The Catholic Teacher Podcast

In today's episode I share a great insight from a recent visit to the sacrament of confession. As Catholic teachers we need to constantly remember that it is Jesus who brings about healing and salvation and that it is not something we do in our own strength. As teachers we also have a powerful opportunity to share this insight with our students on a daily basis. Book a free coaching call for Catho...

In today's episode I explore a fine quote from Queen Elizabeth II's former chaplain Gavin Ashenden. It's a great reminder that any utopian vision that is presented to young people is bound to end in disillusion and bitterness. As Catholic teachers we are able to offer a much broader and ultimately truthful view of reality. Grab your free access to my awesome resource for Catholic teachers right he...

In today's episode I share a great quote from Pope Benedict that reminds us that the encounter with Christ always leads to sharing that joy with others. Book a free 30 minute coaching call with Jonathan for Catholic leaders https://calendly.com/jonathandoyle/30min Grab your free access to my awesome resource for Catholic teachers right here: https://cf.onecatholicteacher.com/oct-opt-in Find out ab...

In today's episode I begin a new season and welcome you all back to renewing our journey together. I have been reading Pope Benedict's Jesus of Nazareth and a single line really jumped out at me that I want to share with you. It's a great reminder of the ultimate goal and purpose of our lives and also of the work we undertake in our vocations. Grab your free access to my awesome resource for Catho...

Every Catholic teacher can have times when they feel stuck, burned out or unsure of the impact of their daily work. In today's episode I respond to a beautiful listener question that asks for input on knowing when it may be time to make some changes. Grab your free access to my awesome resource for Catholic teachers right here: https://cf.onecatholicteacher.com/oct-opt-in Find out about booking Jo...

Today I respond to a great listener question where they ask: One thing that I have been trying to find the balance on, is sharing the faith with students and non-Christian colleagues. Most colleagues and students know I am a Christian/Catholic, yet is it enough for them to just know I am a Christian? Should I try to share the faith and witness and yet how should I? How much is too much? Will I jus...

The modern Catholic school is often inundated with demands for new plans, strategies, programs and initiatives. The pressure to be constantly innovating and improving outcomes can feel relentless. However, there is a special superpower available to every Catholic teacher that can create remarkable results. In this episode I share an insight from St. Jane Frances de Chantal that can reconnect us to...

In today's message I share a great insight from Saint Augustine about how every Catholic teacher can cooperate more deeply with God and become a deeper and richer channel of grace. Grab your free access to my awesome resource for Catholic teachers right here: https://cf.onecatholicteacher.com/oct-opt-in Find out about booking Jonathan to come and speak at your school or event https://cf.onecatholi...

Yesterday was the feast day of Edith Stein and her wisdom has so much to offer Catholic teachers. In this episode I talk about her remarkable life and the two daily practices she offers us that can truly help our vocation to flourish. Grab your free access to my awesome resource for Catholic teachers right here: https://cf.onecatholicteacher.com/oct-opt-in Find out about booking Jonathan to come a...

In the busyness and challenge of each day it's understandable that we can come to see difficult students or colleagues as a source of our suffering or unhappiness. However, what if, all this time, we may have been fighting the wrong enemy? In this episode I want to suggest that your challenging students or colleagues are not the ones we need to overcome. There is a much greater enemy you need to b...

Satan simply wants Catholic teachers to shut up. The last thing he wants is for any child to hear the truth about Christ or human identity or relationships or our eternal destiny. Satan just wants every Catholic teacher to stare at the floor and never resist the wickedness that can so easily permeate a curriculum. In today's episode I want to share the story of Blessed Titus Brandsma who was given...

Welcome back my friend. It has been a little while. Today is the feast of St. Mary Magdalen and I want to share some important insights about what she has to teach us as Catholic educators. No matter what our background, it's unlikely we have a past as shady as Mary Magdalen and yet Christ radically transformed her life. I also talk about the way that Mary Magdalen can help us think about our most...

