Our Mission

Why we do what we do

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Prayer

to Jesus through our Blessed Mother Mary is primary to our identity and is the foundation for any other Institute activities.

Formation

focuses on studying under the tutelage of JPII and Benedict XVI

Witnesses

share how they are living this formation in their day-to-day lives

Discussion

provides opportunity for a steady growth in knowledge, understanding, and relationship

OUR HEART

Our Pillars

Our pillars are our essential core values upon which we base the Institute. They are the fruit of countless hours in prayer and discussion about the most effective way to serve our participants. We believe firmly that the Lord has helped us arrive at these pillars and that our outcomes are a result of them.

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Our Outcomes

Throughout the last eight years, our participants and their families have had great blessings poured out on them. Living the truth of God’s plan for us taught by JPII and Benedict XVI has born this fruit.

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126 tob intro course grads

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12 marriages & 5 Priests

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20+ children born and counting

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30 witnesses have shared their story

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150+ conference/seminar attendees

Our Story

In 2016, Catholic students from Lindenwood University began visiting our home to learn Theology of the Body (TOB), John Paul II’s thorough teaching on sexuality, vocation and what makes us human. Every Thursday night a faithful group grew from five to over 25, experiencing video content and rich discussions about the meaning of life, marriage and the tough topics of our time. Witness couples gave testimony to the beauty and power of these teachings and answered many questions.

John Paul II’s teaching laid a foundation which prompted these young adults to ask…”now how do we pray, how do we share this message, can we go deeper?”. We were overjoyed to pass on what God gave to us in our single years – a treasure trove of answers and a path for living with passion and purpose. More programs soon followed…Weekly Audience groups, First Saturday Seminars, two additionals Weekend TOB Intro Sessions and our first conference. If God wills, we hope to continue helping Catholics first build a foundation based on true humanism through TOB, and to offer deeper formation through more events.

MEET

Heather & Michael

Michael Vento is the President and Founder of the Institute. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in theological studies and philosophy with an emphasis in the thought of Pope St. John Paul II, St. John of the Cross, and St. Thomas Aquinas. Michael has a law degree and previously worked in financial services. Heather Vento, Michael’s wife and co-founder of the Institute, worked as high school teacher, full-time chastity educator and youth minister on a retreat team, and was a speaker, author and presenter to educators both on the Theology of the Body and character education for over 20 years.
Michael and Heather are blessed with five amazing children. God placed it on their hearts to open their home to become a place of learning and formation. They are thrilled to continue to extend this invitation.

MEET OUR

Episcopal Advisor

Most Reverend Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke

After studying philosophy at The Catholic University of America and theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, he was ordained to the holy priesthood by Pope Paul VI at St. Peter’s Basilica on June 29, 1975. In 1994, Monsignor Burke was appointed Bishop of La Crosse, during which time he founded the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse. Bishop Burke was named Archbishop of Saint Louis, and was installed on January 26, 2004. On June 27, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Archbishop Burke Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. He was elevated to the College of Cardinals on November 20, 2010. Appointed in November of 2014, Cardinal Burke is the Cardinal Patron of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. In September of 2017, Cardinal Burke was appointed as a member of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura.

As Founder of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Cardinal Burke continues to serve as President of the Board of Directors of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

MEET OUR

Chaplain and Board Members

Aaron Branson

Board

Business leader, entrepreneur and, along with wife Maureen, a witness to the beauty and power of the Theology of the Body.

Fr. Dan Shaughnessy

Board

Pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Wentzville, MO; B.A. Architecture, Washington University, 1993 and Master of Architecture, Washington University, 1996; worked in the private sector from 1996-2006; Masters of Theology and Divinity, Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, 2012.

Dr. John Finley

Board

Tutor at Thomas Aquinas College and former philosophy professor at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, MO; Author/Editor of Sexual Identity.

Fr. David Skillman

Chaplain

Associate Pastor at St. Patrick in Wentzville, MO.

Shane Kapler

Board

Speaker and Author of many books including The Biblical Roots of Marian Consecration and Through, With, and In Him: The Prayer Life of Jesus and How to Make It Our Own.

