Endorsed by Clergy, Seminary, and Pastoral Leaders

Endorsements

Studying Sacred Scripture is more than an academic, abstract exercise--it is a way of listening to God, who supplies His grace so "[...] that we may learn the gentle kindness of God, which words cannot express, and how far He has gone in adapting His language with thoughtful concern for our weak human nature" (St. John Chrysostom). The Catholic Biblical School of Michigan offers Catholic men and women this unique experience to study the Scripture in depth and help them understand the significance of God's Word for their lives.

The Most Reverend Allen H. Vigneron

Archbishop of Detroit

As someone fortunate enough to learn about the Bible when I was a young adult, I was keenly aware of how much most Catholics are missing because they don’t know Sacred Scripture. I heard about the Denver Catholic Biblical School and called up its founder, Sr. Macrina Scott. She told me about the fruit of their program that offered participants the chance to study the entire Bible, led by excellent teachers with Master Degrees, and in relationship with the Archdiocese of Denver. I shared what I learned with Deacon Jack Gardener and he got excited about bringing a similar ministry to our area. He began to pray an hour a day that such a ministry could be established in Michigan. God provided the seed money through a generous donation and the rest is history! Today, more than ever, Catholics need to encounter God and his Word in Sacred Scripture, and the Catholic Bible School of Michigan is one of the best ways I know to do that!

Dr. Peter Williamson

Cardinal Maida Chair of Sacred Scripture, Sacred Heart Major Seminary (Detroit); Co-Editor of the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture

Board of Directors

Dr. Marlon De La Torre
Diocese of Columbus, Senior Director of Evangelization

Dr. Janet Diaz
Director of Evangelization, Church of the Holy Family, Novi

Fred Morath
Co-Founder; Lay Businessman

Dr. Peter Williamson
Adam Cardinal Maida Chair of Sacred Scripture, Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit

Chaplain Advisor

Fr. John Riccardo
Executive Director, Acts XXIX

What does it mean to be a lay apostolate of the Archdiocese of Detroit?

The Church speaks of the lay apostolate in two ways: one is the apostolate common to all of the baptized laity, “spreading the kingdom of Christ throughout the earth for the glory of God the Father, to enable all men and women to share in His saving redemption” (Pope St. Paul VI, Apostolicam Actuositatem, 1965). We do this seemingly spontaneously, led by the Holy Spirit as individuals to bring the Good News to the world and strengthen the faith of fellow believers. The other form of a lay apostolate is a specific organization of (mostly) laypeople ministering in a specific way in a cooperative relationship with ordained Church leaders. The Catholic Biblical School of Michigan is exactly this, an organization entrusted with a ministry of teaching and proclaiming the Word of God, so that all of us as baptized believers might be strengthened and become more confident, bold, and loving in spreading the kingdom of God.

CBSM operates with ecclesiastical approval from the Archbishop of Detroit and the Bishops of Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Kalamazoo. Our Board of Directors includes clergy and lay leaders. Like many lay apostolates, we operate without financial support from Arch/dioceses, giving us a spirituality of seeking to bless the Church through the ministry of teaching, prayer, and proclamation of the Word we offer.

References:
Pope Paul VI, Apostolicam Actuositatem, 1965
Pope Pius XII, Guiding Principles on the Lay Apostolate, 1957