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 Catholic Education Center

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Our Mission is our Passion

  • We teach the teachers of our faith so they can evangelize and catechize faithful disciples of Christ.

  • We systematically present the Catholic Faith and explain how to reach your students.

  • We share our classroom applications, experience, and excellent resources.  

  • Our value-packed catechist formation can be used immediately in the classroom.

Our Story

When I served as a parish Director of Religious Education and then as an Assistant Principal, I oversaw teacher training. There is no one busier than a teacher! So, in 2006, I founded the Catholic Education Center to offer flexible formation for teachers of the faith

 

As the revision writer of the Faith and Life catechism series (Ignatius Press), and an adjunct professor of Catechetics, I worked with some of the best in my field. I recruited expert instructors who are as committed as I am to teach the faith.

My work as a consultant and instructor has brought me to many parishes and dioceses to see the needs of catechists first-hand. The Catholic Education Center strives to provide the best formation and tools for effectively teaching the Faith

We designed courses that systematically present the Faith in everyday language with practical applications. 

We focus on preparing teachers with a solid knowledge of the faith, which they can use to teach any materials.

We have now trained over 7,400 teachers in North America, Europe, and Africa. 

The two questions I am asked the most are:

1) What am I supposed to teach?

2) How do I teach the faith?

We routinely find that catechists want to grow in their ministry. Many volunteers stopped their faith formation when they were Confirmed. Educators need a clear, systematic knowledge of the faith with examples for teaching in order to have the words to share the faith with their students. Our participants are tested on their knowledge and successful completion requires a grade of 80% or greater

Over 95% of our registrants COMPLETE their course-training! 

Over the last 17 years, we have been asked time and again for ideas, lessons, and even curriculum. So, we developed teacher resources and tested them rigorously in classroom and home education environments.  In 2021 we began offering teaching and ministry resources. 

Together, let's teach future Saints!

You can do this!  We can help.

Colette Lienhard, Director

Our Gold-Standard

  • The Catholic Education Center is faithful to the Magisterium of the Church.  

  • All of our courses are submitted to the Arlington Diocese for review and approval.

  • All of our course-creators and instructors sign an oath of fidelity.

  • Every course was written by a ministry leader with years of experience and a Master's degree (or greater).  

  • All of our instructors are passionate; their love for teaching is contagious!

Just the Facts

  • The Catholic Education Center was founded in 2006 to offer systematic ministry formation to teachers and catechists on their schedules.

  • Situated in Arlington Diocese, the founder worked closely with the Offices of Catholic Schools and Faith Formation to develop a comprehensive program, to be offered on site and online. 

  • The Catholic Education Center has supported graduate programs, diaconate training programs, and homeschool programs by developing customized curriculum and online resources. 

  • After 16 years of service, the Catholic Education Center has developed relationships with dioceses all over the world; our courses are available and may enjoyed anywhere there is internet access.

  • Consultation with parishes and dioceses is directing our future path - to offer more “how to” training, and teaching materials.  We hope you join us as we serve and grow the Church!

Our Instructors

 

 

Rev. Mr. Gerard-Marie Anthony, M.A., received his B.A. in Theology from Christendom College, and his M.A. in Theology from the Catholic Distance University. He also has earned Virginia Catholic Education Association Teaching Certification. Deacon Anthony is a professor of Biblical Studies at the Catholic Biblical School as well as a Presenter for Sophia Press Institute for Teachers.   Deacon Anthony is an avid writer. He is the author Peaceful Hearts, Zealous Hearts: How the Sacred Heart and Divine Mercy Devotions’ Complementary Messages Make Us New (Sophia Press), Walking Humbly with God: How Friendships Build Confidence, Support the Church, and are the Key to the New Evangelization (En Route Books and Media), The Deacon and the Doctor: A Prescription for Navigating Child Loss (En Route Books and Media), Who Am I: The Theology of the Body in Prayer (Bazalel Books), and has contributed articles to the Arlington Catholic Herald, Deacon Digest, Homiletics and Pastoral Review, Liguorian Magazine, Ethics and Medics,  Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly, Lay Witness Magazine and Spirituality Today e-magazine. He has also been a guest on "Son Rise Morning Show", "Catholic Connection with Teresa Tomeo" (EWTN Radio), The Catholic Current (Stations of the Cross Radio) and other Radio programs. Deacon Anthony is a theologian, author, apologist, and serves the community with the Mother of Light Center (helps bring dignity to those who are going through hard times), A M.O.M.S Peace (helping families with miscarriage), the Divine Mercy Home (those near end of life), and the Legion of Mary.

 

Jerome (Jerry) Aull, D.Min, earned his D.Min through Christ the Teacher College for his work in methodology, his M.A. in Systematic Theology in 1976 from the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, and a B.A. in Philosophy and Theology from St. Louis University in 1974. Jerry has extensive ministry experience spanning 40 years, including teaching at a Catholic College, High School, and the Archdiocesan Diaconate Formation Program for the Archdiocese of Georgia. Jerry has served as a High School administrator, Parish educator (teaching every level of CCD, RCIA and giving retreats, missions, and conferences) and liturgical musician.

