In 1983, the Catholic Home Study Institute began its mission of faithfully and systematically transmitting the teachings of sacred Scripture to Catholics around the world. Now known as the Catholic Distance University, CDU observed its 25th anniversary last Monday with a Mass celebrated by Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde, chairman of the CDU board, and former Arlington Bishop Thomas J. Welsh, CDU founder and Arlington’s first bishop.

On the vigil of the birthday of St. John the Baptist, Bishop Loverde paid tribute to CDU and its mission.

“The missions of John the Baptist and Catholic Distance University are the same — to proclaim the coming of Jesus,” said Bishop Loverde. “We are inviting our brothers and sisters to love and to know our Savior and to know about our precious Catholic faith.”

CDU was founded as a traditional correspondence school, where students received lessons in the mail, completed an assignment and mailed their work back to be graded. This model has undergone changes over the years.

In 2000, the school introduced online seminars taken over the Internet. This technological leap has changed the way CDU delivers its product. In 2004, CDU put its first graded courses online and the trend toward the virtual classroom has grown. More than 20,000 students have taken accredited undergraduate and graduate courses at CDU, leading to degrees, along with continuing education courses.

Dr. Marianne Evans Mount, president of CDU, said that online is the future of learning at CDU.

“We still provide the paper courses, but more of our courses are going online,” said Mount. Online technology has allowed students to feel more of a sense of community than the old paper days. Innovations like an online chapel have given students more of a connection to the university.

“Students feel like they’re at a physical university,” she said.

Mount sees the future of CDU in technology, but the basic mission of the school remains unchanged. She’s proud of the way the university has worked to create a community that reflects the universality of the Church.

CDU’s many students also support the basic mission of the school.

Graduate student Kathy Vestermark from Herndon is studying theology.

“I decided to go to CDU because I wanted to learn more about my faith than was available at the parish level,” Vestermark said. She expects to get her master’s in 2010 and possibly teach. CDU’s growth areas are the graduate and undergraduate degrees in theology.

The founder of CDU, Bishop Welsh is very happy with the direction CDU is heading. “It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years since we started,” he said. “I’m very proud of the school and what it’s accomplished.”

Coming Up

CDU’s 25th anniversary Gala

Nov. 22

Ritz-Carlton Hotel

Pentagon City