least 8 hours study per week per module.

The autumn semester modules are on Scripture and Theology and the spring semester modules are on Spirituality and Philosophy. This is at level 1 or certificate level. You do additonal modules to gain a diploma or degree.

The cost per module is €300 without accreditation and €450 with (i.e. you have to submit assignments).

http://www.prioryinstitute.com/pb/wp_aff0f6ce/wp_aff0f6ce.html

I'm going to sign up so I'll let ye know how it goes.

God bless,
Noel.

Bernadine

I completed a five year degree programme in 2010. It was the best experience of my life. The course deepened my faith and helped me to understand the many major decisions made by the Church which can be considered controversial. I discovered that the Catholic Church overall is the best kept secret that exists today. God is now very personal in my life and my whole outlook to life in general has altered dramatically. I would encourage everybody to undertake this course. Begin reading the Scriptures now and learn what God has revealed through His Word. For beginners, begin with the New Testament which starts with Matthew. Work your way through the four Gospels, the Acts etcetera. Your spiritual life will develop and suddenly the unknown becomes to a certain extent the known. God will reveal through the Holy Spirit the mysteries of His Word. Good luck and God Bless

kelly1

Thanks for that Bernadine. God bless you.

Onesimus

It's rife with modern heresy. I have the module textbooks here at home. Left the course as soon as I read them.

Bernadine

I believe when an individual makes a statement which has been made it must be qualified with an example. As with all courses the student is given a broad view of what is currently taking place in the world which broadens their mind to the thinking of others including atheists, agnostics, other faiths etc.

However, when one begins to study they should pray to the Lord for the gift of discernment and to be surrounded in the precious blood so that they will know what is right and what is wrong. Personally speaking I am orthodox despite having completed the course. There were many liberal thinking people also undertaking the course together with lecturers who give their own interpretations. Nonetheless with prayerful attention to studies you will be kept on the right road. In today's society with reiki, yoga together with other new age practices every individual must be made aware of what it is God wants. You will only attain this firstly through prayer and secondly through studying.

'At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure'. (Luke 10:21).

Studying theology has allowed me to discover what took place during the different Councils through the years within the Church. This further allowed me to understand why certain decisions were made. My focus remained on Jesus throughout the course and through Him I was able to discern what was correct and what was incorrect. Thankfully I have now embraced my faith with a joy that I have never experienced before.

God Bless

Plowman

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Onesimus

They are not teaching proper Faith and morals. You shouldnt have to attend a university or programme that teaches that the burning bush wasnt actually a burning bush but just a myth the inspired writer took from the babylonian pagans of the time. :rolleyes: Oh and there is a lot more than that in there as well. It's a complete sham.

The old testament is not mythical it is anti-myth and was written to subvert the myths circling at the time.

I dont attend Catholic college courses to sit and listen to that crap and somehow ''overlook'' it and continue with the course whilst the jackals push forth their jackal theology down others necks whilst making a buck at the same time. Traders the lot of them.

We go to learn the Catholic faith and each lecturer should be grounded in that faith. There has already been Catholic universitys been closed down or taken off the list of Catholic colleges by the Pope because of all that modern liberal teaching.

My advice to the OP is to forget about spending money on the modules and go elsewhere. If your not after a B.A or masters and just want to study out of interest, go and buy Jeff Cavins Bible Adventure timeline dvds in veritas. They are 350 euro and are a pastoral approach to the study of the scriptures. Choice is yours of course.

You havnt much pickings in Ireland anyways, every college is pretty much the same. But I refuse to fund these absolute Judas priests and purported ''doctors'' and their jackal theology.

Onesimus

Bernadine

'the burning bush wasnt actually a burning bush but just a myth the inspired writer took from the babylonian pagans of the time'.

Onesimus[/QUOTE]

Can you tell me what page number this is on and from which module please?

PS Jeff Cavin is one of those converts who went in search of Catholic truth and found it. He discovered the Catholic Church through his studies as the only context in which the Bible truly comes to life.

