Best CiRCE Institute Podcasts (2025)

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Life at Home After High School 32:23

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1h ago32:23

32:23

Katie Carrillo, mother of three daughters and head mentor of the Gulf Coast Apprenticeship, joins Renee and Karen to discuss living the good life with children living at home after high school. Our culture tells us that our child needs to create his or her own life at eighteen years old. But what if college or moving out of the family home is not w…

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S7, E8: Theatre Still Matters in Catholic Education 32:40

17h ago32:40

32:40

Writers John Troll and Ben Capitan join the Abbey Podcast to discuss the creation of their original play Passion’s End. This past Summer Ben and John performed their play as a part of the Adeodatus conference hosted at the Abbey. Their conversation spans their shared roots at Thomas Aquinas College, their creative partnership, and the role of theat…

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How Music Trains the Senses to Delight in Beauty 37:51

2h ago37:51

37:51

Listen as Renee and Karen chat with guest John Hodges, teacher, musician, composer, and director of The Center for Western Studies. John explains, as Plato said, that the purpose of music is to cause us to delight in beauty and the harmonious things. We discuss learning to play instruments, and John offers musical selections that you can find to en…

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The Power of Music to Impact Your Children and Your Homeschool 33:10

5d ago33:10

33:10

Join us as we chat with Laura Councell about the effects that music, instrumental and vocal, can have on your children's souls, minds, and bodies. Laura holds a doctorate in music and is a homeschooling mother to three children ages 2,5, and 8. Her son, Harry, is a special needs child, and Laura describes how song has been life-giving for him. List…

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S7, E7: Cardinal Müller on Truth, Culture, and the Church 51:03

19d ago51:03

51:03

Cardinal Gerhard Müller, former Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, reflects on his vocation, his friendship with Pope Benedict XVI, and the challenges facing the Church today—from artificial intelligence to cultural confusion. Speaking with Abbot Placid Solari, the Cardinal offers a profound vision of faith and reason in har…

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Bethany Kern on her beautiful art curriculum, Lumen! 28:14

16d ago28:14

28:14

In this episode, Renee and Karen chat with Bethany Kern about her new art history and appreciation books called Lumen, A Guide to the Elements of Art through Time. The first volume (of seven) on line was published last year, and the second, on space, is hot off the presses. Listen as Bethany describes the process of choosing artists and their work,…

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S7, E6: The Winningest Coaches' Playbook 51:29

23d ago51:29

51:29

Belmont Abbey’s former men’s coach John Keating sits down with Ken Lolla and Robbie Church, two nationally renowned college soccer coaches who both got their start at Belmont Abbey College. Together they chat about leadership, culture, and life after the whistle. They revisit their Belmont Abbey years, share the rituals and habits that built winnin…

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Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child 36:46

25d ago36:46

36:46

Listen as Renee and Karen discuss Anthony Esolen's book Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child, which aims to show how our culture constricts the imaginations of the young. Written in the style of C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters, it is witty and clever. If you haven't read this book, you should get a copy wherever you buy your books! Amazo…

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S7, E5: Emma Fradd - Authenticity in Modern Music 22:10

30d ago22:10

22:10

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So what do we do now? 38:52

1M ago38:52

38:52

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Recovering the Building Blocks of Experience 38:09

1M ago38:09

38:09

Listen to this lively conversation with Dr. Jeanne Schindler as she explains how the digital world has mediated our experience and awareness of the real world and has impacted our ability and desire to commune with God and with each other. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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S7, E4: Inside Supreme Court Advocacy 36:08

2M ago36:08

36:08

Dr. Tom Varaicalli of the Honor's College talks with ADF’s John Bursch about preparing for high-stakes cases, the cultural and legal battles around life and gender policy, and the Constitution’s protection of religious exercise. They also discuss public opinion, tech and AI concerns, and the daily prayer habits that sustain a lawyer’s work.…

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Here's to Snail Mail! 36:26

2M ago36:26

36:26

Letter writing might be a lost art, but our guest, Reagan Dregge, will encourage you to grab some paper and a favorite pen and surprise a friend with a card or a note in the mail. Reagan explains how letter writing has become a creative hobby, encouraged her as a writer, and established dear and lasting friendships. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/p…

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S7, E3: Finding Your Journey of Faith and Transformation 58:44

2M ago58:44

58:44

Belmont Abbey Campus Minister Carmen Alexander and our guest Paul J. Kim discuss his journey of faith, the challenges of living as a young adult in a secular world, and the importance of community, sacraments, and personal growth.

