Defend Us in Battle: Classical Education & the Future of America!
PETOSKEY – February 28, 2022 – St. Michael High School (SMHS), Northern Michigan’s only Classical Catholic high school, is very pleased to announce “Defend Us in Battle!”, The 2022 SMHS Speaker Series!
As in recent years, SMHS will bring prominent speakers to Northern Michigan this spring, presenting the community with the benefits of Classical education, especially within the current cultural landscape, as well as a primer on the rigorous, faith-filled curriculum particular to St. Michael. This year’s speaker line-up features:
- An Evening with Dwight Longenecker – March 17 at the SMHS schoolhouse!
- The St. Michael Spring Gala featuring Joseph Pearce – April 23 at Grand Unity Event Center!
- The St. Michael Graduation featuring Anthony Esolen – May 29 at Grand Unity Event Center!
SMHS Headmaster Dr. Richard Brake stated, “As parents nationwide increasingly demand that schools respect their traditional values and their role as the primary educators of their children, the time is now to take a fresh look at St. Michael High School. Our Speaker Series events provide a perfect venue to become better acquainted with an educational model that is sweeping our country. We invite all who want a better education for their child to learn more about what we’re doing every day at St. Michael – “High School with a Higher Purpose!”
“Classical Education in an Atheistic Age” with Fr. Dwight Longenecker!
Thursday, March 17 at 6:30pm at SMHS (2225 Summit Park Drive)
Fr. Longenecker is a Senior Contributor at The Imaginative Conservative and is regularly featured in many other magazines, papers, and journals.
Raised as an Evangelical Christian and later ordained as an Anglican priest, Fr. Longenecker and his family were received into the Catholic Church in 1995, and he became a Catholic priest a decade later. He is a prolific writer, with twenty books to his credit including his latest, “Beheading Hydra – A Radical Plan for Christians in an Atheistic Age”.
This event is free and open to the public. Freewill offerings are appreciated!
The St. Michael Spring Gala, featuring “Classical Education and the Wisdom of G. K. Chesterton” with keynote speaker Mr. Joseph Pearce!
Saturday, April 23 at 5:30pm at Grand Unity Event Center (1106 Charlevoix Ave)
Mr. Pearce is a distinguished Catholic author and speaker, a regular guest on radio, television, podcasts, and webcasts, and a lecturer at literary events worldwide. He is Director of Book Publishing at the Augustine Institute, a senior instructor with Homeschool Connections, and a Senior Contributor at Crisis.
An acclaimed biographer and scholar, Mr. Pearce has authored dozens of best-selling books, including Tolkien: Man and Myth, C. S. Lewis and The Catholic Church, Wisdom and Innocence: A Life of G.K. Chesterton, and Solzhenitsyn: A Soul in Exile. His latest book is Benedict XVI: Defender of the Faith.
The St. Michael Gala is a fundraising event designed to highlight the school’s intrinsic “Truth, Goodness, and Beauty”, as well as its full integration into the Chesterton Schools Network. Tickets are $100 per person, with table sponsorships available by contacting Dr. Brake at drbrake@stmichaelchesterton.org or 231-489-3302.
St. Michael Commencement Ceremony, featuring “Rebuilding Culture through Classical Education” with speaker Dr. Anthony Esolen!
Sunday, May 29 at 4:00pm at Grand Unity Event Center (1106 Charlevoix Ave)
A distinguished author, poet, and commentator, Dr. Esolen has written more than 25 books, and has a special affinity for classical schooling and Christian apologetics. He and his wife led their state’s homeschooling organization for many years.
His book Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child has been described as “a worthy successor to C.S. Lewis’ The Abolition of Man”, and its sequel, Life Under Compulsion, has been called “essential reading for parents, educators, and anyone who is concerned to rescue children from the tedious and vacuous thing childhood has become.”
Of particular interest to Christians are his two most recent works, Out of the Ashes: Rebuilding American Culture, and its sequel, Nostalgia: Going Home in a Homeless World.
Dr. Esolen’s address will punctuate St. Michael commencement exercises that will also feature remarks by our Headmaster and Valedictorian, as well as the awarding of diplomas. He will address the students via Zoom.
Dr. Brake concluded, “We hope you’ll join us for our Speaker Series events this spring – and please stay tuned for an exciting late addition to our line-up! As always, we appreciate your continued prayers and support!”
For up to-date information, visit the Speaker Series webpage at… https://stmichaelchesterton.org/speaker-series/.
St. Michael High School is High School with a Higher Purpose and a proud member of the Chesterton Schools Network, the largest and fastest-growing network of its kind in the country. SMHS welcomes all families who seek a better education and faith formation for their students and offers tuition assistance to qualifying families.
Established in 2013, the St. Michael mission is to nurture and elevate a new generation of joyful leaders educated in the Classical tradition and the truth of the Catholic faith. For information on SMHS, visit the school website at https://stmichaelchesterton.org or contact Headmaster Dr. Richard Brake at drbrake@stmichaelchesterton.org