Endorsements

Most Rev. Brendan Leahy
Member, Vatican Congregation for Catholic Education
Bishop of the Diocese of Limerick, Ireland
Chairman, Episcopal Commission for Catholic Education, ICBC
Chairman, Council for Catechetics, ICBC

Most Rev. Robert Barron, S.T.D.
Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Founder, Word on Fire Catholic Ministries

Chad
Judice

“In a culture where millennials are leaving the Church at staggering rates because they are convinced that organized religion is irrelevant and irreconcilable with modern science, Father Robert Spitzer has developed free online science based apologetics and usable resources to answer this generations doubts about the reality of God.

John
Galvan

The research on religious disaffiliation among our youth shows a staggeringly concerning trend. A primary reason for the “break up’ is the perceived rift between faith and science in so many of our students. Catholic schools provide a safe and nurturing environment for students to ask critical questions. The Credible Catholic Modules meet our kids where they live and assist in answering many of those same questions.

The content is well-researched, comprehensive in breadth and depth, and yet it is presented in a way that makes understanding accessible to our youth. Our high school religion teachers report that their students love the Modules because this is the kind of stuff they want to know! The content delivery is visually engaging and the facilitator materials are excellent. The Credible Catholic Program is a great toolbox for any catechist or Catholic school religion/theology teacher.

Sister Marie
Benedict Elliott, F.S.E

“With the encouragement of our local archbishop, our entire religion faculty has integrated the core Credible Catholic modules into our curriculum across all high school grade levels. The modules pair well with and complement our existing curriculum framework. The instructional files and addition-al resources are ‘user-friendly’ and versatile. Easily accessible online, Credible Catholic modules of-fer educators and catechists flexibility for both in-class instruction and a ‘flipped-classroom’ ap-proach to independent student learning.

Thank you, Father Spitzer and the Credible Catholic Team, for this generous and valuable contribu-tion to the new evangelization!”

Connie
Hubbard

Credible Catholic has renewed in me my love of studying and learning about my faith. The history, tradition, Scripture mystery, and wonder that I have been able to explore again with new eyes and a new heart have come at a very important point in my life. The content of Credible Catholic validates many thoughts and feelings that I have about daily life.

Tim
Ross

I am a cradle Catholic and at first had more of an affective belief in God. My faith never wavered until my mother passed away in 2006. Whether or not it was a cause or a coincidence, I suddenly felt that I had lost it completely – it seemed that when I prayed, neither God nor anyone else. It was as if they were simply not there.

I was miserable because my faith had lifted me out of some difficult periods in my life – especially when I burned out in 1992 because of work and family responsibilities (4 children very close in age). My thoughts turned to the Blessed Virgin and so I went to the chapel of Saint Theresa of Labouré in Paris. Saint Theresa (1806- 1876) had several visions of Mary and her incorruptible body can be seen in the chapel. There, I begged our Blessed Mother to give me my faith back and, in the twinkle of an eye, she did! Since that moment my faith has never wavered and has become more forensic having followed Father Spitzer for the last several years.

At the moment I am doing the Master Teacher Program Certification in Contemporary Apologetics to further increase my knowledge of Catholic apologetics and to improve my CCD classes. I already use elements of the 7 Essential Modules along with the regular CCD program (The Way, The Truth and The Life, Book 6, by the Catholic Truth Society). The feedback from the parents and the children has been very positive. The children find the classes much more interesting and some of the parents have told me that they too have learned a lot of apologetics from their children during meal times!

My hope is to turn them into junior apologists remaining close to Christ and the Church and ready to respond with good answers when, sooner or later, they encounter embarrassment or ridicule for believing in God, the afterlife or the existence of hell.

Sir Randy
P. Pagnotta

“Truly an awe inspiring experience, helping me to sharpen my spiritual axe, reaffirming what I al-ready understood, correcting what I misunderstood and awakening me to what has been lost. The Credible Catholic Series is lucid, well organized and meticulously laid out, all of which are important elements needed if your goal is returning proper apologetics to the educational system.

Nahomy
Hernandez

“Ever since I first encountered Fr. Spitzer’s work, I was awestruck by the depth, rigor, logical ra-tionale tied to theory, and the coherence in which he presented the principal tenets of the Catholic faith. For the first time in my life, somebody articulated for me the vastness, depth, and intelligibility of the faith, and presented a perspective that was not only non-dismissive of the hard questions but also profoundly reverential to the curious nature of the human mind.

Carmela
Rossi-Lane

“The Credible Catholic program was fantastic! Giuliana and I both enjoyed it very much. As an engi-neer myself, I found the “logical arguments” for our faith so compelling. Robert Alderman was a great speaker, as well. He was so funny and passionate about the material. It really kept us engaged. Thanks again for providing such a high quality program.”

Heather and
Jetta Seckinger

“Jetta enjoyed the science aspects of the program, especially behind the Shroud of Turin in module four.”
– Heather.

