HeightsCast: Forming Men Fully Alive

In this episode, our guest (an AP U.S. History teacher) and our host (an AP Government teacher) delve into the worthy American most likely missing from your U.S. history or government class. Orestes Brownson was a nineteenth-century political thinker who wrote about the American project through his unique lens as a post-Civil War American-Catholic. He was well known in his time but is often only featured in the footnotes for the Election of 1840, the Transcendental Movement, and the Emancipation Proclamation. Brownson's essays, though, belong in the classroom. They seek to answer with optimism and insightful reflection: what is this country all about? For what did our sons die in this great Civil War? Chapters: 4:20 Why read Brownson? 10:11 A religious and political wanderer 14:01 Arrives at the Catholic Church 17:00 Magnus opus: The American Republic 21:57 "Territorial democracy" 27:44 History as human experience 28:51 Territorial democracy and American Union 32:31 Missteps of democracy 36:54 Brownson's vision: "Freedom of each with advantage to the other" 37:41 Yet history repeats itself 41:47 America's role in the story of history 44:55 "Unwritten constitution" 49:36 The task of the modern teacher 54:24 One's development of ideas over time Links: The American Republic by Orestes Brownson "Democratic Principle" by Orestes Brownson Orestes Brownson Symposium hosted by the American Family Project "Catholic Lives: Orestes Brownson, the American Newman" on Controversies in Church History Featured opportunities: On Faith and Beauty in Churches talk by Joe Cardenas at The Heights School (February 1, 2025) Series for Heights Fathers: Accompanying Our Sons as They Grow in Understanding of Human Sexuality at The Heights School (Thursdays in February 2025) Parents' Conference: Freedom and Addiction at The Heights School (April 12, 2025) link coming soon Teaching Men's Conference at The Heights School (October 2025) link coming soon Also on the Forum: ChatGPT Holds These Truths to Be Self-Evident by Mark Grannis The Importance of Ugly History by Mark Grannis Keeping the Story in History by Mark Grannis Seeing History: On Using Images in the History Classroom by Kyle Blackmer Patriotism and Piety: Honoring Founders and Fathers featuring Matthew Mehan

All the first universities were—St. Thomas Aquinas would tell us—Catholic ones. But in this modern day, it takes intentionality to maintain the rich tradition of Catholic education. In a talk recorded for HeightsCast, Dr. Peter Kilpatrick, president of The Catholic University of America, spoke to families at The Heights about what it means to be a Catholic university. He first consults the experts: Thomas Aquinas, John Henry Newman, John Paul the Great, and Pope Benedict XVI. He then offers examples from his own career in school leadership, and how to put the exhortations of popes and saints into action on campus. Chapters: 6:14 Universities: a Catholic inheritance 8:06 Newman and Aquinas on universities 11:58 Papal directives for Catholic universities 15:56 Theodrama vs. egodrama 19:16 Getting these ideas on campus 19:36 Mission-enthusiastic faculty 21:26 Mission-integrated curricula 24:12 Counseling with a Christian anthropology 25:01 Teaching a professional call to holiness 26:21 Campus ministry 28:15 The distinctive value of Catholic education 31:10 Q1: Technology and the next 50 years 36:13 Q2: College affordability and value Links: The Idea of a University by St. John Henry Newman Ex Corde Ecclesiae by Pope St. John Paul II Regensburg Address on Faith, Reason, and the University by Pope Benedict XVI "The Real Cost of College Education—for Students, Families, and the Nation" by Jamie Merisotis Superhabits: The Universal System for a Successful Life by Andrew Abela Hannah's Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth by Catherine Pakaluk Also on the Forum: Receiving Beauty: A Liberal Arts Education featuring Dr. George Harne Considerations for the College-Bound Student featuring Dr. Peter Kilpatrick The Idea of the Liberal Arts University, Part I featuring Dr. Thomas Hibbs Rethinking College: Why go? How? When? featuring Arthur Brooks

