The Catholic Teacher Podcast

Caryll Houselander is a special soul who writes beautifully about the life of faith and prayer. In today's message she reminds us that even if our work seems hard or even monotonous at times there is always a need for what you do. Without your unique presence each day something of the presence of Jesus wold also be missing. Grab your free access to my awesome resource for Catholic teachers right h...

The modern Catholic school can be a hectic place at times. There is always so much to do and so many pressing demands. It can be easy to begin to live in the future, always planning for the next thing. In today's message I share a great quote from the amazing Blessed Solanus Casey who reminds us that while God holds the future in His hands, it is in the present where we are called to encounter Him...

Our modern world is hooked on technological mastery and solutions. We live in an era where we assume that some new hack or system can streamline life at every turn and make things into some kind of utopia. We are often looking for some fancy solution to the challenges and issues that we face. In today's message we have a beautiful reminder from Vincent McNab that God leads us to heaven in the smal...

One of the great pieces of good news in my spiritual journey has been the gradual realisation that I don't have to become a saint by effort alone. It can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking that if we could just try harder, overcome bad habits and be nicer to people then the path to heaven would be straight. In today's message I share with you a beautiful quote from Father Jacques Philippe t...

Today is the memorial of St. Benedict the Black. In this short episode I want to explore how his simple life and legacy can offer us some great insights into how we can be people of service and humility.

Today I share a great quote from Jeff Cavins that reminds us that our allegiance to Jesus is a total commitment . We don't get to pick and choose the parts we agree with. At this moment in history there are many forces that seek to shut down the right of Catholic schools and Catholic educators to speak the truth in a loving and respectful way.

In today's episode I want to talk about the difference between a Christocentric school and an anthropocentric school. They are radically different places and can create radically different outcomes. The call on our lives is to keep Jesus as the absolute centre of our schools. It's a heroic and holy task and deeply needed at this moment in history.

Today we are going deep! In this episode I talk about Immanuel Kant and so much more. We are going to discuss how every Catholic teacher can help their students develop a deeper vision of reality than they thought possible.

In today's episode I discuss a special quote from John Piper about how the path to finding meaning and purpose in life is the path of sharing in God's passion for the redemption of young people and all humanity.

In today's episode it's time to celebrate Saint Patrick and it's also time to talk about the way that every Catholic teacher can prepare the way for Jesus in the lives of each young person

It's not as exciting as The Rise of Skywalker but The Return of Jonathan may have to do for now. No, I did not fall off the edge of the world. I'm back and hoping to bring you some daily encouragement in your journey as a Catholic teacher. In this episode I'm going to be talking about Roger Scruton's thoughts on beauty, Padre Pio's thoughts on the slow progress of the spiritual life and how the Go...

Today, I want to share with you a very powerful quote from Haim Ginnot. It's a great reminder that ultimately the individual teacher plays an incredibly important and central role in the lives of every student. What we bring each day as educators has an incredible impact upon the young people that God places in our lives. There is no bigger influence on the character and tone of a Catholic school...

Today, I want to share with you a great insight from C.S.Lewis who reminds us that as educators we can do a great deal to bring the waters of truth, beauty, goodness and wisdom into the lives of our students.

Today I share a great quote from Albert Einstein that reminds us that one of the most powerful things we accomplish as educators is the ability to inspire joy in our students as they master new ideas and knowledge. This message will encourage you each day to bring your own passion and enthusiasm to life as it lights the fire of learning in the hearts of your students.

In today's episode we are going to focus upon a scripture insight from Luke 4:18. Jesus is the one who liberates people from darkness and oppression. He is the one who opens prisons and declares release. What if each Catholic teacher is called into this same ministry by virtue of their vocation? What if every Catholic teacher can be used by Jesus to help struggling students find a way out of the p...

In these challenging times so many young people are facing a crisis of hope. What can we do as Catholic educators to help them keep their focus on a brighter tomorrow even when it seems implausible? In this episode, it's time to explore how the firm decision to become traders in the commodity of hope can have a big impact on the lives of each young person that God places in our care.

We have all been there. We tried hard but as our heads hit the pillow all we can think about is all that we did not accomplish and all the things we might have done differently. Every Catholic teacher faces so much pressures these days. It can be easy to feel that you are not making any headway. How do we deal with that? In today's episode I want to share with you a beautiful quote from a very spe...

In these challenging times it can be very easy to give in to despair and fear. The modern news cycle and the fear-based narrative of social media can make us feel that we are alone and that things are going from and to worse. What we all really need is a reminder of the power of faith and the decision to be people of faith and not victims of circumstance. In this episode I want to share with you a...

Sadly, in some Catholic schools there can be a culture of criticism, gossip and tearing down of people. This is not the way things are supposed to be. So what actually creates the specific culture of any Catholic school? Why do some schools seem to be positive communities of light and growth and encouragement and others are not? In this episode I want to share with you a simple scriptural insight...

One of the most remarkable things about being a Catholic teacher is the ability to see the potential in your students in the way that Jesus also sees that potential. As we see the best in our students we tend to expect more for them and from them. In today's episode I want to share some thoughts with you about the role of faith in the life of each Catholic teacher and what it can mean for your stu...

In today's episode it's time to explore a few important ideas. First, we begin with a reminder that a Catholic school is not a place of pure humanism or fancy psychology but rather a place of deep reliance upon the person of Jesus. Second, I talk about the feast of St. Martha and why we need both a Mary and a Martha spirit as we go about our work as Catholic educators. Finally, it's time to be rem...

As A Catholic teacher it can be very easy to fall into the habit of working too hard. There is so much to do that we can easily feel we just need to push harder each day to get it all done. In this episode I share a great insight from the philosopher Josef Pieper who reminds us that our lives consist of so much more than just working harder.

In today's episode I want to share a very beautiful quote from Paul Kingsnorth. It's a great reminder that any Catholic vocation shares in the same dynamics that motivated all the great saints down through the ages. Just like the Irish monks of the sixth century, you are called each day to set out on a path of trust and mystery as the Holy Spirit guides your work.

We have all had the experience of being overlooked when being picked for teams as kids. We all know that feeling of comparing ourselves to others and wondering if we are enough. In today's episode I share some rock solid encouragement about the fact that God never misses anyone when it comes to passing out gifts. You were handpicked and chosen and the best is ahead.

Jesus had an incredible ability to cut through to the very essence of human experience. In today's episode I want to talk about how one of his most important sayings relates to a way we can improve our daily interactions with all our students, colleagues and parents. I also share a great quote you wont want to miss from Adrienne Vin Speyr.