Ted Ebner, coordinator of prison ministry for the Diocese of Phoenix, has words of advice for any adult interested in deepening their faith through Kino Catechetical Institute.
“If you’re thinking about doing Kino, just sign up for it, because it’s a win, win, win,” Ebner said. “A win for you, a win for your journey and a win for your family.”
After years of working in the insurance business, Ebner said he felt a tug on his heart for deeper formation in his Catholic faith. A friend at his parish, Ascension in Fountain Hills, Ariz., is a Kino graduate and encouraged him to take the plunge.
Ebner joined one of the cohorts at Kino and completed the two-year program last June. The cradle Catholic said he had no previous background in theology and admitted the coursework was tough.
“But it was all-encompassing of what I was looking for to take the next step in my faith. I felt very called to dive into all things Catholicism, and this was just kind of a miracle.”
Luz Lobato, manager of Kino, has worked at the institute for more than 20 years in various
roles. She said she enjoys helping the students in their journey and that she is blessed to learn from them.
“They’re here to learn more about their faith and really deepen their relationship with Christ,” Lobato said. “They know that by doing that, they can truly help their community.”
Kino’s classes take place at the Diocesan Pastoral Center in downtown Phoenix on Wednesday evenings and Saturdays, or during two-week sessions over the summer months for Catholic schoolteachers.
Founded in 1972, Kino offers formation for parish catechists, aspiring deacons, Catholic schoolteachers and those who are simply curious to know more about their faith.
“Kino is open to any Catholic in the diocese, regardless of their academic ability,” Lobato said. Textbooks are included in the tuition and courses are also available in Spanish.
For those who aren’t comfortable doing assignments or taking tests, there’s an option to audit courses. Lobato meets with all prospective students to make sure Kino is a good fit for them.
“Kino, through the Holy Spirit, transforms lives,” Lobato said.
“Even those who have had formation in the past — I’ve had people who have had master’s degrees come in and say, ‘This was something completely different because although I have all this theology, I was in catechism when I was young, I really got to know my faith on a whole different level.’”
Ebner said he loved the courses he took on the Old Testament.
“Diving into the Old Testament with someone who’s very resourceful and can tell you what was going on in the time period just blew me away.”
Ebner was one of the few students in his cohort at Kino who didn’t work for a parish. After several weeks of classes, he says he found himself feeling more and more jealous. “I started to put the feelers out there, and over a year or two, it all came to fruition.”
As Providence would have it, Ebner started working for the Diocese of Phoenix the same month he graduated from Kino.
“It was a long journey but a beautiful journey.”
Doug Small, who will be ordained to the diaconate this month, is also a recent graduate of Kino. He said he loved the classes and discovered his call to serve as a deacon there.
“All the instructors were really knowledgeable about the faith as well as being faithful
people,” Small said. “It felt like every class really helped me to appreciate the richness of our faith and the beauty of our faith.”
Lobato, for her part, said she is moved by the transformation she sees taking place in Kino students over the course of their formation. She remembers a Mayan woman who was too shy to even make eye contact or directly answer questions.
“She started just blossoming and sharing her faith, first in her own household with her two children and then with the Mayan community. And then it just kept growing and growing,” Lobato said.
“Now she’s one of our most active facilitators for our Agua Viva program, which is our parish-based program.”
Agua Viva was developed about 25 years ago by Sister Maria Celia Molina of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.
“She wanted to create something that would meet people where they were at in the parish,” Lobato said. It’s a relaxed program with no books but an emphasis on Scripture, sacraments and Catholic Social Teaching.
Agua Viva is active at St. John Vianney Parish in Goodyear, Ariz., and St. William in Cashion, Ariz.
“Once they finish, they’re hungry for more and many continue on to Kino,” Lobato said.
Kino currently has 111 students in its two-year program and around 35 men discerning the diaconate.
For more information visit kinoinstitute.org.
