This one-year course introduces participants to scripture, theology, church history, sacramental life, and liturgy. The course runs across twelve months and comprises of eight units. Commencing on Tuesday February 2, 2021, no prerequisite formation or qualification is required to enrol. All who complete the Course are awarded a diocesan Certificate in Christian Formation.
The Christian Formation Course (CFC) has run in different locations and in different formats across the diocese since 1996, it has been responsible for the ongoing faith formation of hundreds of people. The delivery of the CFC has been revised over the years to accommodate the demands on people today.
Some comments from those who have attended Christian Formation Course CFC:
‘The CFC has bought the Bible to life for me! Helping to make God’s word accessible & more meaningful in my day to day life; very much helping me gain a greater appreciation of our Faith.’
‘This course has changed my preconceptions about Christianity by encouraging me to look at God and the Bible from a whole new perspective. This will, I believe, foster a more personalised relationship between me and God.’
‘I needed some encouragement to begin … and I learnt so much!’
‘I loved the course so much I have enrolled in further studies.’
‘The group forms you as a community. I would recommend it to anyone: searchers and seasoned Catholics.’
‘It was beneficial to me –even though a Catholic and regular churchgoer, there was very little I knew.’
‘I certainly recommend the course to those who give their time as a lay church worker.’
‘Our faith journey is lifelong, with many questions as we journey. This gives us the resources needed to continue our quest.’
‘This was a great way to rekindle the fire of faith we all have, no matter what ministry we are called to serve.’
‘Deepened my spiritual awareness of why and what I do.’
Bishop Bill writes:
I would like as many Catholics as possible to share in the enrichment that comes from getting to understand more fully what we believe and why. Why did Jesus suffer? How has our Mass been understood down the centuries? Where do we stand on evolution? Do our sexual ethics make any sense in the modern world? Why are the fundamentalists wrong to take all of the Bible literally? People ask these things, and the answer is not, ‘It’s a mystery’. Neither is the answer, ‘Well, I think.’ Opinions in religion are only as good as the real knowledge and understanding that underpins them. Study corrects uninformed opinions as well as opening up minds to deeper understanding. Both are valuable services to the believer who wants to be able to believe in believing.
The Christian Formation Course has been a very great contributor to Catholic life in this diocese. It is based on adult learning methods that involve the participants in on-going dialogue and engagement with the material and the staff. It is my hope that many, many people will take this course. I further hope that it will be just the beginning of their living more informed and engaged Christ lives.
To find out more information about the Christian Formation Course, you can view our flyer here.
If you would like to enrol in the Christian Formation Course in 2021 go to, click here.