An inter-deanery adult faith formation and education program that brings the insights of local and national leaders, authorities and voices of the Catholic Church to Ventura County will be back for its ninth year beginning in mid-February.

The University Series is a multi-parish program held each Lent (this year, Feb. 18 to March 25) as a collaborative effort among the parishes of Deanery 4 (east Ventura County) and one in Deanery 3 (west Ventura County). The participating parishes include Holy Cross (Moorpark), St. Mary Magdalen and Blessed Junípero Serra (Camarillo), St. Julie Billiart (Newbury Park), (St. Jude the Apostle and St. Maximilian Kolbe (Westlake Village), St. Paschal Baylon (Thousand Oaks), St. Peter Claver and St. Rose of Lima (Simi Valley), and Our Lady of the Assumption (Ventura),

More than 10,000 people from throughout the archdiocese attended last year's program, which this year will include 80 courses --- non-accredited 90-minute sessions (including some in Spanish) --- for spiritual and personal growth, led by 54 faculty presenters.

This year's sessions dig into the Word with Bible archaeology, an illustrated tour of the catacombs of Rome and their importance to the early Church, and a trial lawyer's view of both the Jewish and Roman trials of Jesus by legal expert Dave Shaneyfelt. And, they turn to the future, with CNN Senior Vatican Analyst John Allen sharing his insights about today's young adult leaders in "The Coming Church Leaders: Who Will Be in Charge?"

Rt. Rev. Alexei Smith, ecumenical and inter-religious officer for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, shares how different faiths can live together in peace, while a priest and a rabbi, Father Dave Heney and Rabbi Morris Rubinstein, look at the common roots and current practices of Catholicism and Judaism.

A two-part series examines the major themes of Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical on the world economy, Caritas in Veritate, reminding us that a sense of dignity and justice must shape the decisions made by individuals and society. Pat Esseff and Kathy Brudnicki, long-time social justice advocates and workers in Ventura County, look at how the encyclical's themes impact many aspects of daily life.

Other sessions explore how to explain the Catholic faith, including the popular "Are You Saved?" series by Father Heney; a session on how Catholics should read and interpret the Bible by Jesuit Father Felix Just; and ways to bridge the generation gap in sharing faith with younger people, with Father David Loftus.

Connecting faith to daily conflicts, Atonement Father Joe Scerbo and mediator Greg Stone team up to explore a practical spiritual road map to navigate from conflict resolution to reconciliation, drawing upon the legend of St. Francis and the Wolf of Gubbio.

Venture capitalist Mark Stevens looks at how the Catholic moral compass can be a guide amid the ethical and moral lapses of many prominent businesses in a special Business Ethics session. Professor Betty Odello examines the ethics of genetic engineering in "A New and Better You."

Scripture expert Daniel Smith-Christopher examines the "angry prophets" Micah and Amos for lessons on how to find peace in hard times, while William Shaules uses the Samaritan Woman to illustrate how life can change for the better through an encounter with Christ. Using the "Our Father," Father Joe Shea reflects on how God meets all needs, while Gerry Straub uses powerful films to show how faith lifts up the poor and needy.

The University Series also offers courses in Spanish presented by such speakers as Rudy Finke, Father Olivier Bagnoud, Father Cirilo Bailon, and Lourdes Gonzalez-Rubio.

Other offerings address social justice, spirituality, prayer, liturgy, morality and Church history. Five musical concerts are offered for a free-will donation.

Pre-registration ($5 per class, or $85 for a pass for all classes) closes Feb. 7. Tuition at the door is $8 per class, which includes free admission for one guest. For information, including the entire catalog, visit www.theuniversityseries.org or contact a participating parish.