Advent invites us to reflect on our Christian disposition, oriented towards peace, hope, joy, and love. St. Josemaría Escrivá was known to summarize that disposition by calling it, simply… "simple." In The Way, he praises the apostles and St. Joseph for imitating Jesus himself in being simple. And then he exhorts us: "May you not lack simplicity." Heights faculty Joe Cardenas and Nate Gadiano join us this week to explore the Christian meaning of "simplicity," beginning with the ways that God is simple: unified, sincere, essential, and wholly true. As we strive to reflect his example, how do we find that interior disposition of simplicity? And how can we help our boys find it too? Chapters: 3:07 A Catholic sense of simplicity 10:13 Moving beyond "minimalism" 18:38 Simplicity in Scripture 20:43 Social simplicity 24:12 As opposed to duplicity 26:08 How spiritual direction simplifies you 30:36 A unity of purpose 32:39 Distinct from feelings-based "honesty" 39:02 Helping our boys as parents, mentors 41:41 A boy's insecurity, overcome by trust 47:38 Secure in divine filiation Links: The Way, Furrow, and The Forge by St. Josemaría Escrivá Also on the Forum: The Virtues Playlist on The Heights Forum

"The air of Narnia had been working upon him … and all his old battles came back to him, and his arms and fingers remembered their old skill. He was King Edmund once more." In this week's wide-ranging discussion, Dr. Jason Baxter talks about fellow Medievalist C. S. Lewis's ideas of story and history—and how those ideas matter for the education and formation of a thoroughly modern people. What can today's "classical revival movements" learn from Lewis? Chapters: 3:56 C. S. Lewis's library 6:31 His theory of stories: mining ancient jewels 14:49 His theory of history: a post-Christian world 17:14 Modern man's trouble with pre-modern texts 20:09 Embracing modernity and tradition 25:45 Making virtue attractive 33:49 How to "teach" a passion 42:45 Why a new translation of Dante 49:51 Wounded by beauty Links: jasonmbaxter.com featuring articles and lectures Beauty Matters, Substack for Jason Baxter The Medieval Mind of C. S. Lewis: How Great Books Shaped a Great Mind by Jason Baxter The Divine Comedy: Inferno translated by Jason Baxter Center for Beauty and Culture at Benedictine College Also on the Forum: A Doctor, a Lawyer, and a Cop Walk into a Boys School, episode two of Heights Forum Faculty Podcast What Fiction Is For featuring Joe Breslin Inferno or Paradiso? On Introducing Students to the Divine Comedy featuring Jason Baxter

In this episode we feature a lecture from Heights Lower School Head, Colin Gleason, at the last Art of Teaching conference. In the talk, Colin explores the concept of "unanxious leadership" in the classroom, emphasizing the importance of teachers maintaining a calm, grounded presence. He explains that anxiety often arises when teachers feel they are in constant conflict with students or struggling to control the classroom. Colin encourages teachers to adopt a mindset of humility and vulnerability, rather than relying on rigid authority or defensiveness, which fosters trust and respect. By focusing on building genuine relationships and being a "storyteller" rather than an "actor," teachers can create a classroom where students feel seen, valued, and understood. Colin also stresses the importance of fairness in discipline. He warns against using authority as a tool for domination and suggests a "double correction" strategy—addressing conflicts with two students by fairly acknowledging the role each one played in the dispute. He emphasizes that fairness, empathy, and thoughtful reflection can help reduce anxiety for both teachers and students. Colin believes that teachers must trust that students are genuinely trying to do their best, even in difficult moments, and that recognizing this effort is key to fostering a positive classroom environment. Finally, Colin highlights the value of informal, outside-the-classroom interactions in building strong teacher-student relationships. By spending time with students outside of lessons—whether through casual conversations or attending their extracurricular activities—teachers show that they care about their students as individuals. This personal investment creates a sense of connection that enhances both academic and personal growth. Ultimately, Colin argues that an "unanxious classroom" is shaped by teachers who lead with humility, compassion, and a focus on positive relationships, transforming both the teaching experience and the overall learning environment.

