Faculty

Faculty

Scott is the founding director of the Bishop Helmsing Institute which began in the Fall of 2006.　 Since beginning in 2006, over 1000 students, from more than 70 different parishes have taken at least one BHI course. In the past four years the institute has offered regular courses at 27 parishes or school sites in the diocese. The Institute has graduated 67 catechists from its three year program including many Hispanic students.
Scott has a Masters degree in New Testament Studies from Regent College and is completing his Ph.D. dissertation in Catholic Moral Theology at the Pontifical University, St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, Ireland. He comes to the diocese from a teaching Religious Studies at Redeemer Pacific College, a Catholic liberal arts college offering a program at Trinity Western University, in British Columbia, Canada. Scott also has extensive experience teaching public grade school and middle school. He is married and has five children.

Dr. Timothy Brennan -
Associate Director

Dr. Timothy M. Brennan is originally from Pennsylvania and attended Penn State University with degrees in History and Medieval Studies. He went on to receive Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Medieval History - with an emphasis on the history of the Church - from the University of Kansas. Dr. Brennan also completed a Master's in Theological Studies through the Institute of Pastoral Theology under the auspices of Ave Maria University. He has 18 years of teaching experience on the university and high school levels, and recently enjoyed the privilege of teaching Patristics and Church History to diaconate candidates in the Diocese of LaCrosse, Wisconsin. In his spare time, Dr. Brennan enjoys Bible Study (especially Lectio Divina), reading history, art history, lives of the medieval saints and missionaries, and classic science fiction. He has a strong interest in apologetics and looks forward to working with the faculty and staff of the Bishop Helmsing Institute in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.

Gustavo Valdez - Associate Director of Hispanic Catechesis

Gustavo has a licentiate in Engineering in Computer Systems from the National Institute of Mexico and a bachelor's in Philosophy from the Bishop Luis Guizar Institute of Saltillo. He has also completed two years towards a Masters of Divinity from Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. He has ten years of experience working for the Church as a teacher and missionary in the US, Mexico, and Nicaragua. In 2006, he came to this diocese as an instructor of Theology for the Spanish-speaking faithful. He has implemented and taught the three year BHI Spanish Adult Faith Formation Program at Holy Cross Parish in Kansas City, MO and St. Patrick Church in St. Joseph, MO. As part of the BHI program, he has also led and organized diocesan spiritual retreats in Spanish.

Dino Durando -
Assistant Resource Director

Dino Durando joined the Bishop Helmsing Institute in January 2011. He holds a B.A. in Theology and Philosophy and an M.A. in Theology and Christian Ministry from Franciscan University of Steubenville. Prior to joining the Institute he was the Director of Religious Education at a 5,500 family parish in Modesto, California. He has also served as an adjunct professor for the University of Sacramento and trained Master Catechists for the Diocese of Oakland. A native of California he has lived in Arizona, Ohio and West Virginia. He and his wife, Cathy, have 8 children and are members of St. John LaLande Parish in Blue Springs.

Jake Livingston-
Registrar

Jake joined the Bishop Helmsing Institute in May of 2011. He earned a B.A. in Religious Studies and Philosophy from Benedictine College. Before coming to the BHI, Jake served the Diocese as the Administrative Assistant in the Office of Sacred Worship and the Human Rights Office. He also has experience teaching and as a youth minister. Jake and his wife, Beth, are parishioners at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Kansas City.