By the end of the Fellowship, students will be able to:Explain the nature of a worldview and articulate the Catholic worldview in their own wordsRecognize how worldviews are expressed in art, architecture, law, literature, and media throughout Western historyEngage in fruitful, confident dialogue with people who hold secular worldviewsIdentify the strengths and growth edges of their own personality and leadership styleDraft and defend a personal leadership philosophy grounded in Catholic principles

Fr Randall Meissen, LC — ProfessorDr Mary Schwarz CRC, — ProfessorKatie Lundstrom, MBA, PCC — Leadership Development and CoachingMaria Rivero, MS — Curriculum Coordinator

The course awards 3 credits based on a minimum of 45 contact hours and 140 total program hours, distributed as follows:Required pre-reading before arrival in Germany (15 hours)Classroom lectures and discussions (45 hours)Leadership training seminars and coaching (15 hours)Cultural fieldwork at churches, museums, and historical sites in Germany and Rome (45 hours)Personal and group study during the Fellowship (10 hours)Exam preparation and completion (10 hours)

Plenary Session: A lecture or presentation introducing the day’s theme, led by a faculty memberPersonal Study Session: A dedicated reading period engaging the day’s assigned textsBreak-Out Sessions: Small group discussions of the lecture and readings, facilitated by a professor

Leadership Seminar: Training and coaching in the essentials of effective Catholic leadershipPlenary Wrap-Up: Sharing conclusions, examining micro-evangelization cases, and introducing the next day’s themes

Morning Meditation, Mid-day Mass, and Evening Holy Hour with Night PrayersSpiritual Check-ins

The Catholic Worldview Fellowship Program Overview

The Catholic Worldview Fellowship is a four-week, fully immersive summer study-abroad program for talented Catholic college students. It is an integrated formation experience that combines academic study, leadership development, cultural fieldwork, and spiritual formation into a coherent whole, all ordered toward one goal: equipping young Catholics to evangelize culture.

Fellows earn three academic credits through Benedictine College while living, studying, and praying at some of the most significant Catholic sites in Germany and Rome.

The Academic Course

The course is titled “The Catholic Worldview: Culture, Evangelization, and Leadership through the Lens of the Catholic Faith.” It is an interdisciplinary study of how worldviews shape culture, how the Catholic worldview has formed Western civilization, and how Catholic leaders today can confidently engage, evangelize, and renew a post-Christian world.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the Fellowship, students will be able to:

Explain the nature of a worldview and articulate the Catholic worldview in their own words
Recognize how worldviews are expressed in art, architecture, law, literature, and media throughout Western history
Engage in fruitful, confident dialogue with people who hold secular worldviews
Identify the strengths and growth edges of their own personality and leadership style
Draft and defend a personal leadership philosophy grounded in Catholic principles

Faculty

Fr Randall Meissen, LC — Professor
Dr Mary Schwarz CRC, — Professor
Katie Lundstrom, MBA, PCC — Leadership Development and Coaching
Maria Rivero, MS — Curriculum Coordinator

Credit Hours

The course awards 3 credits based on a minimum of 45 contact hours and 140 total program hours, distributed as follows:

Required pre-reading before arrival in Germany (15 hours)
Classroom lectures and discussions (45 hours)
Leadership training seminars and coaching (15 hours)
Cultural fieldwork at churches, museums, and historical sites in Germany and Rome (45 hours)
Personal and group study during the Fellowship (10 hours)
Exam preparation and completion (10 hours)

The Daily Schedule

Each day of the Fellowship is structured to integrate all four pillars academic, leadership, cultural, and spiritual — into a single, unified formative experience. There are two types of days:

Academic Days at Schloss Wissen, Germany

Morning

Plenary Session: A lecture or presentation introducing the day’s theme, led by a faculty member
Personal Study Session: A dedicated reading period engaging the day’s assigned texts
Break-Out Sessions: Small group discussions of the lecture and readings, facilitated by a professor

Afternoon

Leadership Seminar: Training and coaching in the essentials of effective Catholic leadership
Plenary Wrap-Up: Sharing conclusions, examining micro-evangelization cases, and introducing the next day’s themes

Throughout the Day

Morning Meditation, Mid-day Mass, and Evening Holy Hour with Night Prayers
Spiritual Check-ins

Cultural Outings Germany and Rome

Guided group tours of historical and sacred sites
Time for personal and small-group exploration and prayer
Mass celebrated at key pilgrimage sites when possible