This pastoral theology course was created
for STEP by William J. Appleby Purcell, the Associate Director
for Catholic Social Tradition and Practice at the University
of Notre Dame’s Center for Social Concerns, and the former
Director of the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Peace and Justice
Office. The course serves as an introduction to basic concepts
and methods necessary in social ministry of the Church today.
Students are invited to draw from documents issued by the
Vatican and the U.S. Bishops for the sake of analyzing concrete
social problems affecting their local communities. By the
end of the course participants will be able to identify
basic principles of Catholic Social Teaching, relate these
principles to their parish and local communities, identify
institutions that address social problems, and differentiate
between social action and direct service.
Unit 1: Introduction to Social Ministry
and Catholic Social Teaching
Unit 2: Putting the Teaching to Practice:
The Principles of Catholic Social Teaching
Unit 3: Social Analysis: Putting Catholic
Social Teaching to Work
Unit 4: Political Responsibility: Faithful
Citizenship
Unit 5: Addressing Global Poverty
- Six weeks in duration, with one week
for orientation.
- Typically 15-20 students in each course.
- Lectures delivered via an online presentation
with audio narration.
- Supplemental readings are provided
to encourage further exploration of topic, internet links
provided for all readings.
- Weekly written assignments (150-200
words) required.
- Weekly facilitator moderated chat sessions
with students in course.
- All course materials available online
in the course.
Requirements for course include:
- Weekly reading or viewing of lecture
texts.
- Participation in class discussion using
discussion area (minimum 2 comments, questions or responses
weekly.)
- Weekly written assignment (150-200
words.)
- Weekly chat session with other students
in course (attend minimum of 3 during course.)
- Course evaluation.
- 4 to 6 hours a week (time varies from
student to student depending on your learning style and
schedule.)
A Certificate of Completion awarding 30
Contact Hours will be sent upon completion of all course
requirements.
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Bill Purcell is the
Associate Director for the Catholic Social Tradition
and Practice at the Center for Social Concerns, as
well as an Assistant Professional Specialist for the
Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre
Dame. For 6 years Bill was the Director of the Office
for Peace and Justice at the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Bill has received the Nathan Jones Award from the
Archdiocese for his dedicated service in the African-American
community. He has also received the St. Francis and
St. Clare Award from the University of St. Francis
in Joliet for his work for justice. Before going to
Chicago in 1999, he spent three years as the Education
Specialist for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development
at the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops
in Washington, D.C. Bill received both his Bachelor’s
and Master’s in Divinity at the University of Notre
Dame. He has worked for the Office for Social Development
at the Archdiocese of Washington, directed a training
center for United Way, and he has been a community
organizer. Bill has been published numerous times,
and is on various local and national committees for
social justice issues. Bill is married to Angie, and
they have three children, John, Joseph, and Olivia.
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