Verbum Domini Seminars
For the Continuing Education of Priests
June to August 2026
For the Continuing Education of Priests
June to August 2026
A series of two-week seminars on Sacred Scripture and biblical theology offered to priests by the faculty of the Augustine Institute Graduate School of Theology.
As an answer to recent exhortations from the Chair of Peter, these seminars provide priests a time dedicated to the prayerful study of the Sacred Page, for their own interior refreshment and for the edification of the faithful through their exercise of the ministry of preaching.
The homily is a means of bringing the scriptural message to life in a way that helps the faithful to realize that God’s word is present and at work in their everyday lives. . . . The faithful should be able to perceive clearly that the preacher has a compelling desire to present Christ, who must stand at the center of every homily. For this reason preachers need to be in close and constant contact with the sacred text; they should prepare for the homily by meditation and prayer, so as to preach with conviction and passion.
Benedict XVI, Verbum Domini (2010)
How good it is when priests, deacons, and the laity gather periodically to discover resources which can make preaching more attractive!
Francis, Evangelii gaudium (2013)
Four sessions between June 15 and August 7, 2026. Participants may attend multiple sessions in succession.
The program may also be extended into a three-month sabbatical (details below).
Commuter participants are welcome. Out-of-town participants arrive on the Monday prior to classes and depart on the Friday after classes end, and will enjoy single accommodations with private bath.
There will be the opportunity to concelebrate one of the daily community Masses; private Masses may also be arranged. Residential participants will be offered additional evening and weekend activities and will have full access to the Augustine Institute’s campus and exercise facilities.
Participants are encouraged to bring their own preferred editions of the Bible. Each class on the Gospels will use the Augustine Institute’s new Catholic Standard Version translation, which will be given to participants in its latest pre-publication form.
Additionally, each participant will receive upon arrival copies of two books that will inform the scriptural and theological discussions in each class: Rev. Daniel Cardó, The Art of Preaching: A Theological and Practical Primer (Catholic University of America Press, 2021) and Jim Jansen, A Clear Path: How to Make Missionary Disciples in Your Parish (Anchor Consulting, 2023).
Note: Participants may choose just one two-week session or multiple two-week sessions.
We will be in contact with you soon with logistics about the visit day.
If you have any questions, please contact Robert Le Grand at admissions@augustine.edu or 314-816-5567 x1181
The Augustine Institute is pleased to welcome priests on sabbatical, for periods of 3, 4, or 5 months at an all-inclusive cost of $5,000/month. Applicants will be assigned a faculty advisor, with whom they will construct a sabbatical plan that includes all or part of the Verbum Domini program, together with an independent course of reading. Sabbaticals may also include participation in the Graduate School’s regularly offered coursework. For the summer of 2026, the recommended three-month sabbatical would begin on June 1 and end on August 31.
To inquire about scholarships and diocesan partnerships, kindly write to the director of the Verbum Domini Seminars, Prof. Christopher Blum: christopher.blum@augustine.edu
Reserve your place for the 2026 Verbum Domini Seminars—apply now to join a summer of renewal in Scripture and preaching.