About the Institute
LIFE-LONG LEARNING ONGOING TRANSFORMATION EQUIPPING FOR SERVICE
The institute provides the faithful of the Diocese of Venice
with online and onsite opportunities
for life-long learning in the fullness of Catholic faith
fostering ongoing transformation in Christ,
that all might be fully equipped to serve.
A Great Place to Learn
The Institute was founded in September 1995 by Bishop Emeritus John J. Nevins as the Blessed Edmund Rice school to prepare lay men and women for service in the Church through a program of formal theological education and spiritual enrichment.
In 2014, the school was renamed The Institute for Catholic Studies and Formation. A partnership was formed with Franciscan University of Steubenville to offer Catechetical Certification and Master’s courses. In 2020, Dr. John Gresham assumed leadership of the Institute.
The institute provides the faithful of the Diocese of Venice (and the wider region) with opportunities for life-long learning in the fullness of Catholic faith fostering ongoing transformation in Christ, that all might be fully equipped to serve. We offer online and onsite courses for spiritual enrichment, for growing in knowledge and practice of the faith and for training in service — from basic certification, to ongoing professional development to graduate level theological education.
We serve the parishes by providing competent, Spirit-filled leaders grounded in the beauty and truth of the Catholic faith. We transform the world by forming joyful missionary disciples to plant and nurture seeds of the kingdom in Southwest Florida and beyond. Read more about Our Vision
A Great Place to Meet
Centrally located within the diocese with easy access from I-75, the Institute has comfortable space for small group meetings with kitchen facilities and a screened outdoor patio. The Anne Nevins Library houses the Institute for Catholic Studies’ studio for multimedia learning with additional space to accommodate larger groups for classes or workshops.
If interested in scheduling a parish, school, or diocesan meeting at the institute contact the Director by email John.Gresham@institute-dov.org or phone 941-766-7334.
News from The Institute
Read more about our latest news posts and stay informed
New Course Coming this Fall: Ecclesial Nature and Mission of Theology
Who is this class for? For those who want to pursue an online MA in Theology and Christian Ministry at Franciscan University of Steubenville, this is a […]
My Journey into the Catholic Church
I look forward to getting to know my brothers and sisters in Christ in the diocese of Venice. One way to get to know me is to […]
Greetings from new director of the institute
Greetings from the new Executive Director. I look forward to serving the Diocese of Venice. I arrive after serving as the Director of Distance Education and […]