In today's episode I explore an interesting question raised by a Catholic teacher about the difference between the concept of being a 'hardline' Catholic as opposed to the concept of being orthodox. These are important distinctions that really matter in the daily life of a Catholic school community. Grab your free access to my awesome resource for Catholic teachers right here: https://cf.onecathol...

In today's episode I explore a powerful article about the role of moral confidence from the Substack files of Angela Nagle. She reminds us that the most powerful force in human affairs is that of moral confidence. It is a deep internal knowing that what you are doing with your life is worthwhile and worth sharing. Angela Nagle Full Article is here: https://angelanagle.substack.com/p/the-magic-spel...

Our modern world places a significant focus on the pursuit of happiness and success but usually defines it in a rather narrow sense. The truth is that every human person was created with truly unique gifts and abilities and the heart of God the Father delights in seeing us use them? So what is the secret to actualising all the incredible gifts you possess? In today's ewe hear from one of the great...

So much of the ideological insanity that pervades the modern world is rooted in a rejection of the 'givenness' of nature as a gift of God and a rejection of the truth about the value and dignity and destiny of every human person. In today's episode we explore a beautiful quote that reminds us that every human person holds a place in the hierarchy of creation that cannot be understated. The truth a...

Your impact as a Catholic teacher day has a profound impact upon your students. While you may not realise it you are not simply imparting content or theories. You are actually writing something extraordinary upon the very spirits of the young people that God has sent into your life. Grab your free access to my awesome resource for Catholic teachers right here: https://cf.onecatholicteacher.com/oct...

Can you look back over your teaching career and think of one lesson you taught that really stayed with you? Can you remember a time when what you were saying or doing had a big impact upon your students? No matter how impactful that may have been there is actually one lesson you've been teaching that could very well impact your students for the rest of their lives! Grab your free access to my awes...

In the demanding and complex world of modern education it can be easy to fall back on whatever we feel can get us through the day. It could be talent, a new teaching method or anything that gets a result and keeps our students occupied. In today's message I want to share with you a simple insight from a recent speaking trip to London. I met a man who helped make it all much clearer! Grab your free...

Catholic education is such a precious and necessary human and divine undertaking. It is not simply a functional or utilitarian process where we funnel kids into the economic system. In today's message we have a profound reminder from Pope Benedict XVI about how what you do each day is so much more than a job. One of the most important things you do is to impart wisdom and help young people come to...

In today's episode we explore a great quote from Gaudate Et Exsultate that reminds us that holiness is not some far off mystical ideal but that it is always something we can choose in the real and gritty circumstances of our daily lives. qGrab your free access to my awesome resource for Catholic teachers right here: https://cf.onecatholicteacher.com/oct-opt-in Find out about booking Jonathan to co...

Therese of Lisieux is a giant of a figure in the bright sky of Catholic history and sanctity. In today's message we hear a powerful reminder from her that the arc of our lives, the very purpose that can come to define our days is the pursuit of holiness in love of God and those whose lives we touch. It's not pride to desire to be all that God created you to become. It's your destiny! Grab your fre...

Do you ever grow weary of being told to 'trust the experts' and place all your faith in institutions and authority? In recent years it seems that so much of what we once gave our allegiance to has come under extraordinary forms of pressure and suspicion. More than ever, rather than placing faith in power, titles and roles we long to believe that people actually walk their talk and live out what th...

We have no shortage of technology or programs these days that are supposed to be the next big thing in driving student outcomes. But what about the simple things that might just make all the difference in the life of a student when they really need it? It can be easy to get lost in fancy pedagogy but it's so important to retain a deeply human sense of the need to just 'be with' our students and le...

The crazy intensity of modern life can make it hard for any of us to find moments of deep quiet and stillness in our lives. For our students it can be even harder. The emergence of social media and screens over the last few decades have no historical precedent and it's like we are living through some vast experiment. As Catholic teachers how can we help our students rediscover their own hearts and...