Real Learning

Returning to the Primary Sources of Wisdom

“I earnestly desire to inebriate others with the old wine of an even older learning”
—Bl. Alcuin of York

Upcoming Events

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Alcuin @ the Madalene

Sep 29, Nov 10, Jan 26, Feb 23 | 6–7:30pm | Church of the Madalene

Aaron Henderson | St. Thomas & the Eucharistic Life

January 28, 2023 | 6–8pm | St. Philip Neri, Tulsa

Alcuin @ St. John Before the Latin Gate

February 4, 2023 | 9am–2pm | St. John (Bartlesville)

Alcuin @ St. Benedict

Sep 22, Nov 3, Jan 19, Feb 16 | 6–7:30pm | St. Benedict (Broken Arrow)

Alcuin @ St. Bernard

Oct 11, Nov 8, Jan 10, Feb 28 | 6–7:30pm | St. Bernard (Tulsa)

Alcuin understood that the movement of the mind from a state of ignorance to a state of knowledge, though at times difficult, ought not be a cold, sterile, and impersonal act that hardens the soul. Education should instead resemble a well-planned meal, advancing from course to course, each plate preparing the next, in the end leaving the guest utterly satisfied, yet somehow desiring more. The pleasure of the feast is a result of the company kept and the food served. Alcuin maintained that the best intellectual diet consisted of ‘ancient’ fare, that is ‘toothsome food’ that has been proven to cause health and vitality.

The Alcuin Institute seeks to return to this kind of education, one that is at once broad and deep, yet light and whimsical, and thoroughly grounded in the primary sources of the Christian West; the deer and pheasant to be found in our very own precincts. Such a feast among friends in Christ is “the best that life can offer.”

Alcuin @ St. Benedict

A stack of beautiful leather bound books with golden decoration

Great Books | Greco-Roman Classics

Alcuin @ St. John the Evangelist

Aaron Henderson | St. Thomas & the Eucharistic Life

Alcuin @ the Madalene

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Upcoming Events

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Alcuin @ the Madalene

Sep 29, Nov 10, Jan 26, Feb 23 | 6–7:30pm | Church of the Madalene

Join the Alcuin Institute for our signature Convivia! These informal roundtable discussions allow us to dive deeply into a particular aspect of our faith, while coming together in friendship and fellowship with our co-laborers in the Kingdom! Each session includes:

Readings from the great philosophers, saints, & Magisterium
Group reflection, discussion, and application of Church teaching
“Illumination” of eternal truths with sacred art
And plenty of good food & drink!

This year, we will take a deeper look at the Sacraments as Mysterious Encounters with Christ. Our conversation topics will include:

Man, the Naturally-Religious Animal
Sacraments: Signs of Sacred Things
Sacraments Old & New
The Eucharist: Source & Summit

Each conversation is unique, because the conversation is driven by you! Why not grab a friend, come out for a drink, and discuss the riches of our Catholic faith with us?

Aaron Henderson | St. Thomas & the Eucharistic Life

January 28, 2023 | 6–8pm | St. Philip Neri, Tulsa

Come celebrate the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas with the Alcuin Institute and St. Philip Neri University Parish! Many know St. Thomas as the philosopher-theologian of the Middle Ages. However, his staggering intellectual capacities were rivaled only by his great devotion to the central mystery of our Catholic faith: the Eucharist. So devoted was Thomas to the Blessed Sacrament that, whenever he struggled to understand a lofty theological concept, he would go to the chapel to pray before the Sacrament—even leaning his head upon the tabernacle—and patiently wait for God to reveal the answer. On Jan 28^th, Dr. Aaron Henderson will offer some reflections on the Eucharistic piety of this great saint, in his brief talk titled “St. Thomas & the Eucharistic Life.” In an age where Eucharistic devotion seems to wane, St. Thomas stands as a great model for all Catholics to recenter their lives on this beautiful gift to the Church. As is our custom, the lecture will be preceded with all manner of good food and drink. Do join us in raising a glass to the 'Angelic' (yet 'Common') Doctor!

Alcuin @ St. John Before the Latin Gate

February 4, 2023 | 9am–2pm | St. John (Bartlesville)

Readings from the great philosophers, saints, & Magisterium
Group reflection, discussion, and application of Church teaching
“Illumination” of eternal truths with sacred art
And plenty of good food & drink!

This year, we will take a deeper look at the Sacraments as Mysterious Encounters with Christ. Our conversation topics will include:

Man, the Naturally-Religious Animal
Sacraments: Signs of Sacred Things
Sacraments Old & New
The Eucharist: Source & Summit

Each conversation is unique, because the conversation is driven by you! Why not grab a friend, come out for a drink, and discuss the riches of our Catholic faith with us?

