A Socratic Seminar and Breakfast

Hosted by Thomas Aquinas College

In conjunction with the [1]   Meritage Resort and Spa Napa, Calif. | August 1, 2013   Breakfast: 8:30 – 9:00 a.m. Seminar: 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

What is the spiritual nature of work? How does it affect the relationship between labor and capital? How should concerns about rising technology, threats to the environment, and globalization affect economic policy and decision-making?

Such questions, which press upon our current political situation and will weigh heavily on the lives of Catholics in the Next America, lie at the heart of Catholic social teaching.

Please join members of the faculty of Thomas Aquinas College for a buffet breakfast and seminar about the meaning and implications of Laborem Exercens, Bl. John Paul II’s 1981 encyclical on human work. The seminar will take place on the morning of Thursday,  August 1, 2013,at the Napa Institute’s 2013 conference, Catholics in the Next America [1]. The conference’s theme for that day is “Work and Leisure.”

This seminar is not a lecture; nor is it a discourse among a panel of experts. Everyone in attendance is invited to participate actively in the conversation, working together to distill and analyze the meaning of this important document. Leading the seminar will be the College’s president, Dr. Michael F. McLean, and its vice president, Dr. Paul J. O’Reilly. Dr. McLean and Dr. O’Reilly have collectively spent more than 50 years leading Socratic seminars as members of the Thomas Aquinas College teaching faculty. At the College, all classes are taught via the Socratic Method. The curriculum consists exclusively of the great books of Western civilization, including various Church documents and encyclicals.

Some Comments from Last Year’s Participants:

• “Great and fascinating discussion.”
• “The seminar was excellent. Excellent format, excellent discussion.”
• “Perfect topic for today’s event.”

Registration for the seminar and breakfast is open only to registered attendees of the Napa Institute Conference [2]. To participate in the seminar and breakfast:

1. Register for the Napa Institute Conference [3].

2. Register for the Thomas Aquinas College Seminar and Breakfast [4].

3. Download [5] (PDF) and read the brief, highly accessible reading.

Space is limited — register now! Questions? Please e-mail Robert Bagdazian [6] or call, 800-634-9797.