How do we justify reading? Do we justify reading? Heights fifth grade teacher and published fiction author Joe Breslin chases away such questions. Though fiction can have utility, even moral impact—fiction at its best is an art created and received with wonder. In this fascinating conversation, Mr. Breslin reflects on writing, reading, and gets us to the heart of what it actually means to do something "for its own sake." Chapters: 3:50 Do we read for utility? 7:49 Fiction: pursued for its own sake 11:43 Whether fiction has a moral purpose 18:57 Fiction writing is not essay writing 23:03 Good art ends up reflecting God 26:09 Defining "good for its own sake" 28:23 The tension between education and encounter 34:04 A parent's role in sharing fiction 38:07 The human impulse for literature Links: Hearts Uncanny: Tales of the Unquiet Spirit by Joe Breslin Other Minds: 13 Tales of Wonder and Sorrow by Joe Breslin joeybreslinwrites.com Joe Breslin's author website "Ethics of Elfland" by G. K. Chesterton Leisure: The Basis of Culture Josef Pieper "The Loss of the Creature" by Walker Percy Men in the Making, Alvaro de Vicente's substack featuring original articles Featured Opportunities: What Should a Catholic University Be? at The Heights School (December 7, 2024) Also on the Forum: The Forum Book Reviews, many written by Joe Breslin

A surprising number of Catholic conversions in the last hundred years begin with one man: G. K. Chesterton. A modern Catholic favorite, Chesterton looms large in subjects as diverse as theology, satire, marginalia, philosophy, politics, and mystery fiction. Our guest today is Dale Ahlquist, founder and president of the Society of Gilbert Keith Chesterton. His own journey of conversion started with Chesterton's The Everlasting Man. In our conversation, we visit many of Chesterton's ideas, concluding with the much misunderstood "distributism"—a Chestertonian practical philosophy and the subject of Ahlquist's co-edited book of essays titled Localism: Coming Home to Catholic Social Teaching. Chapters: 1:53 Conversion by way of Chesterton 6:17 Chesterton: a "complete thinker" 8:16 Reading recommendations 12:05 The opening of Everlasting Man 13:56 The ending of Man Who Was Thursday 17:16 Fairy tales and fundamental truths 19:18 "The twitch upon the thread" 22:27 Defining distributism, or localism 30:13 Localism for D.C. (sub)urbanites 33:44 Founding schools: localism in action 39:11 Family enterprises 42:19 The contributors to Localism 45:31 Creating a life of localism where you are Links: Localism: Coming Home to Catholic Social Teaching edited by Dale Ahlquist and Michael Warren Davis The Everlasting Man by G. K. Chesterton G. K. Chesterton: The Apostle of Common Sense by Dale Ahlquist Common Sense 101: Lessons from G. K. Chesterton by Dale Ahlquist Orthodoxy by G. K. Chesterton St. Thomas Aquinas by G. K. Chesterton St. Francis of Assisi by G. K. Chesterton Father Brown: The Essential Tales by G. K. Chesterton "The Roots of the World" by G. K. Chesterton The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare by G. K. Chesterton Men in the Making, Alvaro de Vicente's substack featuring original articles Featured Opportunities: What Should a Catholic University Be? at The Heights School (December 7, 2024) Also on the Forum: Episode 1: The Homework Problem, newly launched Forum Faculty Podcast hosted by Tom Cox featuring round-table discussions with veteran teachers