Rev. Sebastian Carnazzo, Ph.D. received his M.A. in Theology with a concentration in Sacred Scripture from the Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College, and a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies at Catholic University of American, in Washington D.C. Fr. Carnazzo is a priest in the Melkite Catholic Church of America and is pastor of the St. Elias Melkite Parish in San Jose. He is the founding director of the Academy of Classical Languages and is an adjunct lecturer in Sacred Scripture and Catechetics for Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College. He is also the academic director for the formation of deacons in the Diocese of Tulsa, OK, and lecturer for the St Gregory Seminary program for the formation of deacons in the Melkite Eparchy of Newton, MA.

 

Salvatore Ciresi, M.A., received his M.A. in Theology for the Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College.  Mr. Ciresi is the founding director of the St. Jerome Biblical Guild.


Susan Doyle, M.Ed., earned her bachelor's degree in English at the College of William and Mary and her master's in special education at the University of Virginia. Before working for the Church, Susan taught in public schools.  For her work with special needs students, she was awarded "Excellence in Education" by the Chamber of Commerce in Alexandria and received additional recognition three times from the school system for which she worked.

Romano Kidd, M.A., received his B.S. in Aviation Management from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, and his M.A. in Pastoral Theology from Saint Joseph’s College of Maine.  He is a certified catechist for the Archdiocese for the Military Services and has taught religious education for more than 10 years.  He has also performed as the Catholic youth ministry coordinator for Marine Corps Bases-Japan for three years.

Colette Lienhard, M.A. earned a double-honors Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies and French from the University of Western Ontario in 1997, and an M.A. in Theology (Catechetics) from the Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College in 1999. Through the same institution, she also received the Advanced Apostolic Catechetical Diploma awarded by the Holy See, the highest recognized diploma in the field of Catechetics. Colette is the author of the revised edition of the Faith and Life series, published by Ignatius Press and numerous catechetical resources. She is the founding director of the Catholic Education Center, LLC.

Patricia Maskell, B.S.N., M.A. completed her M.A. in Theology with a concentration in Moral Theology from Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College following her graduation from EPS (Education for Parish Services). With her nursing background, Patricia specializes in Medical moral ethics.

 

Denise McNulty, M.A. completed her M.A. in History from Villanova University, with a concentration in European History and a tremendous love of Church History. During her undergraduate work, she studied at Cambridge University, England. McNulty has taught History and Religion in middle school and has served as a parish catechist.

Delores Nelson, M.A., earned an Honors Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from National University in San Diego, California in 1984 and a Masters in Computer Information Systems in 1990 from Strayer University.  In recent years she earned a Masters in Theology from the Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College in 2003.  

David Wallace, M.A., has served as a DRE in the Diocese of Arlington for over 16 years. He also teaches courses in catechetics and evangelization for the Christendom College Graduate School of Theology. He lives with his wife and seven children in Warren County and is in his first year of diaconal formation for the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia.

+Kenneth Whitehead, Ph.D. (hon.) was educated at the University of Utah and the University of Paris, Mr. Whitehead holds an honorary doctorate in Christian letters from the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio. Ken is an accomplished author and scholar.

Margaret Whitehead, M.R.S., was educated at Wayne State University and did graduate work at the University of Detroit.  She has a Master's Degree in Religious Studies.

Course Creators

Instructor: Teaching the Faith, Biblical Catechesis, by Invite

Colette Lienhard, M.A.

Colette serves as a catechetical consultant and continues to develop courses and teacher resources while working more "behind the scenes" while raising her kids. Occasional instructor. 

Instructor: Teaching the Faith and Biblical Catechesis

Delores Nelson, OCDS, M.A.

As a Director of Religious Education and founder of the Marian Society of Catechists, Delores brings a passion for excellence in classroom ministry. Her love of teaching is contagious!

Instructor: Teaching the Faith, Family Faith Formation

David Wallace, M.A.

David serves as a Director of Religious Education and an Instructor in Catechetics at Christendom Graduate School of Theology. He is in diaconate formation and is married with seven children.

Instructor: Teaching the Faith and Biblical Catechetics

Katherine Evans, Ph.D.

A passionate convert to the Faith, Katherine serves as an Assistant Director of Religious Education and has taught OCIA for six years and Catechist formation since 2023.

Instructor: Teaching the Faith, Apologetics

Dcn. Gerard Marie Anthony

Author, professor, Speaker and Servant, Deacon is a amazing presenter of the faith, with the gift to communicate from the heart to the heart. He loves to answer the "tough questions"!

Bilingual Instructor (Spanish):

Teaching the Faith

Dcn. Anthony Calderon

Deacon has served as a Director of Religious Education for bilingual parishes. He has worked in the educational field, and with various ministries that bring a depth to his teaching.

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