After spending 30 weekends over the last three years attending classes - and completing countless hours of homework - Julie Miller of St. Mary Parish in Alton is about to graduate from Ave Maria University with a master's degree in theological studies.

A nurse for 22 years, Miller says she decided to work toward her latest degree several years after acting as an RCIA sponsor. "In 1997, I became involved in RCIA at St. Mary Parish by being a sponsor for my sister-in-law. I was asked the following year to be a sponsor again," she says. Then, in 1999, Sister M. Johanna Paruch, FSGM, requested that Miller and another parishioner, Carolyn Simansky, assist the parish priest with RCIA.

"I certainly felt under-qualified for this task," Miller says. "We began taking courses for catechetics with the Bosco Summer Conference at Franciscan University. This was quite helpful in learning the process, the methods and the rites of RCIA.

"Although I felt like I knew my faith after attending 12 years of Catholic school and being catechized at home, I had trouble explaining my faith to others, especially to our Protestant brothers and sisters who are so well versed in the Scriptures."

Miller says she decided to look into Ave Maria University after seeing an advertisement for the Institute of Theological studies in Catholic Times. "I attended one of their open session weekends in 2005. By June of 2006, I was accepted into the program and I started classes in August of 2006. I am happy to say that I will be graduating on June 13," she says.

The master's program is designed for the working individual and is set for one weekend a month - Friday night, Saturday and Sunday, with Mass included - from August through May, for three years. "We will be the second class to graduate from St. Louis, and the program is offered in eight other cities around the country," Miller says.

"Students in the program have ranged widely in age and professions, as some work for the church and have pursued this degree for their work, while others are in other types of work, and have taken the classes to benefit their professions and their growth in knowledge and holiness."

Although the reading is extensive, Miller eventually began to feel better about all that she, as a student, was expected to comprehend. "When I started this program, I was very intimidated by the reading materials, thinking ‘Oh my, this material is never going to sink in!'" Through prayer and a lot of hard work, Miller says she began to understand the readings.

"Even though these things may have been written two thousand years ago, I was impressed with how applicable the writings still are today," she said. "I have also been given endless resources to continue my reading long after I have finished the program.

"Although I started the program with the intention to work for the church someday, it has benefited me in so many ways in my nursing profession," she says. "I was blessed materially by being able to go part-time with my job to be able to accomplish the homework. However, several in my class have worked full-time or have worked outside the home and cared for families as well."

Miller says although the course work has been challenging, she recommends it to others. "It has been well worth the hard work, as I feel more prepared to live and defend my faith in this ever-increasing relativistic, materialistic, atheistic world."

For more information on the program, contact the Ave Maria University's Institute for Pastoral Theology at or view the Web site, www.ipt.avemaria.edu.