Serving God and Country: Educating for Virtue in 21st Century America

Serving God and Country: Educating for Virtue in 21st Century America

For centuries, Catholic education has been part of the fabric of America. Since the founding of the parochial education system by St. Elizabeth Ann Seton—secondary patroness of the Diocese of Arlington—Catholic schools have met the challenges of the age by partnering with families to form the next generation in the faith. As a result, American Catholics have achieved prominent positions in secular society, and Catholic schools can count numerous community and national leaders among their alumni.

Now, in the third decade of the 21st century, new challenges are facing Catholic parents seeking to form their children in the faith. Our culture is increasingly confused, presenting young people with visions of happiness and success that are fundamentally opposed to those of the Catholic faith. As this cultural rot accelerates, parents are left rethinking once-settled questions around education and cultural engagement.

How should parents navigate this cultural moment? How should schools react to these new cultural challenges? How do we continue to educate for Catholic leaders capable of making positive contributions to their families, places of work, and communities?

This summer, Chelsea Academy is proud to explore these questions and more at our first annual conference, Serving God and Country: Educating for Virtue in 21st Century America. On July 20, we’ll convene leading voices at the nexus of Catholic education and statesmanship on the campus of Chelsea Academy in beautiful Front Royal, Virginia, to discuss forming faithful Catholic leaders capable of meeting our current moment.

Confirmed speakers include:

A keynote address, "The Contemplative Statesman," by Dr. George Harne, incoming President of Christendom College

And:

John M. DeJak, Headmaster, Chelsea Academy

C.C. Pecknold, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, Catholic University of America

Tim Carney, author, Family Unfriendly: How Our Culture Made Raising Kids Much Harder Than It Needs to Be

Patrick Miggins, Teacher, The Heights School, and Board Member, Chelsea Academy

Emile Doak, Executive Director, Chelsea Academy Foundation

...with more to be announced!

Lunch is included in registration. Child care is available, compliments of the Chelsea Academy upper school students.

Conference schedule is subject to change.

St. Thomas More—patron of statesmen, of Chelsea Academy, and of the Diocese of Arlington—pray for us!