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NORTH ATTLEBORO - If you're one of many Americans for whom financial concerns these days are conflicting with your personal and spiritual goals, you might want to check out the Financial Peace University.

No, you don't have to add to your financial burdens by enrolling in an expensive higher-learning institution - just a reasonable fee for a 13-week course that could change your life, according to local resident Bill Napolitano.

As a recent and very enthusiastic graduate of the program, Napolitano, in fact, offered to conduct the 13-week course at the Sacred Heart and St. Mary parishes in North Attleboro, where it will be taught beginning Thursday to about 20 people who have already registered, and it may possibly be offered again in September.

Financial Peace University was created by Dave Ramsey, a personal money management expert, national radio personality and best-selling author of "The Total Money Makeover," "Financial Peace" and "More Than Enough."

The classes are taught via a series of DVD presentations hosted by Ramsey, with group discussions held at the end of each class on how what Ramsey discussed can be implemented. The intent of the program is to empower and teach people how to get out of debt, stay out of debt, build wealth and give back, and Napolitano says Ramsey does it in a way that breaks through the common financial jargon, explains how money really works in a simple, easy-to-understand style, and actually makes it fun to learn about saving, budgeting, investing, insurance and giving.

"Financial Peace University is without a doubt, the best program available for personal finance," Napolitano said.

"I read Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey in 2008, implemented a few of his ideas and saw positive results. I began listening to his radio show on 790 AM, and decided that I wanted to learn more about his program," Napolitano said.

With that in mind, Napolitano said he and his wife Roseann both took the course, were more than pleased with the results and wanted to share their knowledge with others.

"I began asking colleagues, family and friends to identify the two biggest challenges they are facing today," he said. "The answers were not enough time, and not enough money, which fueled borrowing."

Napolitano, who is running the course, then went to the pastor of the St. Mary and Sacred Hearth parishes, the Rev. David Costa, to share the information with him and determine whether he wanted to sponsor the program.

"Based on the fact that it would help people in the community gain better control of their financial well-being, get out of debt and stay out of debt, if they follow Dave's steps, he agreed to get involved," Napolitano said of Costa.

Noting the impact he felt the program could have on the community, Napolitano says it made a lot of sense for him to bring this to the local parishes with Costa's support because as Ramsey says many times, "If you'll live like no one else for a while, you can live like no one else for the rest of your life. When you live like no one else, you can give like no one else."

Janette Boulay can be reached at 508-222-0993 or by e-mail at janette.boulay@gmail.com.