Alcuin @ St. Benedict

Sep 22, Nov 3, Jan 19, Feb 16 | 6–7:30pm | St. Benedict (Broken Arrow)

Readings from the great philosophers, saints, & Magisterium
Group reflection, discussion, and application of Church teaching
“Illumination” of eternal truths with sacred art
And plenty of good food & drink!

This year, we will take a deeper look at the Sacraments as Mysterious Encounters with Christ. Our conversation topics will include:

Man, the Naturally-Religious Animal
Sacraments: Signs of Sacred Things
Sacraments Old & New
The Eucharist: Source & Summit

Each conversation is unique, because the conversation is driven by you! Why not grab a friend, come out for a drink, and discuss the riches of our Catholic faith with us?

Alcuin @ St. Bernard

Oct 11, Nov 8, Jan 10, Feb 28 | 6–7:30pm | St. Bernard (Tulsa)

Readings from the great philosophers, saints, & Magisterium
Group reflection, discussion, and application of Church teaching
“Illumination” of eternal truths with sacred art
And plenty of good food & drink!

This year, we will take a deeper look at the Sacraments as Mysterious Encounters with Christ. Our conversation topics will include:

Man, the Naturally-Religious Animal
Sacraments: Signs of Sacred Things
Sacraments Old & New
The Eucharist: Source & Summit

Each conversation is unique, because the conversation is driven by you! Why not grab a friend, come out for a drink, and discuss the riches of our Catholic faith with us?

Alcuin @ Christ the King

Oct 26, Nov 16, Jan 18, Mar 1 | 6–7:30pm | Christ the King (Tulsa)

Readings from the great philosophers, saints, & Magisterium
Group reflection, discussion, and application of Church teaching
“Illumination” of eternal truths with sacred art
And plenty of good food & drink!

This year, we will take a deeper look at the Sacraments as Mysterious Encounters with Christ. Our conversation topics will include:

Man, the Naturally-Religious Animal
Sacraments: Signs of Sacred Things
Sacraments Old & New
The Eucharist: Source & Summit

Each conversation is unique, because the conversation is driven by you! Why not grab a friend, come out for a drink, and discuss the riches of our Catholic faith with us?

Alcuin @ St. John the Evangelist

March 4, 2023 | 9am–2pm | St. John (McAlester)

Readings from the great philosophers, saints, & Magisterium
Group reflection, discussion, and application of Church teaching
“Illumination” of eternal truths with sacred art
And plenty of good food & drink!

This year, we will take a deeper look at the Sacraments as Mysterious Encounters with Christ. Our conversation topics will include:

Man, the Naturally-Religious Animal
Sacraments: Signs of Sacred Things
Sacraments Old & New
The Eucharist: Source & Summit

Each conversation is unique, because the conversation is driven by you! Why not grab a friend, come out for a drink, and discuss the riches of our Catholic faith with us?

Alcuin @ St. Therese

Oct 18, Nov 15, Jan 17, Mar 21 | 6–7:30pm | St. Therese (Collinsville)

Readings from the great philosophers, saints, & Magisterium
Group reflection, discussion, and application of Church teaching
“Illumination” of eternal truths with sacred art
And plenty of good food & drink!

This year, we will take a deeper look at the Sacraments as Mysterious Encounters with Christ. Our conversation topics will include:

Man, the Naturally-Religious Animal
Sacraments: Signs of Sacred Things
Sacraments Old & New
The Eucharist: Source & Summit

Each conversation is unique, because the conversation is driven by you! Why not grab a friend, come out for a drink, and discuss the riches of our Catholic faith with us?

Richard Meloche | Salve of the Soul: The Sacraments & Healing

April 21, 2023 | 6–8pm | St. Anne, Broken Arrow

The graces made available to the Church through the seven Sacraments are manifold. Each Sacrament offers a unique encounter with Christ in its own special way. But despite the many apparent differences between them, all of the Sacraments have one thing in common: they act as remedial medicines for the soul. Join the Alcuin Institute on April 21^st as we dive deeper into the unity of the Sacraments! Dr. Richard Meloche, in “Salve of the Soul: Sacraments & Healing” will discuss the beautiful ways in which the Sacraments act as cures for our common spiritual sickness—our tainted relationships with God, ourselves, and our neighbors. We hope to see you there!

