Welcome!
DeoQuest has developed this program for formation. The aim of which is to inform participants about the teaching of the faith, while leaving the individual free to believe or not – only God can change hearts.
The great strength of the program is in the simplicity of use and the customisation that DeoQuest offers to the organisations using the program. Every reality is different and may need an adapted approach, based on the building blocks of the program. For staff members who want to grow further in faith, DeoQuest developed an RCIA program using similar basic building blocks.
Customisation
The customisable program consists of ten sessions of 45 minutes. You might wish to add a session of Q&A with a priest or even the bishop for any questions that may remain. The next cycle, the same topics can be revisited from another angle: the DeoQuest program offers content for multiple cycles.
The facilitator simply follows a slide presentation that helps the group navigate the topic. Any session starts by opening people’s minds to the topic of the day. Then you watch an accessible teaching video of 10-15 minutes and share in small groups of participants about the theme of the day. A saint speaks for a minute to help reflection and to deepen one or other aspect of the theme. The questions of the participants receive attention as unanswered questions often can block us from taking in further information.
The DeoQuest approach involves moments of relating to others in the group, asking inquisitive questions, listening to possible answers, and thinking – so as to integrate what was learned. The final step, believing, is important but optional, for only God can change hearts. We wish you and the participants a beautiful journey!
Aim of the program
The aim of this program is to help participants grow in foundational knowledge of the Catholic Faith through questions commonly asked by people of all standings and backgrounds. The units in this program invite participants to engage in conversations, ask their own questions and check their understanding of the information presented. Each unit works with several questions within a particular topic area, allowing participants to engage more deeply with the teaching of the Catholic faith.
Program approach
The DeoQuest program provides the ‘time and space’ for participants to not just ask questions, listen, reflect, grow in understanding of the faith, but also pray and put this into action. The units reflect the DeoQuest principles of engaging with the faith starting where the participants are at, with their questions and concerns. Thus all participants are invited to ‘Ask, Listen, Think, Relate, and possibly also Believe’.
# ASK – Being honest about your questions is the beginning of finding answers. An inquisitive attitude is essential for growing in understanding of the faith. So do not be afraid of your questions and get ready to search for answers together.
# LISTEN – Listening carefully to each other and especially to what the Church teaches and why will help you to form your own conscience and come to conclusions about what is good and right.
# THINK – Thinking and searching for answers are fundamental for our lives. This is not just an intellectual activity. Let the discoveries become part of your life and see how they call you to action in various ways.
# RELATE – The meetings are not just classes, but a place for each participant to grow in relationship with others (and God).
# BELIEVE – Pray & act. Participants are invited to come to a personal conclusion, looking at how what has been said is related to their personal lives. Prayer is part of every unit. Ideally, this program will help you grow in faith, but believing is a free choice.
Units
Each unit has a title that reflects the focus of the unit’s learning and is aligned to the corresponding DeoQuest topics, the associated questions and concise responses. The units for each cycle of the multi-year cycle are as follows:
1 Creation or Coincidence?
2 The Bible
3 God at Work
4 Heaven and Earth
5 The Church
6 Prayer
7 Liturgy
8 Sacraments
9 Christian Life
10 Society and Community
Organisation
Each cycle of the program will promote formation in the Catholic faith. Over multiple cycles, these will build on the foundational knowledge of the topics presented in the previous cycle. There is a suggested sequence of learning set out by DeoQuest, which has been designed to engage, initiate and build on understanding of the foundations of the Catholic faith. The sequence of units is flexible and can be adapted to the particular needs of a group.