Pints With Aquinas On Music, Art, and the Recovery of the Sacred (Dr. Peter Kwasniewski) | Ep. 552
Dr. Peter Kwasniewski, a scholar and composer renowned for his insights on sacred music and liturgy, returns for a thought-provoking discussion. He explores the role of technology and warns against its impact on tradition and community. Kwasniewski critiques modern music for its chaotic influence on emotions, advocating instead for serene medieval and Renaissance pieces. He suggests a 40-day musical fast and emphasizes the importance of silence in spiritual practice. Finally, he shares tips on appreciating classical music and the significance of a structured daily prayer life.
03:15:26
Technology’s Two-Edged Tradeoff
- Technology aims to free humans for higher activities but always costs something valuable in return.
- We must ask which losses are acceptable before adopting any new tech.
External Libraries Can't Replace Memory
- Writing externalizes knowledge but diminishes internal memory and cultural interiority.
- Huge external libraries don't substitute for having wisdom and books memorized within you.
Pick One Small, Realistic Change
- Ask daily: 'What can I do that I actually will do?' and start with small, repeatable spiritual acts.
- Small concrete changes defeat despair and compound into real transformation.
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Intro
00:00 • 2min
What is technology for?
02:05 • 2min
Technology's trade-offs and memory loss
04:13 • 5min
Cars, locality, and community decline
08:46 • 8min
Catholic land movement and returning to the earth
16:52 • 4min
LARPing, imitation, and religious practice
21:20 • 4min
What is modernity?
24:56 • 8min
Why people rebel against modernity
33:11 • 4min
Smartphones as addictive Swiss army knives
36:42 • 6min
Choosing a 'dumb' phone to reclaim focus
42:53 • 3min
Guarding the interior with silence
45:47 • 5min
Podcasts, reading, and balanced intellectual life
50:31 • 4min
Peter's struggles with modern work and distraction
54:19 • 10min
Sonic pollution and the dictatorship of noise
01:03:53 • 5min
How modern music manipulates passions
01:08:36 • 18min
Romanticism, Wagner, and seductive music
01:27:03 • 11min
Medieval and Renaissance music as stillness
01:37:52 • 3min
Practical musical detox: give up music for Lent
01:40:28 • 11sec
How to start appreciating classical music
01:40:39 • 4min
Reading habits: start small with novellas
01:45:03 • 5min
Unplugged vacations and silent retreats
01:49:51 • 7min
Daily structure and the Divine Office
01:56:46 • 8min
Why the old Breviary matters
02:04:31 • 7min
Priests, prayer time, and pastoral priorities
02:11:51 • 9min
Why avoid swearing and vulgarity
02:20:28 • 9min
Os Justi Press and new Cristero history
02:29:22 • 12min
Clerical dress and the cassock's dignity
02:41:00 • 11min
Liturgical abuses and recovery of tradition
02:51:57 • 11min
Staying in the Church amid corruption
03:02:46 • 4min
Practical vigilance over media and children
03:06:41 • 6min
Music for the gym and alternatives
03:12:17 • 2min
Outro
03:14:28 • 56sec
#77385
Furrow
san Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer
Furrow is a spiritual classic consisting of 1000 short points for personal reflection and mental prayer, written by Saint Josemaría Escrivá.
Like his earlier work The Way, it draws from his rich interior life and pastoral experience.
The book presents an attractive Christian vision that interweaves the divine and human aspects of Christian perfection, helping readers see how to bring harmony between nature and grace in their own lives.
Organized thematically around virtues such as generosity, humility, prayer, work, friendship, and purity, Furrow was written to encourage and ease personal prayer while providing practical guidance for finding paths to holiness in ordinary circumstances.
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The work is a detailed historical and theological study spanning 512 pages, published in 2023.
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Nos es muy conocida
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Pío XI
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Fue originalmente publicada en español y forma parte del volumen 29 del Acta Apostolicae Sedis, con versiones posteriores en latín, inglés e italiano.
#52362
A Forest of Symbols
Abbe Claude Barthes
Abbe Claude Barthes' "A Forest of Symbols" offers a captivating collection of mystagogical interpretations of the liturgy.
The book brings together a wealth of insightful reflections from various periods and authors, creating a tapestry of spiritual understanding.
Barthes' work is not primarily a theological or historical study but rather a florilegium, showcasing the beauty and depth of the liturgical tradition.
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"A Forest of Symbols" serves as a valuable resource for anyone seeking a deeper appreciation for the spiritual significance of the liturgy.
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The Burnout Society
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He argues that the shift from a disciplinary society to an achievement society, where individuals are driven by self-monitoring and the desire to achieve, leads to auto-exploitation and burnout.
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Non-Things
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He explores the concept of "digital exhaustion" and the ways in which constant connectivity leads to a sense of emptiness and alienation.
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Solzhenitsyn's masterful use of detail creates a vivid and immersive experience, allowing readers to feel the cold, the hunger, and the constant threat of violence.
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A Fantastic Story
Fyodor Dostoevsky
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Leo Tolstoy
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Death Comes for the Archbishop
Willa Cather
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It is based on the lives of Jean-Baptiste Lamy and Joseph Projectus Machebeuf, who worked to establish a Catholic diocese in New Mexico.
The story follows the journey of Bishop Jean Marie Latour and Father Joseph Vaillant as they navigate the challenges of their mission, interact with diverse cultures, and reflect on the complexities of faith and colonialism.
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Larissa Volokhonsky
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Richard Pevear
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The novel is a murder mystery, a courtroom drama, and an exploration of erotic rivalry, faith, doubt, and reason.
It examines the human psyche, moral dilemmas, and the search for meaning in a world fraught with suffering and uncertainty.
The story revolves around the murder of Fyodor Pavlovich and the subsequent trial of Dmitri, accused of the crime, while exploring deeper themes of Russian life, social and spiritual striving, and the clash between faith and reason.
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Robert Hugh Benson
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The world is governed by a secular, humanistic regime led by a charismatic figure named Julian Felsenburgh, who is often referred to as the 'Lord of the World.
' The story follows Percy Franklin, an English Catholic priest who becomes Pope Silvester III, as he navigates this dystopian world and confronts the spiritual and moral decline of society.
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Against the Dictatorship of Noise
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Jesus, Our Refuge
Matt Fradd
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#4852
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Summa
St. Thomas Aquinas
In this interview, Matt is joined again by Dr. Peter Kwasniewski—scholar, author, composer, and book publisher. In this conversation, they discuss the purpose of technology, what makes music beautiful, making time for prayer, the history of liturgical vestments, and good literature, among other topics. --- 📖 Jesus Our Refuge book: https://a.co/d/9gKN4eb ---
Explore more from Dr. Kwasniewski through the links below:
🔹 Website https://www.peterkwasniewski.com/
🔹 Tradition & Sanity Substack https://www.traditionsanity.com/
🔹 Composer Page https://cantabodomino.com/
🔹 Publishing (Os Justi Press) https://osjustipress.com
—-
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Timestamps:
00:00:00 – Intro and Matt's new book 00:02:19 – Technology 00:16:53 – Is LARPing merely pretending? 00:32:56 – Why are people rebelling against modernity? 00:40:14 – Smartphones versus "dumb" phones 00:49:12 – We need to unplug and simply reflect 01:03:38 – The pollution of music 01:36:35 – How to do a distraction detox 01:44:47 – Book recommendations 01:49:51 – Giving up the internet and silent retreats 02:01:31 – Progressing in small steps 02:09:00 – Changes to the breviary 02:22:38 – Cuss words and swearing 02:39:15 – How should priests dress? 02:50:40 – A Church healing from liturgists