Classical Liberal Arts Academy Studium

Note: I make these talks while walking on a wooded trail on the back of our farm. The day this was recorded, a neighbor was cutting and grinding some trees on the neighboring farm property.  That machinery can be heard in the background. For the transcript of the talk, click here:

https://classicalliberalarts.com/blog/dont-be-presumptuous-about-family-planning/

In this talk, I answer an important question from a young Catholic couple about family planning, large families, and preparing for married life.

There is a lot of modern pressure—both cultural and political—pushing young couples to “get married and have lots of children.” But this message is often confused, exaggerated, and not rooted in authentic Catholic teaching. In this discussion, I explain why family size is not something dictated by ideology, but something that must be considered carefully and privately by each husband and wife.

Drawing from my own experience as a husband and father of ten children, I emphasize the importance of avoiding presumption. Every family’s circumstances are different—health, finances, work, environment—and these realities must be taken seriously. Romanticized ideas about family life can lead to unrealistic expectations, unnecessary stress, and even harm to relationships.

Marriage and parenting are long, demanding responsibilities. They require preparation, patience, and a clear understanding of what you are undertaking. The goal is not simply to “have children,” but to raise them well, sustain a strong marriage, and live faithfully in the midst of real-world conditions.

This talk is meant to offer sober, practical guidance to help couples think clearly, act prudently, and build strong, healthy families.

If this is helpful, consider subscribing for more discussions on Catholic education, family life, and classical learning.

Mr. William C. Michael, O.P.

In this talk William Michael challenges common reverence for Socrates and modern “Socratic” education, arguing that destabilizing doubt—when unaccompanied by systematic instruction—can corrode faith, culture, and learning. He contrasts Platonic dialectical methods with Aristotelian demonstrative philosophy and calls for a recovery of systematic, authoritative teaching rooted in Aristotle and Aquinas.

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Mr. William C. Michael, O.P.

Mr. William C. Michael, O.P.

Mr. William C. Michael, O.P.

This talk answers the following questions, received from a contact.

1) When you refer to "classical education" what exactly is it that you mean?  What is the exact curriculum that you are trying to recreate?  Where/when in history is this curriculum?

2) If "classical" refers to Ancient Greece and Rome, would it be more accurate to say you provide a "Scholastic" curriculum?  I ask because I noticed about a third of your courses in the Bachelor's program are more recent than the classical period.

3) Are there any more recent books that you have thought are capable of supplanting a text from the ancient times?  For example, a book on ethics that incorporates Aristotle's thought but also divine revelation.  I have heard that in the late 19th/early 20th century (in the wake of Pastor aeternus) many Thomistic "manuals" were written that attempted something like this.

Mr. William C. Michael, O.P.

Mr. William C. Michael, O.P.

"Trustworthy are the blows of a friend, dangerous, the kisses of an enemy." (Prov. 27:6)

“Progress means getting nearer to the place you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turn, then to go forward does not get you any nearer. If you are on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; and in that case the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive man.” (C.S. Lewis)

Mr. William C. Michael, O.P.

Headmaster

Classical Liberal Arts Academy 

https://classicalliberalarts.com 

Mr. William C. Michael, O.P.

Headmaster

Classical Liberal Arts Academy 

https://classicalliberalarts.com

In this lecture, we examine the New Testament evidence concerning the apostle Peter and his unique role among the Twelve. Rather than beginning with later Church history or theological claims, this talk proceeds directly from Scripture. We first define what is meant by the “Pope” — not as a later title, but as an office: a visible head of the Church entrusted with a unique pastoral authority for the sake of unity. We then identify the distinguishing characteristics such an office would require and examine whether those characteristics are found in Peter. The lecture considers: Peter’s renaming by Christ His reception of divine revelation concerning Christ’s identity The meaning of “rock” in Matthew 16 The symbolism of the “keys of the kingdom” Christ’s command to strengthen the brethren The commission to shepherd the whole flock Peter’s leadership in the Acts of the Apostles His role in the inclusion of the Gentiles His decisive intervention at the Jerusalem Council His association with Rome and the universal Church The goal is not polemical, but careful examination. The question addressed is simple: when the New Testament is read in its entirety, does it present Peter as occupying an office that corresponds to what Catholics later call the papacy? Viewers are encouraged to consider the cumulative biblical evidence and evaluate whether the Petrine office is an invention of later centuries or is rooted in the structure of the apostolic Church itself.

Join us for FREE classical Catholic studies in the Classical Liberal Arts Academy.

Mr. William C. Michael, O.P.