Advisory Team Members

Sandy Bast

Fr. Josh Deters

Kim Luedecke Hicks RN, BSN, CFCP

Fr. Jim Theby

Kelley Basta

Fr. Joseph Fessio

Joseph Pearce

Fr. Ryan Truss

Fr. Jacob Braun

Fr. Anthony Gerber

Dr. Tracey Rowland

Fr. Jacob Wessel

Mark Brumley

Erin Herdler, CFCP

Fr. John Saward

Dr. Patrick Yeung

The Problem

A Culture of Chaos

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+ Misunderstanding and Devaluing the Human Person

Human hearts, bombarded and slumbered by the media wait to be reawakened. A resurgence of atheist Marxism and a materialist vision of the human person have led our priorities astray. Our widespread culture of hurry is a showcase of human restlessness and our broken prioritization of values. Existing inside of a chaotic, violent, and impersonal public culture has had a lasting effect on the human person’s ability to understand and value not only himself but others in his life.

+ Devaluation of Prayer and the Sacraments

We’re presently living in a digital age in which prayer is deeply diminished in the hierarchy of activities. Individuals are leaving the church at unprecedented rates because they do not know Jesus. Faith and reason are seen as separate – and, in some instances, even opposed. The COVID pandemic revealed this symptom in a particular way, as we saw major obstacles created that inhibited the faithful’s ability to receive the sacraments and to share in communal life.

+ Lack of Catechesis and Formation

The majority of Catholics suffer from a lack of catechesis and formation within the church, which has led to a disconnect from our Lord and from the other members of the Body of Christ. This lack of catechesis and formation creates an obstacle for understanding what it truly means to be human, and perpetuates every other item on this list by a failure to instill in the faithful the foundations of our faith.

+ Lack of Vocational Discernment

A general lack of understanding of each individual’s call to a particular vocation, as well as a lack of discernment overall, leads to general unhappiness and unfulfillment, and perpetuates sin. This continues to bear bad fruits in clerical scandals and broken marriages and families.

+ Lack of Engagement in Communal Life

Human beings today lack authentic friendship and community. We see relationships taking the shape of companionships centered on materialism and superficialities because we lack the tools to recognize and seek out genuine, lasting fellowship with others. This has been brought about by, among other things, digital connections that confuse the human person.

+ Misunderstanding of Human Sexuality

A widespread acceptance of the separation of body and soul has led to disordered sexual activity. Decades of untruths surrounding abortion, contraception, and the divine purpose of sex have permeated the public to an especially damaging degree.

The Solution

A Culture of Life

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+ Renewed, Holistic Understanding of the Human Person as God intended

Participants will understand what it means to be human through the theological anthropology in the Theology of the Body, the Trinitarian encyclicals, the encyclicals on the theological virtues, writings on the liturgy, and much more.

+ Renewed Value of Prayer and the Sacraments

Participants will truly know and connect with our Lord and will actively participate in His life and virtues. They’ll begin to engage in silent prayer (both privately and liturgically) and will learn what it actually means to pray. They’ll also develop a deep devotion to Mary and will be encouraged to consecrate and entrust themselves to her.

+ Relevant Catechesis and Formation

Participants will experience a deepened understanding of the foundations of our faith and, as a result, will experience a desire for continuous learning and deepening of their knowledge of the faith.

+ A Thirst for Beauty and a Hunger for Truth

Participants will experience an invigorated desire to encounter beauty through literature, music, and visual art. They will establish a deeper understanding of the importance of these things and will develop a continued seeking of truth in all areas of their lives.

+ Vocational Discernment Support

Participants will understand the importance of vocational discernment and, if not already established in their vocation, will make a wholehearted discernment of their divine call.

+ A Deepened Understanding of Human Sexuality and A Desire to Defend Social Truths

Participants will experience a deepened understanding of human sexuality and God’s purpose for sex in His creation of man and woman and will apply these truths in their own lives – which, in many cases, will lead to a turning away from contraceptive use and an openness to life in many marriages. In addition, participants will also share these truths with individuals who struggle with disordered sexual activity, offering concrete solutions that extend a healing hand, rather than exclusion or alienation.

+ A Renewal of Parish Life and Connection

Participants will experience a heightened desire to actively participate in parish life and become a driving force for parish communities in creating rich and fulfilling connection back to the church for its members. Participants will experience a deepened understanding of authentic human friendship and will actively seek to build and maintain these critical relationships.