“I also liked the stories about Jesus’ life.” – Jetta

Student
Participant

“Our actions do have a consequence for the good or for the bad. The rules (laws) of the universe are so precise that they could not have happened by chance and point to the existence of a transphysical intelligence whom we call God.”

Tim

Student
Participant

“This class helped me grow in my faith immensely. It taught me things that I found more interesting than other religion classes. In addition to this, it also helped me understand the personal aspect of God, which I was struggling to understand before. I feel a deeper connection to my faith because I am now educated enough to speak on it confidently.”
Emily

Student
Participant

“Throughout this course of faith and reason, there have been many informative, valuable lessons incorporated into the unique understanding of Catholicism.

This class has not only provided us with a different perspective of our faith, but a stronger connection to God within this course, as well. While diving into the building blocks of faith and reason, I have developed a deeper meaning as to how my faith influences my decisions and critical thinking, and what that means for my future ahead.

After participating in such a helpful, fundamental course, I believe that every Catholic high school should incorporate the learning of faith and reason by Fr. Spitzer. As many young adults are prone to stray away from their faith, it is imperative that we develop a deeper connection with God through our education. I have confidence in the idea that if all students were exposed to this type of material, many would create an everlasting bond with their faith, rather than struggle with understanding the meaning behind it. In my personal point of view, I feel that within the four years of students’ high school careers, senior year is the best fit for exposure to this course. While seniors are also more likely to be developed in their maturity, it is also essential for them to keep a strong tie to their faith in God, mainly because of the fact that they are starting a new path to adulthood. With the upcoming college experience, I have personally felt that I have taken this course at the best possible level of my academic career. Becoming more involved in my faith this year has encouraged my chances of succeeding in all fields within the near future, due to the fact that I have developed an even stronger support system through God. Without taking the course of faith and reason as a senior, I would not feel as confident in myself and the years ahead. ”
Nick

Student
Participant

“In conclusion, this course has affected me and increased my passion for religion. I have been fascinated, amazed, and even perplexed with some of the evidence, and it has helped me strengthen my relationship with God. I am incredibly grateful to have been in this class with Father Reilly and I will continue to enhance my relationship with God throughout my life as I mature and one day have a family of my own.”
Vanessa

Student
Participant

“If I could speak to Fr. Spitzer about the course he has developed, I would first compliment him on the course then say thank you. This course had a major impact on my faith, as it made me learn about how the afterlife works, why we suffer, how to be happier in this life and the next, and this course even showed how science backs up the Catholic faith and how they work together, rather than being apart, which is the common misunderstanding.

I would also want him to know that this program has had a major impact on me as a person. It made me stop comparing myself to others to see how much better of a good and better person I can be, rather now I think how I can make that person’s life change for the better, even if it is a small thing I do.”
Anthony

Student
Participant

“After four years of religion classes, Faith & Reason probably had the biggest impact on my faith. Although I do come from a religious family, this course has deepened my understanding of why I believe in the things that I do and has given me the tools to stand up for what I believe in.

Even though I was raised from a young age to believe in God and miracles, after taking this class, I came to realize that I never understood why I believed, I just always accepted it to be true and followed blindly. Chapter 5 of the course, “Why Be Catholic? Proof from Contemporary Miracles,” really opened up my eyes as to the reasons why Catholics believe what we do. I have come to understand why the Church was created and how the Church is meant to guide and teach us. In addition, I have come to realize that science and religion are not at war with each other, but rather allies. Growing up, I was always a science kid and am pursuing a career in science, but, as I got older, what I was learning started to seemingly question my religious beliefs. This confusion was soon settled within the first few chapters of the course, especially chapters 1 and 2. The explanations for the creation of the universe and the NDE experiences both proved how science can actually enforce religion, not tear it apart. ”
Bridget

Student
Participant

“This course of Faith & Reason was the most beneficial religion class I have ever taken in high school. What I was taught in this class, I can actually understand and use in a debate about religion and the existence of God. I learned valuable scientifically-proven theories and facts that prove God’s existence that I hadn’t known in all my years of private (Catholic) schooling.”
Carter

Student
Participant

“The main thing in this course that helped me grow in faith was the scientific perspective. In most religion classes, we do not learn about scientific proof that is evidence for God’s existence. It has been a misconception that science cannot prove that God exists. However, I learned that this is quite the opposite. There are several examples proving God’s existence, and that part of the course interested me the most.”
Joseph

Student
Participant

“This course is unlike any other course I have taken throughout my academic career. It covered topics that are meant to be forgotten after the test but are meant to be remembered for the rest of my life.

