The Catholic Discipleship College is a place of transformation. Guided by the Holy Spirit you will learn how to live your life as a follower of Jesus.

We take participants each year from a variety of backgrounds and ages, generally on a first come first serve basis. We find our smaller size helps to give our participants a sense of belonging and the confidence to be who they really are. We believe this is at the heart of what it means to live life as a disciple of Christ.

We are faithful to the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church. This means that we take Catholic Church teachings at face value. We believe them, not in an abstract way, but as the key to living life well as a Christian.

Our participants are generally Catholics who are looking for a deeper understanding of their faith and a deeper relationship with God. We have had participants of all ages. A question we're asked is whether older people have trouble fitting into a community. Our answer in an emphatic no! Our experience is that older participants who enjoy the company of young adults thrive and, wherever they are on their faith journey, come away from a year at the Catholic Discipleship College profoundly changed by the experience.

The Catholic Discipleship College will be the most challenging and the most rewarding year of your life. Community life is demanding. There are no maids at CDC and participants do chores. They also get up early in the morning to begin their day with prayer. They learn to speak in public and put on dramas. They learn to overcome challenges they would never have imagined possible before coming to CDC. We won't suggest it will be easy, but a year at the Catholic Discipleship College is a year that will change your life.

Christians are constantly faced with the challenge of living the gospel message of 'love one another as I loved you'. At the Catholic Discipleship College, we try to face this challenge head on by living in community. We work together. We eat together. We pray and we play together. We drive each other nuts sometimes but we also learn to share at a deeper level. We create a place where it is safe to be ourselves. We believe that it is in community we learn the most important insights into what it means to follow Christ.

Instruction at the Catholic Discipleship College is different than it is in most places. We feel it's a big part of what makes CDC special. Every week we bring in a new teacher with their own area of specialization (see schedule). They are a very diverse group. What they all have in common is a love for Jesus Christ and a passion for communicating that love to young adults. We believe that they are among the finest teachers in the Catholic Church in New Zealand. Each instructor teaches for 10 hours a week.

We are not an academic institution in the usual sense. Still, the course is demanding, including intensive study of the Catholic Church’s history and teachings. We also teach practical lessons on how to pray and to lead a life devoted to God. Graduates of the Catholic Discipleship College receive a Certificate in Sacred Studies.

At the Catholic Discipleship College we like to worship God. We worship Him through our music and with our lives. We believe that by praising Jesus we allow Him to change our hearts. The result is usually joyful and enthusiastic prayer.

Every morning begins with the liturgy of the hours, a prayerful recitation of psalms and scriptures followed by an hour of Eucharistic Adoration. We also pray the rosary daily and celebrate the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the highest possible expression of gratitude to God through His Son. It is at the heart of our community. When we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, it is a pledge to love our community and the whole Church in imitation of Jesus. We also acknowledge that we cannot love this way without His help.

Throughout the year, participants learn to practice many forms of prayer. They learn to pray and to share in the love of God through adoring Jesus in the Eucharist, through silent prayer as well as charismatic prayer. What is charismatic prayer? It is praying out loud with each other and for each other with the help of the Holy Spirit. We believe it is one of the most profound experiences of God that a Christian can expect. It is a very special part of the spirituality of our College.

The short answer is no. You do, however, need to respect and value the Catholic tradition and be open and willing to learn more about the Catholic faith and acknowledge Jesus as your saviour.

The Catholic Discipleship College is residential. Where possible, participants are expected to live on campus in our dormitory. We find that while living together full-time has its challenges, it is also enriching. It allows people to get to know each other deeply and fosters bonds of community that exist in much more than name only. The friendships that are formed in residence last a lifetime.

Married couples will occasionally choose to live off campus. There is housing available for rent near CDC. Should you need any help with finding accommodation, we would be happy to assist.

Though most of our participants are from New Zealand, each year our community life is enriched by internationals from around the world. We have had little or no success though in obtaining visas for people from Africa and the middle east. In special cases a 2nd year may be offered depending on the regional needs of the Catholic Church.

Outreach and evangelisation is central to our apostolate. Every November we send our participants out on the road to share the Good News of God's love to the young people of New Zealand by visiting schools and parishes. For many this is the high point of their year at CDC. Nothing can compare to the experience of sharing your faith with others. The people whose lives you touch will in turn affect your life forever.

There is no charge for the formation you will receive at the Catholic Discipleship College. The CDC Board of Management undertakes to fundraise for this. All you need to pay is your board and lodgings expenses for the course which is $7,000 + GST ($7,900) for the 39 weeks (approximately $200/week). You will also need some money for your own personal expenses. Payment is expected in full upon arrival, unless other arrangements have been made with the office.

When you come to CDC you will need an approved Catholic Bible plus a Morning and Evening Prayer Book. They will be available for purchase at CDC.