The Healy Brothers; a Thrilling, Shameful Story

February 2, 2011 By

February is Black History Month, and to kick it off historian Dr. Pat McNamara brings us a fascinating story that thrilled and shamed me. What a remarkable family of faith existed in the sons and daughters of Michael Healy and Eliza Clark; they became priests, nuns and even a bishop emerging from their home in [...]

Filed Under: America, American Genius, Catholic Vocations, Catholicism, Crucible of Faith, Education, Faith, Parenting Tagged With: , , , , , ,

US vs Tiger Mothers, Lion Fathers – UPDATED

January 26, 2011 By

Our Sunday Visitor is carrying a piece of mine looking at the controversial question of whether the berating Chinese “Tiger Mother” is truly superior to the doting and timid “you’re so special!” Western mode of parenting. I am of two minds on it: In America we have allowed genuine excellence to be sacrificed upon the [...]

Filed Under: Education, Parenting Tagged With: , ,

The Audacity of Wonder – UPDATED

January 25, 2011 By

Illustration Source) Over at First Things, my Tuesday Column is looking at our mania for credentials and how it closes doors, narrows minds and holds wonder at arms length: He has authored over a dozen books, written a syndicated newspaper column and countless essays and articles covering a broad range of subjects—sports, politics, mobsters, union [...]

Filed Under: "Remaking" Ourselves, 'Remaking' America, Education, Faith, Faith Perspective, Parenting Tagged With: , ,

Holiness & Glory; New Concepts! – UPDATED

November 9, 2010 By

I like this piece by Tom Howard, a classics teacher who is looking at how modern students respond to Homer: But then we came to Homer. This old blind bard addresses himself to his poetic task with immense energy. And a reader does not get far into The Iliad before he finds himself hailed with [...]

Filed Under: Education

Kids in Chant; Kyrie Eleison

September 29, 2010 By

H/T Sr. Lisa

Filed Under: Catholic Vocations, Education, video faves

"Tenure" or "Tenor"? Oops!

September 29, 2010 By

Watch the graphics during the report. Heh. Gov. Chris Christie; “We may have to fire lousy teachers!”

Filed Under: Chris Christie, Education, The Fourth Estate

The Force of Her Focus – UPDATED

August 25, 2010 By

Marks ’10/Kris Snibble (Photosource) Readers may remember a post from the spring, featuring Mary Anne Marks, Harvard ’10, and her salutatory address, given in Latin, with not a notecard in sight. In this interview with Kathryn Jean Lopez, you can feel the force of her focus; she is like a laser. The cry that the [...]

Filed Under: American Genius, Catholic Vocations, Catholicism, Dominican Order, Education, Faith Perspective