Plowman

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Onesimus

Right away on the first module the text says ''Story-telling is found in every culture in the world, whether written or oral. Of the many different types of stories in existence, one of the most common is mythology. Myths, as found in the Bible, are used to teach core values about humanity and humanitys relationship with God. They express their values by telling stories rather than by explaining things in the way a scientist would. Most of Genesis 1-11 consists of mythological story-telling.''

I dont even have to go into any more detail or spend any more time on this. the course is botched right from the word ''go''.

Even the Priest who was the head of this programme felt that Jesus Crucifixion wasnt prophecied and that he just happened to be there at the wrong place and wrong time. :rolleyes:

It's a joke the whole lot of it. Spend your money on something else OP.

Onesimus

Onesimus

Plowman wrote: »

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No they are giving you these as facts, not as a worldview. they only give you one view and that is their view.

Bernadine. If you listen to Jeff you will hear him talk about these doctors who say the bible is full of myths on his dvds. You are right. Jeff is great and there is noone else out there like him. Fantastic teacher unlike the Priory boys. Absolute shame that the Dominicans have this going on under their very roof.

Bernadine

Definitions of Myth
Before defining the term "mythology" one needs to define the meaning of the word "myth". The word itself comes from the Greek "mythos" which originally meant "speech" or "discourse" but which later came to mean "fable" or "legend". The word "myth" can be defined as a story of forgotten or vague origin, basically religious or supernatural in nature, which seeks to explain or rationalize one or more aspects of the world or a society. Furthermore, all myths are, at some stage, actually believed to be true by the peoples of the societies that used or originated the myth. This definition is thus clearly distinguished from the use of the word myth in everyday speech which basically refers to any unreal or imaginary story.

A myth is also distinctly different from an allegory or parable which is a story deliberately made up to illustrate some moral point but which has never been assumed to be true by anyone.

Some myths describe some actual historical event, but have been embellished and refashioned by various story tellers over time so that it is impossible to tell what really happened. In this last aspect myths have a legendary and historical nature.

(Taken from Bernard Doyle).

Since I have undertaken the course and my mind has been broadened and my faith deepened by the OP I rest my case.

zoomtard

Onesimus wrote: »

...

I dont attend Catholic college courses to sit and listen to that crap and somehow ''overlook'' it and continue with the course whilst the jackals push forth their jackal theology down others necks whilst making a buck at the same time. Traders the lot of them.

...

Onesimus

Out of interest, if you could attend any Catholic colleges in the world, which ones would you be drawn to?

Onesimus

Bernadine wrote: »

Definitions of Myth
Before defining the term "mythology" one needs to define the meaning of the word "myth". The word itself comes from the Greek "mythos" which originally meant "speech" or "discourse" but which later came to mean "fable" or "legend". The word "myth" can be defined as a story of forgotten or vague origin, basically religious or supernatural in nature, which seeks to explain or rationalize one or more aspects of the world or a society. Furthermore, all myths are, at some stage, actually believed to be true by the peoples of the societies that used or originated the myth. This definition is thus clearly distinguished from the use of the word myth in everyday speech which basically refers to any unreal or imaginary story.

A myth is also distinctly different from an allegory or parable which is a story deliberately made up to illustrate some moral point but which has never been assumed to be true by anyone.

Some myths describe some actual historical event, but have been embellished and refashioned by various story tellers over time so that it is impossible to tell what really happened. In this last aspect myths have a legendary and historical nature.

(Taken from Bernard Doyle).

Since I have undertaken the course and my mind has been broadened and my faith deepened by the OP I rest my case.

Bernadine. The woman herself ( lecturer ) actually said it's half true half false is the story of creation when asked about it. The bible is Gods actual word, the very word of the Holy Spirit himself. To claim that he borrowed stories from myths surrounding the inspired writers at the time is to call the Holy Spirit a liar. And thats what they said.

and to sit and listen to the head of the programme then give us his idea that Jesus Crucifixion was not prophecied but that he just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, was enough for me and I'm only sorry that I even wasted my 200 euro deposit on this farce of a programme.

