Reading for Friday, Jan. 20

We'll read Simeon Leiva's article from the Fall 2011 issue: "Are You Afraid of the Thief?" We'll start at 6 pm. Light snacks and drinks. Hope to see you there! Write for the Nelson address if you're interested in coming and don't know where they live yet; it seems best not to post addresses here: communiokansascity gmail. All are welcome!
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Update: Apologies for the date confusion: the email with the date of Friday was correct. Thank you to all!

David L. Schindler's new book, Ordering Love: Liberal Societies and the Memory of God

Looking for a little Advent reading? Communio editor David L. Schindler's latest book is out from Eerdmans, and Amazon, here.

Anthony Esolen's article on the Pearson Integrated Humanities Program at KU

From Touchstone Magazine (Summer 2011): Anthony Esolen, "Pupils Delighted."

. . . He was moved to write to me, a stranger, to tell about his experience. I trust I am not revealing a confidence. This person, this former student, sent to me a copy of the brochure that he received when he entered something called the Pearson Integrated Humanities Program, at the University of Kansas, in 1974.

I can hardly look at the cover page without wanting to weep, it is so achingly sweet, so emblematic of how much we have lost. An old man in the foreground, mounted on a swaybacked and skinny horse, wielding a lance and a buckler, looks up at the stars—at Ursa Major and Polaris. It is clearly Don Quixote and poor old Rocinante. The stars are framed by a Roman triumphal arch, whose frieze is decorated with scenes from ancient Greece: a man teaching a youth to play the zither; a naked sprinter; a chariot race; a woman dancing; and two Muses with stringed instruments. Below them, on the sides of the arch, are two medallions, one depicting a medieval monastery, the other, what I’m guessing is the cupola to Independence Hall.

The Pearson Integrated Humanities Program must have violated every educational truism of our time. Two hundred freshmen and sophomores, for six hours a week for two years, sat in the company of three professors, John Senior, Frank Nelick, and Dennis Quinn, who discussed art, poetry, music, history, philosophy, and Scripture with one another, while the students overheard them and eventually learned to participate in the discussions themselves. The students also recited poetry, learned to waltz, and were introduced to such words as truth, faith, honor, love, courtesy, decency, simplicity, and modesty, not words much used in an Age of Iron, but then, Don Quixote was sent into that time precisely to bring back something of the Age of Gold.

The motto of the program was Nascantur in Admiratione, “Let Them Be Born in Wonder.” One of the pages of the brochure explains why. . . .

Read the full text: http://www.touchstonemag.com/archives/article.php?id=24-05-021-v#ixzz1WkyneCKg

Cardinal Burke in KC July 23

Would anyone like to meet to hear this lecture? --ER

Here's the information from NCR: 

Cardinal Burke coming to Kansas City

by Dennis Coday on Jul. 07, 2011

NCR readers may want to attended the July 23 conference, "Being Faithful, Even Unto Death: Catholic Wisdom on the Treatment of the Disabled and Dying," where Cardinal Raymond Burke, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signa (the Vatican's "supreme court") will be a keynote speaker.

The conference is sponsored by the St. Gianna Physician's Guild and is billed as presenting "medical, legal and doctrinal analysis of Catholic care of the disabled and dying."

Cardinal Raymond Burke in February Cardinal Burke is to speak at 9:15 a.m. July 23. The title of his talk is “The Mystery of Human Suffering and Dying.”

Other speakers on the bill include: Bobby Schindler and Suzanne Vitadamo, the brother and sister of Terri Schiavo, and Gianna Emanuela Molla, the youngest daughter of Gianna Beretta Molla (1922-1962).

On Sunday July 24, the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese will host a special Mass celebrated by His Eminence Cardinal Burke in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City, Mo., at 9 a.m.

The youngest daughter of St. Gianna Molla will be present and deliver some inspiring words about her mother following Mass. Several relics of St. Gianna will be displayed for public veneration and a special blessing will be given with a first class relic of the saint.

A reception will follow at the Catholic Center located a few blocks from the cathedral at 20 West Ninth Street. All are invited.

About John Senior at KU

This is a beautiful tribute to Professor John Senior, whose teaching of the classics at KU 30 years ago did so much to influence the face of the Church in Kansas City. The article is written by Bro. Philip Anderson, now Abbot of Clear Creek Monastery.

