Blog

Realistic Goals for Catholic Homeschooling in the Modern World

by

Catholic families who hope to live faithfully and raise their children well in the modern world must begin with realistic goals. The conditions under which Catholic parents now live are not those of medieval Christendom, nor even those of nineteenth-century America. They live under the influence of compulsory education laws. They live in an economy that requires academic credentials. They live in a culture that often measures success by college admissions statistics and income levels. If Catholic parents attempt to compete with secular society on its own terms, while also trying to preserve the Faith in their homes, they will … Continue

The Hidden Cause of Schism in the Catholic Church

by

Schism in Christianity is usually explained in terms of personalities, politics, scandals, or discipline. But those explanations never seem to reach the root of the problem. In this talk, I argue that the deepest cause of schism in the Church is not moral or historical, but philosophical. Beneath many modern disagreements—between Protestants and Catholics, and even among Catholics themselves—lies a hidden metaphysical assumption about where the Christian faith exists. Is the faith an abstract ideal that can exist apart from the visible Church? Or does it exist only as embodied, historical, and concrete? Drawing on the classical distinction between Platonism … Continue

The Real-World Limits of Education

by

Parents who enroll their children in the Classical Liberal Arts Academy often do so with serious intentions. They desire a real education, grounded in truth, discipline, and intellectual formation rather than entertainment or credentialism. Yet even with the best intentions, confusion often arises about what education can and cannot accomplish. Many parents assume that if good materials are provided, or if a capable institution is chosen, education will necessarily occur. This assumption is understandable, but it is false. Education is not a service that can be delivered unilaterally. It is a process that requires specific conditions. When those conditions are … Continue

Whether the CLAA Self-Study Program Is the Right Solution for Your Classical Education

by

Help for those seeking an ordered, disciplined, and complete approach to classical studies. You may find yourself drawn to the classical liberal arts because you sense that something essential is missing from modern education and perhaps from your own intellectual formation. You read, listen, and explore ideas, yet feel no real progress. What you likely lack is not intelligence or interest, but an ordered way to study. Without a fixed path, study becomes fragmented. One subject leads to another without direction. Curiosity replaces discipline, and effort produces little lasting formation. Over time, this leads to frustration, not because serious education … Continue

Whether the CLAA Self-Study Program Is the Right Solution for One Feeling Intellectually Underdeveloped?

by

Help for those who feel they were never properly educated and wish to remedy that lack You may have reached adulthood with a persistent and uncomfortable sense that your education was incomplete. You may hold degrees, have professional experience, and function competently in daily life, yet still feel intellectually underdeveloped. You sense gaps that were never filled, foundations that were never laid, and habits of thought that were never properly formed. This feeling is not uncommon. Many modern educational paths emphasize information, credentials, and compliance, while neglecting the formation of the intellect itself. Students learn to complete tasks, repeat conclusions, … Continue