About Edmund Rice School

Fostering Theological Education in Service of Christ’s Church

The Rice School was begun in 1995 at the initiative of Bishop John J. Nevins, D.D.. The school founder was Br. Paul Hennessy, C.F.C. and the first faculty member was Sr. Peggy O’Neill, S.C.

The motivating impulse behind the foundation of the school was really twofold: 1) to respond to the mandate of Vatican II that the laity would become ever more involved in advancing the Kingdom and 2) to attempt to respond to the need for lay ministers who are trained and competent to assist their local pastors in the work of serving the Church.

The Mission of the school is to prepare laity who feel called to serve the Roman Catholic Church by means of theological and lay ecclesial education and spiritual enrichment.

As secondary pursuits, we also offer on-going adult faith formation at the request of the diocese, individual parishes, or other groups. In addition, we are charged with the maintenance and building up of the Catholic theological library for the Diocese of Venice. Let’s explore each of these objectives in greater detail…

FORMING THE NEXT GENERATION OF LAY MINISTERS AND DEACONS FOR SERVICE IN THE CHURCH

Since its founding, the Rice School has been and continues to function as a center for theological study and preparation for service in the Diocese of Venice.

In addition to training the laity, the Rice School provides theological education for those men preparing for ordination to the diaconate.

SECONDARY PURSUITS OF THE RICE SCHOOL

GENERAL FAITH FORMATION FOR GOD’S PEOPLE

Far from being merely an academic institution, the Rice School is also active in providing opportunities for life-long faith formation for the people of the Diocese of Venice, Florida. This is accomplished in a variety of ways. For example, faculty and graduates of the Rice School are available upon request to visit diocesan parishes as guest speakers in both ‘one-shot’ and extended series formats. They can facilitate retreats and offer evenings of reflection. They can serve as consultants for parish committees and provide training for lectors, extraordinary Eucharistic ministers and other types of parish-level ministries. (Look under ‘Programs’ on this website for our ever-growing menu of options.) For those interested in a more long-term, in-depth exploration of the faith, we heartily welcome all interested auditors to our regular classes. (This can be a great option for newly initiated Roman Catholics who, having just completed their catechumenate, miss the fellowship and camaraderie of a faith-based learning environment.)

One thing that is an important component of all adult faith formation done by the Rice School, perhaps its essential component, is the emphasis we place on calling God’s people to active service for others in need. Simply put, personal spiritual growth must lead to service. Perhaps the Epistle of James best expresses this relationship between one’s faith and Christian service:

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,’ and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead (2:14-17).

A ROMAN CATHOLIC THEOLOGICAL LIBRARY

The Anne Nevins Library is a full-fledged lending library with an online catalogue and is available to be used by anyone who would like to increase their understanding of the faith, deepen their own spirituality or simply find answers to the questions that are puzzling them. You can learn more about the Anne Nevins Library by exploring that area of this website.

The Format of Classes Offered by the Rice School

Don’t let our Arcadia address fool you. Our library and main offices are actually located just outside of Port Charlotte, Florida, a mere 3.7 miles off of Exit 170 of I-75! However, whether you choose to audit a class or enter into our diploma or M.A. programs, you will be pleasantly surprised to learn that our classes are actually offered near you!

The reason for this is that the Rice School does not have a classroom building per se (although we do offer classes from time to time in the Anne Nevins Library). Instead, since our inception, the faculty of Rice School has traveled to various parishes around the Diocese of Venice where the classes are held. Over the years, we have offered classes in a variety of locations: Bradenton, Sarasota, Osprey, Venice, Port Charlotte, Fort Myers, Naples and Sebring to name a few! Thus, it is highly likely that we are offering a class near you!

So, have we piqued your interest?
Good! Let’s take a closer look at the various programs the Rice School has to offer…