Reading for Lent and for our next study circle: Aldana on the Scriptures

For the next Kansas City study circle, we will read Ricardo Aldana's article from the Fall 2010 issue:

Ricardo Aldana, The Triune God as the Unity of the Scriptures

Communio 37, no. 3 (Fall 2010). (pdf)

The article poses the question, If Scripture is the Word of God, who is the recipient or "hearer" who can receive this word adequately? Jesus came as fulfillment of the Scriptures and received them perfectly. But if the Scriptures are a loving conversation between the Father and the Son, where does humanity fit in? Aldana gives a fascinating account of how humanity enters into the dialogue of the Scriptures. 

Articles are up!

The articles for the May study circle are up on the Commuio web page here, if anyone needs them. See you soon!

May Meeting

I hope everyone is having a very blessed Easter! Sorry for the late notice, but we're going to have the next meeting this Sunday, May 17th from 2-4pm. We'll be meeting at the Rielley house, and covering Tracey Roland's article "Natural Law: From Neo-Thomism to Nuptial Mysticism" as well as Glen Olsen's "Natural Law: The First Grace", both from the Fall 2008 issue. If you need a copy of it or directions to the house, please let me know.

Valentine's Day Study Circle

Bring your Sweetie!

We are gathering again to discuss Fr. Lopez's article on Mary, Certainty of Our Hope from the Summer Issue. Drew and Vivian Nelson, along with their children Genevieve, Isabelle, and Zelie, are hosting this Study Circle at 2:00 PM on Saturday 14th of February. Please bring a drink or small snack to share, there will be activities for the children. RSVP to Elizabeth (elizabeth.orielley -at- gamail -dot-- com) if you can make it.

I very much look forward to meeting you soon and being part of another great discussion! My apologies for letting the Study Circle lapse. At this upcoming Study Circle we will decide a date, time, and host for the next one, so we can meet again soon!

Sad News in the Communio Circle

Bill Rice, the father of Lesley and Meredith Rice, passed away suddenly of a heart attack on Monday, June 16th. Lesley is an Editorial Assistant for the English Communio, and both Lesley and Meredith are good friends of Communio. Please pray for this very dear family.

The First KC Communio Study Circle!

Our first Study Circle was a great success! Six adults (and four children under 5) joined together to discuss Wendell Berry's ideas on marriage, as well as Adrian Walker's article on the simplicity of obedience (although the article was far from simple!). Many thanks for the lovely and kind hospitality of the Sienkienwicz's, who allowed us free reign of their home for over four hours, and fed us delightful snacks!

The next Communio issue will be Spring 2008 "The Transfiguration". I hope to schedule another Study Circle in August, so check back frequently or email me if you'd like to be on the notification list!

A Slight Change of Plans...

Sorry about the confusion, but we've had to change the location of Saturday's Study Circle to the home of Cathe and Jeremy Sienkiewicz, So, we are no longer going to met at O'Dowd's, but at the address above. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions! Again, sorry about the confusion! Hopefully, the Study Circles in the future will run more smoothly.

Our First Study Circle

Our first Communio Study Circle will be on Saturday, May 24th from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at a location yet to be decided. We will discuss Anne Husted Burleigh's article "Wendell Berry on Marriage: Marriage in the Membership" as well as "The Gift of Simplicity. Reflections on Obedience in the Work of Adrienne von Speyr" by Adrian J. Walker, both from the Winter issue. If you would like to join us, have an idea of where we could meet, and/or need a copy of these articles, please email me at elizabeth.orielley*at*gmail.com.

Welcome!

Welcome to Kansas City's Communio Study Circle blog! Here you will find all the comings and goings of the Study Circle in KC, as well as news and updates concerning Communio: International Catholic Review.

The basic purpose of these study groups is to promote greater participation in Communio through reading and discussing texts from the review. Our group serves as a means of helping individuals explore the articles and build a community (communio) among the readers. A Communio Study circle is at once in the heart of the Church and at the center of the world. More information regarding Communio Study Circles may be found here, as well as downloads of Communiqué, a newsletter concerning Study Circles in the US and abroad.

Please join us in exploring Communio articles as well as building up a communio within Kansas City!