The archdiocese Office of Religious Education began Monday a pilot program in adult theology.

The program, conducted by Sister Mary Ellen McSorley, R.S.M., of the central office staff, adopts the seminar format of small groups out in the homes of several parishes.

The program will be conducted mornings, afternoons and evenings in these parishes with groups of eight to ten people

The parishes chosen for this pilot program are St. Paul of the Cross, St. Jude’s and Sacred Heart, all in the Atlanta area.

One group will be composed of families who live in one of the new high-rise apartment towers in downtown Atlanta.

The program will be initially geared to the sharing of insights together. Hopefully, as adults listen, learn and contribute ideas, there will be a sense of greater awareness of one another. Through this awareness there will be achieved a deeper meaning of what it means to be Christian.

The heritage of our faith and the contemporary stance will be explored through the study of Scripture, doctrine and Church renewal as clearly and detailed as possible.

Father Morris, director of religious education in the archdiocese stated: “Everyone in religious education would agree that we must reach the adult Christian on the adult level with a continuing education program in the Faith.

“So far, no one seems to have been successful in producing a workable program with a broad level of approach in order to reach more people effectively. Here in the Archdiocese of Atlanta we are going to try.

“Our presumption is that, since the Catholic population is relatively small and lives mostly within the limits of a well-defined metropolitan area, and that since most of our Catholics are well educated and renewal conscious, we should have a better chance of developing a workable program than most dioceses. And, since most educators agree that effective adult education is a must, we will do our best.

“In any pilot project you expect to make mistakes and have a certain amount of failure. That is the reason for the pilot – to recognized mistakes, remedy the situation and proceed within the context of that experience.

“Our hope is that, through careful planning and selection of groups in the pilot stage, we can minimize the difficulties and move toward a larger program in the future.

It is our belief that an extensive, well planned program of adult education must be provided for the adult Catholics in the archdiocese.

“This is a matter of great urgency and need because:

1. The rapid and far-reaching changes developing in the Church due to the new direction given by Vatican Council II and the need for a proper understanding of education in its inclusive sense and the meaning of schooling.

2. The confusion in the minds of many adult Catholics because of changes in the liturgy or the Church, new integration and approaches to Sacred Scripture, new concepts of personnel responsibility in moral decisions, etc.

3. The religion “generation gap” developing between parents and their children who are exposed to new catechetical methods and approaches to religious doctrine.

4. The demands of Vatican Council II that the layman Christianize and transform society in his own milieu.

5. The need for education and Christian formation of the laity if they are to share, through parish and diocesan councils and boards, in the decision-making of the future of the apostolate of the Church in the archdiocese.

6. The growing need for parental instruction and formation of their children.

7. The growing need for lay catechists due to impossibility of the establishment of more Catholic schools.

8. A realization that Christian education cannot be the sole work of the school, but must embrace the community, the home and the school.

“Every effort must be made in parishes, local areas, and larger districts to provide formal programs of instruction and spiritual formation for the adults of the archdiocese.

“Priests and religious MUST be provided with a schedule which will allow them the opportunity to devote time to the adult education program. Immediate attention must be given to this critical area.”