Zoomtard to answer your question ( and my knowledge of Universities is limited ) I can only think of one that would attract my attention and that is ''The Franciscan Uni of Steubenville'' in the states.

To be honest these programmes have turned me off completely ever entering a college course again. Never will I darken the doors of a Catholic College in this country again in my lifetime.

Onesimus

kelly1

Onesimus, you sound quite bitter. I was also dismayed by some of the heretical views of the lecturers on study days but I found the course material to be generally sound. I think you're taking far too fundamentalist a view.

Onesimus

kelly1 wrote: »

Onesimus, you sound quite bitter. I was also dismayed by some of the heretical views of the lecturers on study days but I found the course material to be generally sound. I think you're taking far too fundamentalist a view.

Well on any course I've been on the course material was far from sound. Scripture by the way is sound, but put a lecturers twisted view behind it and you've got yourself and unsound course. But both are unsound in this instance.

Fundamentalist is usually what they call us when we question their teaching yup. No surprise there Noel. Thats exactly what the head of one Catholic institute in Ireland called me along with ''arrogant''. He is a ''doctor'' by the way and he told me to my face that women can be priests and that contraception is great and nothing wrong with it. This man happens to be the senior head of education for a particular diocese in ireland.

Sounds like you will fit right in with the priory institute then Noel if thats the way you feel about it all and are happy to fund them in their production of their jackal theology. I've asked so many apologists about this and so many of them came back with the right answers that confirmed my suspicions and suggested I quit the course and go some place else. I did that, but the other places I went were not any different. Makes me realise the Church is on her knees in Ireland, not just from the scandals from abuse and the pressure from the media, but she is also on her knees from the scandals within too and is being run by those priests trying to create their own church within a church.

If refusing to fund these guys in the produce of their lies makes me a fundamentalist, then yeah I'm a fundamentalist.

Thats all I have to say on the matter. I'll leave you to your choices.

Onesimus

kelly1

End of discussion is seems. And I've been judged.

Brendan12

You have no idea of what you are talking about. The Priory Institute Degree Course is both generous in its teaching and true to the Church. I myself have completed this degree. The problem with people like you is that you come from a narrow perspective which is fundamentalist in tone and tends to parrot off the silly opinions of others.

Do the degree and get back to me. Your examination and judgement of a portion of the overall text is both arrogant and full of pride.

bonniebede

Plowman wrote: »

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It might seem strange that the Alive newspaper can come from the same place as The Priory's nonsense,but it does. This is because the dominicans in Ireland are in renewal...The older guys are predominantly (but not all) liberal, 1970's priests with outlooks and attitudes formed at that time, in ways we have all come to know and the last two popes have striven earnestly to correct. 'nuf said.
The younger guys...and there are lots of them, who are in formation or newly ordained, are truely signs of hope... predominantly followers of the last two popes who get where it's at.
There are some in the middle doing a valiant job of promoting orthodox ministries and making space for the changing of the guard...

The priory is a ministry of the former, older group...Alive is run by a priest I wuld place in the middle group (and note how his province requires him to display prominantly on the front of the paper that the opinions expressed are the editors and not those of the dominicans)...

The future lies with the younger men, DV.

If you are looking for affordable, accessible theology qualifications which are trustworthy, try Maryvale Institute or Catholic Distance university, both offer distance programmes, one from the UK and one from the states. Maryvale have some programmes where the study days are in Dublin.

if you are looing for examples of the poor quality on offer at the priory, look no further than their modules...they are teaching tai chi for goodness sake!

Brendan12

I would be delighted to have a public debate with you with regard to the priory Institute Modules. I presume you have read and studied all of them as you give such a definitive analysis of its content.

Oh not sure what you mean by 'tai chi' - cannot remember that module and I did an (hons) Degree with the Priory Institute. What do you imagine the study of 'Theology' is about?