The task of fatherhood is critical, dynamic—and daunting. How could one address hope to address it all? During the Fatherhood Conference at The Heights School this month, Headmaster Alvaro de Vicente boiled it down to this: God chose this for you. You are called. Accepting this simple starting point should give fathers the confidence to take on the role, and the humility to seek God's grace while doing so. Chapters: 3:02 Fatherhood as vocation 9:20 Vocation as your position on the team 12:09 The mission: bring your family to heaven 13:29 Fatherhood is a partnership with God 16:07 A father's example of piety and virtue 27:06 Offering our children direct guidance 30:37 Offering them our time 34:05 Witnessing to the world 36:54 Being open to God's grace 40:41 Messy is fine 45:20 You're the man for the job Links: Men in the Making, Alvaro de Vicente's substack featuring original articles Pastoral Letter on New Evangelization, 2 October 2011 by Javier Echevarría, former prelate of Opus Dei Christ Is Passing By by Josemaría Escrivá "In Joseph's Workshop" by Josemaría Escrivá Featured Opportunities: The Art of Teaching Conference at The Heights School (November 13-15, 2024) Also on the Forum: Episode 1: The Homework Problem, newly launched Forum Faculty Podcast hosted by Tom Cox featuring round-table discussions with veteran teachers On Emotional Presence and Imperfect Parenting featuring Alvaro de Vicente Paternal Presence featuring Alvaro de Vicente The Father and His Family featuring Michael Moynihan

What is beauty? Is it definable? What is it for, how are we drawn to it—and why do we sometimes resist it? This week we welcome Dr. George Harne, president of Christendom College and an accomplished medieval and music history scholar. Drawing on his perspective as head of a vibrant Catholic liberal arts college, he speaks to us about the liberal arts as a path of study driven by beauty and contemplation, in pursuit of a true vision of reality. Chapters: 2:02 Liberal arts: what free people study 5:51 Versus "humanities" or "classical education" 7:46 Why study them 9:43 Music as a liberal art, fine art, liturgical art 13:16 Teaching art and contemplation 18:24 Defining contemplation 21:21 Contemplating music 24:45 Music with our family 28:19 Receiving beauty objectively, subjectively 29:42 Beauty under suspicion today 34:24 A Catholic liberal arts education Links: Only the Lover Sings: Art and Contemplation by Josef Pieper The Arts of the Beautiful by Etienne Gilson Featured Opportunities: Fathers Conference at The Heights School (November 2, 2024) The Art of Teaching Conference at The Heights School (November 13-15, 2024) Also on the Forum: Episode 1: The Homework Problem, newly launched Forum Faculty Podcast hosted by Tom Cox featuring round-table discussions with veteran teachers Defining the Liberal Arts featuring Dr. Matthew Mehan Order and Surprise: On Beauty and the Western Tradition featuring Dr. Lionel Yaceczko Why a Liberal Arts Education Today featuring Michael Moynihan The Idea of the Liberal Arts University featuring Dr. Thomas Hibbs

Dr. Jeremy Beer's study of American society over the last 200 years, overlaid with psychology research and statistics about American charitable giving, has brought about his recent book: The Quest for Belonging. The book directly advises nonprofit and fundraising leaders, though it just as much informs the everyday giver. This week on HeightsCast, Beer helps us see that charitable giving at its best is not a distant act of beneficence but an intimate act of community. It allows those who participate to become more rooted in the reality of social belonging, making for a healthier society in more ways than one. Chapters: 3:56 American cultural tradition of "association" 7:39 Four pillars of civil society 9:04 American society, in particular 16:53 Gradual decline of American association, of belonging 21:33 Giving and religious affiliation 25:04 Giving and localism 28:02 Giving as a democratic exercise 31:31 Nonprofits have a role in belonging 33:50 The goods of associating ourselves 34:36 To whom do you owe? 41:07 Giving and the Catholic tradition Links: The Quest for Belonging: How the Most Effective Nonprofit Leaders Understand the Psychology of Giving by Jeremy Beer Givers, Doers, and Thinkers, Jeremy Beer's podcast A Spirituality of Fundraising by Henri J. M. Nouwen Featured Opportunities: Fathers Conference at The Heights School (November 2, 2024) The Art of Teaching Conference at The Heights School (November 13-15, 2024)