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

 

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.”

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Upcoming Events

Past Events

Catholic Speaker Series: Fr. Bonaventure Chapman

The Alcuin Institute is pleased to partner with St. Michael Catholic Radio to bring you the Catholic Speaker Series—a joint initiative designed to bring some of the best and most engaging Catholic speakers to the Diocese of Tulsa & Eastern Oklahoma! Join us on Friday, June 30 as we discuss the virtue of Justice, the related virtue of Mercy, and the balance that must be struck between the two. Fr. Bonaventure Chapman, O.P. is a Dominican friar of the Province of St. Joseph, and cohost of Godsplaining, a Dominican podcast launched by the friars. He holds an M.Th. in Applied Theology from Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University, where he studied for the Anglican priesthood before being confirmed in the Catholic Church. Following his ordination in 2017, he taught and served as assistant chaplain at Providence College, and is presently a doctoral candidate at the Catholic University of America. In addition to the lecture, in true Alcuin fashion, plenty of drinks, hors d'ouevres, and merriment will be had. Please contact us at alcuin@dioceseoftulsa.org with any questions you may have about this event! We look forward to seeing you there!

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

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 21st 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!

Alcuin @ St. Therese

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?

Alcuin @ St. John the Evangelist

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?

Alcuin @ Christ the King

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?