Home • Courses • Seminars • Special Events • Calendar • Catechist Certification • Espanol • Parishes • About Us • Contact Us • Links Our Mission To provide high-quality adult religious education  on the teaching and tradition of the Roman Catholic Church in ways that are appropriate and effective, best accomplished on the inter-parish level, and help each and all participants to “grow in wisdom and grace.” In 1996, the pastors of the Ada County parishes conducted a study to determine the preparedness of their Catholic school teachers and parish catechists to instruct young people in the Catholic faith. They found that most had little or no education in religion past their own childhood catechesis. The pastors were committed to providing religious education to those responsible for instructing their parish children. In a momentous act, the pastors formed the Faith Formation Program of Ada County, creating an inter-parish program that offered catechist training and adult religious education for personal enrichment. This collaboration among the parishes was inspired by their cooperative effort that built Bishop Kelly High School in 1963, and sustain it to this day. In 1997 the first classes of the Faith Formation Program were offered under the leadership of Mr. Jack Craven, who was a retired administrator from the Boise School District and life-long supporter of Catholic education. Hundreds of lay people registered for those first classes and the program grew. With the permission and encouragement of the pastors and bishop, relationships were established such that the catechist certification provided by the Program were jointly endorsed by the Diocese of Boise and Gonzaga University of Spokane. This arrangement allowed participants who were teachers, certified by the State of Idaho, to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) by taking classes through the Faith Formation Program. Fr. Hugh Feiss OSB, a Benedictine priest and monk from the Monastery of the Ascension in Jerome ID, assisted in the planning and implementation of the Program since its inception, and is a Additionally, a slate of two-hour presentations about topical issues was added and, in the first year, the lectures drew over a thousand people from all over the Treasure Valley.  This format began the popular Thursday Night Lecture Series. In 2000, Ms. Mia Crosthwaite, the Religious Education Coordinator for Risen Christ Catholic Community, accepted the position as ACE-TV Program Coordinator. Because two parishes outside of Ada County—St. Paul (Nampa) and Holy Apostles (Meridian)—had joined the coalition, the name was changed to Adult Catholic Education of the Treasure Valley (ACE-TV) in 2001. Ms. Crosthwaite increased the range and variety of topics and the diversity of presenters and formats; for example, special Lenten offerings on prayer, the Beatitudes and other topics were offered in the form ‘mini-retreats.’ Responsive to the changing needs of the Treasure Valley parishes, Ms. Crosthwaite facilitated the expansion of the catechist certification program to include the same high-quality courses in the Spanish language. In 2004, Dr. Peg Wuelfing became the Director of Adult Catholic Education of the Treasure Valley after completion of her doctoral research in Catholic educational leadership. Dr. Wuelfing continues the tradition of responsiveness to changing needs and opportunities by expanding the variety of programming content and formats with large and small group events and on-line courses for participants in and outside the Treasure Valley. Funding for ACE-TV is primarily provided by annual stipends from the eight Treasure Valley Catholic churches, based on the percentage of participants from each parish. These stipends cover instructor fees, publicity, program costs and administration. A secondary source of income is from participants in ACE-TV courses and events. Although a modest fee is charged to everyone who participates, registered members of parishes who sponsor ACE-TV pay a discounted fee, since each sponsoring parish pays many times that amount for their parishioners by way of their annual stipend. The message is clear… Your parish leadership is eager to make this investment in YOU, to help you “grow in wisdom and grace.” A look into the future for ACE-TV portents new offerings, new formats and technologies—but the same commitment to meeting the needs and aspirations of the people of the Treasure Valley. With so many people having completed all or some of the core classes, we receive regular requests for more advanced classes on various topics. Suggested topics include: Scripture — Pentateuch    Scripture — Old Testament Prophets    Scripture — Historical Books    Scripture — Wisdom Books    Scripture — Synoptics    Scripture — John    Scripture — Pauline writing    The Parables    The Psalms    Infancy Narratives    Passion Narratives    Christology    Theology Today — Feminist, Liberation, Environmental    Classical Theology — Augustine, Aquinas    Christian Morality and Decision Making    Early Church — until 500    Middle Ages — 500-1500    Modern Church — Reformation to Present    Future Church — Globalization and Ecumenism in a Technological World    Major Church Councils and Their Legacy    US Church History    Mary & Saints/Ways of Holiness    Papal Encyclicals    US Bishops’ Pastoral Letter    Prayer — Spirituality    Catholic Social Teachings    Church & World    Ecumenism and Comparative Religions    The Church's People — vocations and ministry    Liturgy — Mass The success of Adult Catholic Education of the Treasure Valley is due,in large part, to responding to the hopes and needs of area Catholics. If you want to participate, have a program or topic that you are interested in, or want to know more about ACE-TV, please contact Peg Wuelfing, Director or call (208) 424-8989