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A New Book about Navigating Literature with Your Children 36:07

3M ago36:07

36:07

In this episode, Renee and Karen talk with their guest, Megan Saben, about her new book Redeemed Reader: Cultivating a Child's Discernment and Imagination Through Truth and Story, which she co-authored with three friends. She explains how the best books contain Truth with a capital T and tell stories that contain the form and themes of the best Sto…

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A Beautiful New Children's Book Club Resource! 28:12

3M ago28:12

28:12

We are back with an episode about the Beehive Book Club, a new resource by Hayley Croft and Haley Bouffard. Listen as we chat about how their book club for kids turned into two volumes (so far) called Family Favorites and Read the World. Be encouraged with ideas on how to enjoy books with your own kids and how to start a club with friends. Hosted o…

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S7, E2: A Reflection on Wisdom and Foolishness 33:57

3M ago33:57

33:57

Professor James Neff, of the Belmont Abbey Honors College, shares an original reflection on wisdom and foolishness and the Gospel of Luke.

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S7, E1: The Realism of St. Augustine in a Utopian Age with Mike Foley 33:30

3M ago33:30

33:30

In this episode of Conversatio, Dr. Joseph Wysocki welcomes Dr. Michael Foley—a professor in the Great Texts Program at Baylor University and a Catholic theologian known for his engaging work at the intersection of faith, culture, and education. Together, they explore what it means to be Augustinian in an age of confusion. Listen now!…

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Have you ever heard of a Supra? 33:27

4M ago33:27

33:27

Listen as Renee and Karen talk about the Supra, a tradition of hospitality from the country of Georgia in which guests gather around the table with good food and offer a series of toasts on a wide range of topics. The structure of the Supra ensures that each guest feels welcome and comfortable and builds community as guests linger long into the eve…

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Guest Tonya Rozelle, leader of The Hearth, on how community nurtures the homeschool mom 29:05

5M ago29:05

29:05

In this episode, Renee and Karen interview Tonya Rozelle about the CiRCE community for moms called The Hearth. They discuss the life-giving benefits of reading books and discussing ideas around classical education in community and how exploring truth, goodness, and beauty together is nurturing for moms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mo…

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A chat with author Mandi Gerth about her new book on cultivating habits in the classical classroom and homeschool 30:42

5M ago30:42

30:42

Mandi's book, Thoroughness and Charm: Cultivating the Habits of a Classical Classroom, offers readers beautifully written principles of classical education and practical ideas and tips for creating a culture that nurtures our children and embodies the tradition. Listen for inspiration to encourage you as you make plans for the fall and for ideas to…

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Hamlet: Q&A (rerun) 1:28:37

5M ago1:28:37

1:28:37

Join Tim, Heidi, and Andrew as they answer your questions about Hamlet! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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S6, E10: Myth as Medicine with Alec Bianco, Circe Institute 41:32

5M ago41:32

41:32

Alec Bianco of the Circe Institute shares about how our fairy tales can heal our broken culture. Listen now!

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Hamlet: Act V (rerun) 1:15:44

5M ago1:15:44

1:15:44

Join Tim, Heidi, and Andrew as they discuss the concluding act to Shakespeare's masterpiece, an act in which we get the famous graveyard scene and the stage littered with bodies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Hamlet: Act IV (rerun) 1:16:15

5M ago1:16:15

1:16:15

Join Tim, Heidi, and Andrew as they dig into the crucial fourth act of Hamlet. They discuss Laertes coming the fore, Ophelia's tragic demise, Claudius devious behavior, and much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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S6, E9: Reclaiming Catholic Education with ICLE's Dr. Ryan Messmore 19:35

5M ago19:35

19:35

In this new episode of Conversatio, Dr. Tom Varacalli welcomes Dr. Ryan Messmore from ICLE, to discuss the importance of Catholic teaching, and how many Catholic schools need to reclaim their Catholic identity. Listen Now!

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Hamlet: Act III (rerun) 1:22:22

5M ago1:22:22

1:22:22

Join Tim, Heidi, and Andrew as they dive into the crucial, famous third act of Hamlet. In this episode they discuss the "to be or not to be" speech, Claudius' prayer, and Polonius death. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Hamlet: Act II (rerun) 1:34:33

6M ago1:34:33

1:34:33

Join Tim, Heidi, and Andrew as they dive into the drama of Hamlet, Act II! They discuss the way everyone is watching everyone else in this act, Pelonius as parent, the appearance of Rosencrans and Guildenstern, and much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Making the Most of Your Summer 26:21

6M ago26:21

26:21

The summer is nearly here and Renee and Karen offer suggestions for making the most of your summer schedule while leaving room to discard the schedule and go to the pool! These days and years are fleeting; read books in the hammock, eat the ice cream, learn a new skill, make lasting memories! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informat…

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Hamlet: Act I (rerun) 1:05:39

6M ago1:05:39

1:05:39

It's finally time to discuss the grandaddy of all of Shakespeare's plays! That's right, it's time for Hamlet and Tim, Heidi, and special guest Andrew Kern are ready to dig deep. In this episode they discuss why this play matters so much, the initial structure of the play, the themes and problems Act I introduces, and much more. Hosted on Acast. See…