Great Books | Greco-Roman Classics

June 5-16, 2023 | 9:00a–12p | Chancery Offices, Broken Arrow

Join the faculty of the Alcuin Institute as we read, ponder, and discuss the great works of the Catholic literary tradition! From Homer to Augustine, immerse yourself in the transfixing and transforming prose of the greatest writers of antiquity. These texts shaped Christendom—now you can allow them to shape you! Through an accelerated/intensive two (2) week course, students will read, study, and discuss the primary literary texts that shaped much of the Western thought and practice. Taught by expert tutors of the Alcuin Institute and accredited through Newman University, students can earn university credit hours while encountering the beauty and transformative power of the Catholic literary tradition. This course will cover such texts as:

Homer's Odyssey
Plato's Euthyphro and Apology
Aristotle's Ethics
Cicero's On Friendship
St. Augustine's Confessions

Classes will meet 9am to noon, M-F at the Chancery Offices in Broken Arrow. Tuition rates are TBD. To receive updates about the courses, fill out the form below or reach out to Mr. Eli Stone at eli.stone@dioceseoftulsa.org!

Past Events

Alcuin @ St. Brigid

February 18, 2023 | 9am–2pm | St. Brigid (Tahlequah)

We're sorry, but this event has been cancelled due to a scheduling conflict. Please consider joining another group! If you have any questions, please contact us at alcuin@dioceseoftulsa.org

Alcuin @ Holy Family

November 5, 2022 | 9am–2pm | Holy Family Cathedral

Readings from the great philosophers, saints, & Magisterium
Group reflection, discussion, and application of Church teaching
“Illumination” of eternal truths with sacred art
And plenty of good food & drink!

This year, we will take a deeper look at the Sacraments as Mysterious Encounters with Christ. Our conversation topics will include:

Man, the Naturally-Religious Animal
Sacraments: Signs of Sacred Things
Sacraments Old & New
The Eucharist: Source & Summit

Each conversation is unique, because the conversation is driven by you! Why not grab a friend, come out for a drink, and discuss the riches of our Catholic faith with us?

Abp. Charles Chaput | Bl. Alcuin of York Lecture

October 7, 2022 | 5:30–9:00pm | Parish of Christ the King

Join the Alcuin Institute on October 7th for our annual Bl. Alcuin of York Lecture & Award Ceremony! This year, we are honoring Archbishop Charles Chaput for his tireless work in promoting Catholic culture. Apb. Chaput will, in turn, honor us with a lecture entitled “On the Power of the Powerless”:

Baptism incorporates us into a culture of truth and freedom, commissions us to witness that, and gives us the grace to do it if we just have a little faith and courage.
—Abp. Charles Chaput

The event will begin with Mass at 5:30pm, followed by a social, lecture, and the presentation of our signature Our Lady of Victory Medal. We hope you will be able to join us as we honor this faithful successor to the Apostles and his work to advance Catholic culture! Tickets can be purchased at the link below. Due to space constraints & expected attendance, dinner will not be served. We are happy to provide light hors d'oeuvres and drinks during the social! Questions can be directed to Mr. Eli Stone at eli.stone@dioceseoftulsa.org.

Alcuin @ St. Francis Xavier

October 1, 2022 | 9am–2pm | St. Francis Xavier (Stillwater)

Readings from the great philosophers, saints, & Magisterium
Group reflection, discussion, and application of Church teaching
“Illumination” of eternal truths with sacred art
And plenty of good food & drink!

This year, we will take a deeper look at the Sacraments as Mysterious Encounters with Christ. Our conversation topics will include:

Man, the Naturally-Religious Animal
Sacraments: Signs of Sacred Things
Sacraments Old & New
The Eucharist: Source & Summit

Each conversation is unique, because the conversation is driven by you! Why not grab a friend, come out for some good eats, and discuss the riches of our Catholic faith with us?

Jeff Cavins | The Great Adventure Bible

September 9, 2022 | 6–9pm | Church of St. Mary

The Church of Saint Mary Faith Formation Ministry is excited to announce The Great Adventure – Bible Timeline is coming to our parish in the Fall of 2022! September 9: Adam & David from The Catholic Man Show will record a future broadcast in front of a live audience – you! Their guest is Jeff Cavins, author of The Great Adventure Catholic Bible. This event will take place starting at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, September 9 in the Saint Joseph Parish Hall in the Our Lady of Grace Center on the Church of Saint Mary campus. September 10: Meet Jeff Cavins. Let Jeff explain why Scripture is such an important step in becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ. This morning event begins at 8:30 a.m. It is planned for the parish hall in the Our Lady of Grace Center, but if there are a great many people, we will move to the church.

Register here!