Bernadine

Tai Chi was never taught in the Theology Degree Programme. I do agree that it is currently on offer as a short course alongside Christian Spirituality. (For those who do not know, Tai Chi is part of the New Age spirituality which includes reiki and yoga). Partly perhaps because of disillusionment with the Catholic Church and the many scandals that have emerged, many Christians are searching for a meaning to life and the New Age spirituality from the 'outside' seems to provide the answers. In fact it is slowly but surely attracting many Christians. Unfortunately it can be argued that Catholics have very little real knowledge of their faith which results in the propaganda used in New Age spirituality being quite appealing. Notwithstanding this and whilst I may not necessarily agree with the Priory in offering the course it is important to note that it is in conjunction with Christian spirituality. Thus it could be considered as being a form of exercise ONLY with the spiritual element of Christianity co-inciding.

In relation to Maryvale I have a friend who completed her degree programme with them. Undoubtedly having seen the course work I believe it was very good. However, in the kind of world we live in today Christians need to be informed about other elements of teachings on offer which is where the Priory Institute comes in. I have gained an understanding and a knowledge of Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism amongst others, which has benefited me when I have had to converse both from a philosophical and a religious background. It is pointless being wrapped up in a cocoon with no knowledge or understanding of what others believe in. Jesus instructed us to go out and preach the Good News and to do so we need to be able to discuss and prove that certain teachings are false. You cannot do this unless you have the necessary knowledge.

Regards,

Brendan12

I am grateful to the last contributor for expanding and clarifying the problematic issue regarding aspects of the 'New Age' movement. I find that the rush to judgement on the part of those who have related their opinions on the Priory Institute Degree is more associated with a destructive mindset and because of this is sinful in itself.

Theology is important in our time. As a Theologian however I welcome every opinion because I am well qualified in apologetics and well grounded in both my faith and belief not to be overpowered by diversity or disagreement.


What Theology Is Not:

Theology is not 'religious studies' or the study of religion as an aspect of the human being, carried out from a distant and uncommited stance. On the contrary, theology and the theological quest can only begin from the roots and shoots of faith. The one who studies theology already believes and so searches for greater and deeper understanding of that belief in the tradition, wisdom and practices of a community of faith.

"Faith seeking Understanding" was St. Anselm's way of describing theology. This implies that the study of Theology, more than an academic exercise, seeks an understanding that helps to make our relationship with God vibrant, real. Thus we move from a taught knowledge to experiential relationship with God while the faith we profess, becomes stronger. Dominican theologian, Meister Eckhart sums this up well when he counselled his congregations to let God be God.

Why Study Theology:

If we live with any sort of intelligent self-reflection there are questions that inevitably arise. Questions such as: When I die will I see my loved ones again? Will my individual identity survive or disappear after death? The God written about in the scriptures and talked about by theologians and scholars - does this God exist and impinge on my life and the world?

What is God? A being,a person, a force or energy behind the Universe and everything that exists? Why pray? Does it change anything? Surely God, in virtue of being God, cannot undergo a change of mind or heart? Maybe we are just talking to ourselves! Why is there suffering? Why me? Why do I have to suffer so much? Why so many accidents and tragedies and world catastrophes? Can I live my life whatever way I choose or do I have responsibilities to others that bind me to a certain code of conduct?

Theology addresses questions such as these. Christian theology focuses completely on the mystery of God's self-revelation to us in the person of Jesus Christ and all that it entails. It deals with much that is mystery and requires faith in order to enter into that Mystery confidently and with trust and hope. A theologian, from the outset, must be a person of faith, even if that faith may be weak or uncertain. No progress can be made in theology if one starts from the stance that everything must be proven first before I can assent to the invitation God is offering me.

petronius

I met a quaker who did the theology degree now he is in ministry.

I know they do a philosophy cert/diploma but they don't seem to do a degree

Is there a similar entity that do distance/online learning Philosophy Degree? or major minor