In his homily on Lent Cardinal George warned that if the HHS Mandate is not changed Catholic schools, hospitals, and other social services will have to be shut down. Take a look at this post at by Ed Morrissey at Hot Air, What if the Catholic Bishops aren’t Bluffing? to see what closing down schools and hospitals would mean.

Read more on Is the HHS Mandate A Game of Chicken?…

The Catholic High School Honor Roll, a biennial list of America’s top 50 Catholic high schools, will now be sponsored by The Cardinal Newman Society, beginning with the 2012-13 Honor Roll application period.  The Acton Institute, which has sponsored the Honor Roll since its inception in 2004, is turning the program over to The Cardinal Newman Society.

Read more on Catholic High School Honor Roll – an announcement…

In a conversation this morning on the way into the office I complained of what I called the “tyranny of pragmatism” that characterizes the approach of many students towards their education. In this I meant a kind of emphasis on what works, and in fact what works right now over what might work later or better.

Read more on A Utilitarian Catechism…

Each year my alma mater, Aquinas College  of Grand Rapids, Mich., invites students, faculty, staff, and members of the local community to take part in a wide range of activities throughout the week of January 28th to celebrate the feast of our patron saint.   Although this week officially bears the name of a celebration in honor of St. Thomas Aquinas, it is also a special time when members of the Aquinas College community celebrate the college’s heritage in the Dominican tradition.  This heritage is preserved through the college’s relationship with the Dominican sisters at the Marywood Dominican center and the Dominican charisms of prayer, study, community, and service.

Read more on St. Thomas Aquinas Week in Grand Rapids…

Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio, has launched a new Center for Leadership which university alumnus Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., lauds as a project that “roots young men and women in virtue, forms them as leaders, and grounds them in sound philosophical thought.”

Read more on ‘Ultimately, all leadership is local’…

“Stupid is the new smart,” and “Pop culture is a wasteland” are just a few lines from Daniel J. Flynn’s introduction to Blue Collar Intellectuals: When the Enlightened and the Everyman Elevated America. Certainly, one does not need to read Flynn’s account to surmise that there are grave problems with our culture. But many would miss some great stories and a return to a people and time that crafted a great uplifting for mass audiences.

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In preparation for this Saturday’s Grand Rapids book launch of Wisdom & Wonder, the latest translation from the Dutch theologian, journalist, and politician Abraham Kuyper, The Grand Rapids Press ran an excellent article in the religion section over the weekend. Press reporter Ann Byle did a great job explaining the complexities of the content of Wisdom & Wonder: Common Grace in Science & Art and how that connects with the larger common grace work that we are translating. We hope to have Volume 1 available by Fall 2012.

Read more on Another Amazing Grace: Wisdom & Wonder Book Launch in Grand Rapids…

Last week, the Acton Institute Programs Department launched registration for an exciting project called AU Online.  If you haven’t already visited the website, I encourage you to do so!

AU Online is an internet-based educational resource for exploring the intellectual foundations of freedom and virtue.  It is designed to offer the Acton community another way to experience the first class content and interaction of an Acton sponsored event while at home, at the office, or at school.

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Acton Institute is pleased to announce both the opening of registration for the 2012 Acton University (AU), and the launch of AU Online, a new internet-based educational resource for exploring the intellectual foundations of a free and virtuous society.

Read more on Acton University Registration Opens, Plus AU Online Launches…

Tomorrow is a big day at the Acton Institute. November 15th marks the launch of two programs, 2012 Acton University (AU) and AU Online, a new internet-based educational resource for exploring the intellectual foundations of a free and virtuous society.

Read more on November 15 Countdown: Acton University…