Hubert Praveen grew up thinking that only people of other faiths, namely Hindus and Muslims, can be religious fanatics. The 43-year-old father of two now has a different understanding of life and faith after he completed a course on theology. “We say Hindus and Muslims are fanatics. But we are no less when it comes to our own religion and faith,” Praveen, a resident of the southern Indian city of Bengaluru told. He said his understanding changed after he completed an online theology course on Dialogue and Evangelization with St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute in Bengaluru (Bangalore) in southern India. The seminary trained some 1,000 people in two online courses–one year certificate course and a two-year diploma course since 2024. Praveen said these courses help laypeople like him appreciate faith and lead a life without being judgmental. Praveen was among 142 people–laymen, nuns and religious brothers–who completed the online certificate course and attended years’ convocation on Feb. 23. The two-year online diploma course in theology covers subjects such as Biblical Studies, Systematic Theology, Moral Theology, Canon Law, Liturgy and Missiology. Praveen says the certificate course helped him understand that regular churchgoers are not “holier than thou” than those who may not go and go less frequently. “Before I took this course, I was proud that my faith was the right faith. But now I see people of other faiths as the children of the same God and we all will meet in the same heaven after death,” he said.
The seminary founded 50 years ago offer these courses online and through regular postal mail, describing it as “theology coming to visit you right on your doorstep, to make learning easy. “The seminary also admit lay people and nuns for canonically valid degree and licence courses as regular students, who have to physically attend the classes. Ashok Kumar, a retired banker from Vijayawada diocese in southern Andhra Pradesh state also appreciated the online course. For engaging in Church’s “administrative and mission work, we need qualified people who can preach and teach,” Kumar told.