2 August, 2024
Dear Reader,
All the talks from our 6 July Colloquium are now online. Here are the links:
Teaching Authentic Humanism in schools – is it possible?
Undoing Australia: how the Australian Nation is being
Dismantled, One Statue at a Time
Cultivating a Posture of Awe and Wonder
Christian Paideia: For the Hearth and Road
Western Perspectives in the Australian Curriculum
T.S. Eliot and the Future of Western Culture
A Transcendent Humanism: Recovering the Vision of
The Salvation of the West: A return to the Enlightenment
or the Embracing of Tradition?
Without Hindrance or Fear of Reprisal: the attitudes and
experiences of NSW and Victorian doctors with a
conscientious objection to abortion
Authentic Humanism and the Crisis of Culture
Our sincere thanks to all the speakers and to Adam Reibel, our cameraman and photographer.
With best wishes to all, as ever,
David Daintree
FOR FURTHER READING
PREFERRING THE DARKNESS TO THE LIGHT
Anna Krohn, Executive Director of the Thomas More Centre, has written a clever and trenchant letter on the recent Paris Olympics blasphemy. It focuses on the thought of the late and distinguished polymath Stratford Caldecott, who died 10 years ago last month. READ ANNA’S PIECE HERE.
‘They say France is the eldest daughter of the Catholic Church, but she’s quite an unfaithful one’ (Pope Francis)
LIST OF ‘CLASSICAL SCHOOLS’
To recap an earlier feature, here is our current list of ‘classical schools’. It’s pretty rudimentary. This movement aimed at recovering the best in education is growing fast worldwide. We’d be grateful for further information and links from readers: please help us develop this resource.
AUSTRALIA
Augustine Academy, NSW
St Benedict School, South Australia
The Classical School, Perth
Hartford College, Sydney
St John Kronstadt Academy, Brisbane
St John Henry Newman College, Brisbane
Toowoomba Christian College, Highfield, Queensland
ENGLAND
Michaela Community School, Wembley, head teacher Katharine Birbalsingh
West London Free School, founded by Toby Young.
FRANCE
Chavagnes International College, Chavagnes en Paillers
USA
St Andrew’s Academy, Verona, Kentucky
Gregory the Great Academy, Elmhurst, PA
The Chesterton Schools Network
COMING EVENTS
BRISBANE CLASSICAL AND LIBERAL SCHOOLS FORUM
A one-day event to be held on 24 September. Registration is free. Register here.
CHESTERTON SOCIETY ANNUAL CONFERENCE
At Campion College, Sydney, on Saturday 2 November. Details Here.
DAWSON CENTRE SUMMER SCHOOLS
JANUARY 2025
LATE AND ECCLESIASTICAL LATIN
Monday 6 to Friday 10 January 2025
Venue: Notre Dame Priory, Colebrook, Tasmania
The Latin school assumes some prior knowledge of the language and leads participants through a selection of important readings in poetry and prose, sacred and secular, from authors such as Augustine, Jerome, Bede, Peter Abelard, Aquinas, the Carmina Burana, and even Dante. In date our selections range from the poet Virgil to the abdication speech of Pope Benedict! There will also be a segment on palaeography when participants can handle real medieval manuscripts. Note that this course does not take any position on the use of Latin in Church, but it recognises that Latin remains the official language of the western Church and acknowledges the insistence of the last four popes that Latin must be preserved! Accommodation may be available on request at the Priory. Enquiries to guestmaster@notredamemonastery.org.
BIBLICAL GREEK FOR BEGINNERS
Monday 13 to Friday 17 January 2025
Venue: Fr John Wall Memorial Library, 131 Tower Road, New Town, Tasmania
The New Testament and Koine Greek school is for beginners who want to experience the excitement of reading parts of the Bible in the original language. We shall read extracts from the Gospel and Epistles, as well as some important passages from the Septuagint (the ancient Greek version of the Old Testament), as well as some pieces from the early Fathers of the Church and the Liturgy of St John Chrysostom.
For booking details and enquiries, email director@dawsoncentre.org