Applications for scholarships for the 2016 BJ Hickey Biblical Foundation are now open.
Now in its fourth year, the Foundation awards scholarships to lay people, as well as Religious Sisters and Brothers, who wish to pursue biblical studies of any length and at any level, locally or overseas.
Applicants must outline the extent to which their studies focus on the Bible and how they will use their new knowledge to contribute to the Archdiocese of Perth.
Centre for Faith Enrichment Director, Dr Michelle Jones said applicants don’t need to be an academic – just someone with a desire to know the Scriptures better and to help others with that knowledge.
2015 Scholarship Winners Gem Oliveiro, Laura Firth and Helen Vester covered a number of different interest areas as part of their scholarship.
Mrs Oliveiro travelled to Jerusalem to participate in the course ‘In the Footsteps of Jesus’ at the Centre for Biblical Formation.
At the time of receiving the scholarship Mrs Firth was also completing studies overseas through distance education. She was studying a Master of Arts in Theology in the United States and planned to pass on her new knowledge of the Scriptures to her students at the Acts 2 College of Mission and Evangelisation in Osborne Park, where she has taught since 2007.
Former Prison Chaplain Helen Vester was the only scholarship recipient for 2015 to be undertaking studies in Australia, completing a Bachelor of Theology online through Charles Sturt University in New South Wales.
Mrs Vester spent four years working in Catholic Prison Ministry before leaving the role last year. She was also training as a Clinical Pastoral Education Supervisor at Royal Perth Hospital.
“To fulfill both of my roles, a good grasp of theology and particularly of Scripture is not only helpful but, I believe, essential,” she said.
“For those hospital patients and family members I may meet in the future, and future students of Clinical Pastoral Education, I hope that my increased knowledge about the stories that undergird our Christian faith will deepen the God-centred encounters that we are able to have.”
Click Here for the 2016 Application Details or Click Here for the 2016 Application Form.
Applications close on Friday, 11 November 2016.