The Seat of Wisdom Diocesan Institute is a program of Adult Faith Formation and Catechetical Certification in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin.
“Seat of Wisdom” is one of the titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for the Son of God, the Eternal Wisdom, took flesh from her womb and as an infant rested in her arms. In pondering her divine Son Jesus Christ, Mary “became the model of all those who hear the word of God and keep it (cf. Lk 11:28), and merited the title ‘Seat of Wisdom’” (John Paul II, The Splendor of Truth, 120).
With Holy Mary as our model, the Seat of Wisdom Diocesan Institute seeks to serve the catechetical mission of the Church in leading the faithful to study and ponder the “mystery of Christ” and accordingly, put them “not only in touch but in communion, in intimacy, with Jesus Christ: only He can lead us to the love of the Father in the Spirit and make us share in the life of the Holy Trinity”(John Paul II, Catechesi Tradendae, 5).
The fundamental objective of this program, therefore, will be to study each of our topics in the light of Jesus of Nazareth, “the only Son from the Father … full of grace and truth”(Jn 1:14). Whether we are studying how Christ fulfills the Old Testament, His words and actions in the Gospels, His founding and abiding presence in the Church and sacraments, Catholic moral teaching, prayer, the saints, cultural trends, other religions, etc., we seek to systematically explore all of these topics in light of Jesus Christ who is “the way, and the truth, and the life”(Jn 14:6).
In addition, we wish to answer such questions as: How do these realities relate to living as a disciple of Jesus today? How will these truths assist me in drawing others to Christ in my role as a teacher, catechist, principal, parent, friend, or simply as a baptized Catholic? How will this assist me in raising my family in the Faith?
The primary sources and reference points for our program are Sacred Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (and its Compendium), the General and National Directories of Catechesis, and the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults.
Our Blessed Mother, Seat of Wisdom, invites all to accept and grow in deeper communion with her Son, Jesus Christ, “the Eternal Word of God, who perfectly reveals and accomplishes the will of the Father (cf. Heb 10:5-10) … To us too she addresses the command she gave to the servants at Cana in Galilee during the marriage feast: ‘Do whatever he tells you’ (Jn 2:4)” (John Paul II, Splendor of Truth, 120).