Apostolic Life Course

The goal of the Apostolic Life Course is to immerse participants in the Church's inspiring teaching on the unique mission of lay persons, so that they can develop an imagination for what it might look like in their own lives. Participants will also leave the course with a personalized, concrete commitment to their unique mission.


This course has been made possible thanks to a generous anonymous donor. Thank you to the anonymous donor and to Fr. Mattingly and Catherine Cheney for their work shaping the course and the content.

When: Once in each of the fall and spring semesters for 14 weeks

Where: Hosted at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Mission and in the homes of generous hosts around the Kansas City area

How to apply: Please fill out the application below by December 28th to be considered for the Winter-Spring 2025 semester.

"The Apostolic Life Course taught me that evangelization is not just an option but a duty, calling us to share the message of Christ's love and mercy. During this course, and through prayer and discernment, I felt a desire to participate in God's mission by spreading the Gospel, and specifically encountering other young adults."

Outline of Course Content:

Week 1: Welcome and Introduction to the Course

Week 2: Mission of the Trinity

Week 3: Mission of the Church

Week 4: Types of Lay Mission

Week 5: Equipment for Mission

Week 6: The Apostle’s Worldview

Week 7: The Apostle’s Role

Week 8: The Apostle’s Hidden Life

Week 9: Sanctifying the Temporal Order and Works of Mercy

Week 10: The Gospel and Our Response

Week 11: How to Evangelize

Week 12: The Apostolate of Sanctification and Friendship

Week 13: Discernment

Week 14: Commissioning and Celebration

Applications close December 28th.

"The Church fulfills her mission when she guides every member of the faithful to discover and live his or her own vocation in freedom and to bring it to fulfillment in charity [ . . . ] Each one, therefore, must be helped to embrace the gift entrusted to him as a completely unique person, and to hear the words which the Spirit of God personally addresses to him."

Pastores Dabo Vobis, 40