As I think about my faith in the future, I will think back to the second semester of my senior year of high school and reflect on the various topics covered. This course helped my faith because it provided me with justification of my beliefs from reputable sources instead of having a volunteer parent at CCD class tell me things are true just because they are.”
Alexa

Student
Participant

“Before taking this course, I would question my faith because I was never really given evidence on why I should see events as facts. After completing this course I feel that my faith has been strengthened because I did question these things prior. If I did not have the curiosity I would have just pushed everything to the side, but after completing I feel a better understanding of our faith.”
Cory

Student
Participant

“I am so grateful for having to take Faith and Reason this semester. It has helped me so much to grow in my faith and see how much I did not know. Although I believed in God before, I was able to logically explain things that I had doubts about and help educate other people.”
Kayleen

Student
Participant

“Faith and Reason has been one of the most influential and life changing classes that I have taken at sea. It has allowed me to expand my knowledge of my faith and I can now provide proof to others about my faith. … This class has changed me as a person and allowed me to stand up for my faith with solid proof and knowledge. I am so much more informed of my faith, and I am more confident to defend my faith. This was definitely a life changing class, thank you so much and thank you for everything.”
Salvatore

Student
Participant

“Overall, mainly these three topics, along with the rest of the course, have completely changed and strengthened my faith greatly. I am very amazed by all the material in this course, and I am very interested in it. I wish that everyone could take this course and truly see what it really is like to have faith in God and be amazed by how perfect He, and everything He created is. This course has truly helped my faith grow.”
Gaetano

Student
Participant

“The course itself has changed my perspective on faith totally. I questioned my faith, at some points I even abandoned it totally. By taking the course and fully understanding its material I was able to find my own faith and nurture it every day of my life. I seek the good in others, not their faults and I seek God in others. Beyond just the topics discussed, I found what it is to be Catholic and why it is I pray to God. No longer do I have to “just believe in it”, rather I feel there is indisputable evidence for my faith that no form of science can invalidate.”
James

Student
Participant

“Coming into this class in the beginning of the year, I didn’t seem as religious as others. The reason I was catholic was because my parents were Catholic, and I felt obligated to be one. Coming into this faith and reason class every day made me learn more about my faith and I’m glad it did…this class has really changed me, and it has helped my faith grow in a way that I wouldn’t have expected. Being catholic before didn’t really mean anything to me until this class taught me the background of my faith and for that I am grateful.”
Kyle

Student
Participant

“I always believed in God and in Jesus, but I always thought the things I had learned were over exaggerations. Learning the science behind the church and consciousness makes me happy and hopeful for life after death. Before I might have been swayed away from the Church but now nothing can break my faith.”
Miranda

Student
Participant

“Walking into my 5th period class, I was unaware of what to expect. Would reasoning my faith actually contradict it? Would I like the course? What could I possibly learn? All the questions that rushed through my head as I sat in my seat the very first day of class. Little did I know how much I was going to learn in such a short span of time. This course was not only highly educational, but it simultaneously became one of my favorite courses that I took throughout my time at St. Joseph By The Sea High School.

This course has been very difficult for me. Struggling with religion since my freshman year, I was not looking forward to this class. However, I am pleased to say that it was one of the best courses that I could have ever taken, spiritually. I have learned and grown immensely since this course. My faith is so strong because I no longer feel as if I am roaming aimlessly. With my new found beliefs, I have this course to thank. Leaving St. Joseph By The Sea, you tend to forget why you came here in the first place. I am so happy to be reminded of the reason I enrolled here. Not only do you graduate with a great reputation, but you also graduate with a strengthened faith.”
Sophia

Student
Participant

“Thank you so much everyone! These modules have been really interesting and I have really enjoyed them. Thanks again!”

Student
Participant

“I had no idea that this evidence even existed.”

“I would recommend this because they will have a better base of Jesus’ path and way. And they will learn more about Christ.”

Student
Participant

“I found the class interesting because of the Apologetic Themes, in CCD class, and how they were able to deepen my belief in God and Jesus. Firstly, one of the themes which expressed it the most were when our teacher (Tim) explained the Near Death Experiences, where the heart stops, and their souls leave their bodies and they meet their loved ones, until they see a white light, God. This showed me that God always has a plan for us, in the end.

Secondly, another one of the themes which made class interesting, and deepened my understanding of God and Jesus, was when our teahcer (Tim) spoke about The Holy Shroud of Turin, which was made of linen, (not photogenic) and in which Jesus was wrapped inside a 3 dimension tomb, which could have only have been produced by a 6-8 billion watts for light for 1/40th of a billionth of a second. Otherwise, the shroud would have been completely vaporized. This story showed me that the power of God and Jesus is infinite and that I shouldn’t be afraid of death, because it’s sad yet powerful, and willing. 

Finally, the last theme which made class interesting and increased my knowledge of souls, was when Tim spoke about Terminal Lucidity, and how it would affect people who had diseases which would cause the brain to degenerate, and then suddenly wake up just before they die and express themselves as if their brain were completely normal  This came to prove that the soul was working through the body, even without the brain, and was proof that we have a soul. 

Therefore, the Apologetic Themes made a difference in my learning, and made it interesting through teaching me, that God always has a plan for us in the end, and that the power of Jesus, and God is infinite, so we shouldn’t be afraid of death, and that we do have a soul, but have to use it for good.”

Gabriella 

Student
Participant

I also liked the theme [taught] where we gained a soul in 70,000 BC instead of 200,000 BC because science existed and 200,000 BC there was barely any human life so many Christians doubt the word of God .”

Jean-David