Alumni Return to Campus to Recruit Catholic Educators

Two alumni made their way back to the California campus last month to recruit future graduates to the noble work of Catholic liberal education.  

“As Socrates said, education and philosophy are the midwives to the soul,” Charlie Goodwin (’10), told a group of students in the Dillon Seminar Room. “It’s not just a career,” explained his colleague, John Paul Thurau (’14). “It’s something much more beautiful and fulfilling than that — a vocation.”

Representatives of the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education (ICLE), Messrs. Thurau and Goodwin addressed students who are thinking of becoming teachers, encouraging them to pursue this interest — especially at Catholic schools that emphasize the liberal arts. “A lot of good has come out of the advent of classical education in secular schools,” said Mr. Thurau, “but it’s vastly incomplete without Christ.” The ultimate goal of teaching, he continued, is “leading students to reality in Christ.”

Founded in 1999 by two TAC alumni — Dr. Andrew Seeley (’87) and Michael Van Hecke (’86) — the ICLE, the speakers shared, exists to “reinvigorate Catholic Education.” It aids hundreds of Catholic schools across Canada, the United States, and even Colombia. One of the ICLE’s particular ways of supporting Catholic schools is helping them to find talented Catholic educators, thus its representatives’ visit to TAC.

“Schools need teachers like yourselves,” said Mr. Thurau.

Forming young souls for Christ, the speakers observed, has its challenges, but is more than worth the effort. “I love it, the world of Catholic education,” said Mr. Goodwin. “A lot of responsibility comes with it,” added Mr. Thurau, “but it’s beautiful.”