Speaker Series

St. Monica Academy’s Speaker Series Aims to Foster a Vibrant, Intellectual Community

Upcoming Speaker Series Events For 2024-25

September 26
Home Matters: A Familial
Response to Ideology |
Presented by Mrs. Noelle Bering

October 17
Witchcraft and the Spanish Inquisition |
Presented by Mr. Khushro Ghandhi

November 14
Strength & Beauty: Reclaiming to Proper
Vocations of Men and Women from the Culture of Death |
Mr. Sebastian Lemmon

January 9
Mrs. Denise Trull

February 20
Mr. Dennis De Pietro

May 1
Fr. Hugh Barbour and Bryan Roach

November Speaker Series Event 2024

“I have now attended three Speaker Series talks. All have been informative and interesting. It is time well spent, and I look forward to the next one.”

– Mr. Robert De Pietro, long-time St. Monica Academy benefactor

The inspiration for the Speaker Series came midway through the 2016 school year, a few months after St. Monica Academy moved from Pasadena to its new campus at Holy Redeemer Church in Montrose. Then high school teachers Mr. O’Donnell and Mr. Selmeczy realized that the new campus offered a venue and opportunity to host educational talks for the St. Monica community.

“The talks are entertaining and enriching,” says Mr. Selmeczy. “You will enjoy them, and you will leave more deeply in love with the classical education than when you arrived.”

Increased interest in firmly establishing the Speaker Series within the community led to a formal inauguration at the start of the 2018 school year.

The Speaker Series will include talks designed to help parents with the formation of their children as well as academic talks on history, politics, religion, literature, and more. The talks are open to the public.

“The aim of the Series,” says Mr. Selmeczy, “is to foster the vibrant, intellectual community around St. Monica Academy.”

St. Monica Academy Speaker Series Videos

Here is a sampling of past St. Monica Academy Speaker Series titles and presenters

“Apologetics”|
Presented by Mr. Joe Freymann | May 2024
Click Here to Listen

“American History”|
Presented by Mr. Martin Boles | March 2024

“Your Marriage Tells A Story”|
Presented by Colin and Melissa Brady | February 2024
Recommended Resources

“Sacred Dirt: Stories from the Catholic History of the Southwest”|
Presented by Skyler Reidy | January 2024

“How to be an Anti-Feminist”|
Presented by Peachy Keenan | November 2023

“Forgiveness and Flourishing”|
Presented by Mr. Chris Kaczor | October 2023

“A Love Story as Told by a Vietnamese Political Refugee”|
Presented by Dr. John Tran | May 2023

“What Really Happened During the Crucifixion?”|
Presented by Mr. Chris Plance | March 2023

An Evening of Sacred Art|
Presented by Dr. Brandon Cook | February 2023

“What is CRT and How Should Catholics Respond To It?”|
Presented by Dr. Ed Feser | January 2023

Copernicus, Bruno, Galileo, and the “Martyrs of Science”|
Presented by Mr. Soli Ghandhi | November 2022

Cancelling Consumerism: Cultivating a Healthy Attitude Towards Material Things|
Presented by Julia Boles | October 2022

Why Do Catholics Do That? The Aplogetics of Catholic Practices|
Presented by Joseph Freymann | May 2022

Combating Calumnies in U.S. History Part 3|
Presented by Martin Boles | March 2022

Critical Race Theory for Parents and Patriots|
Presented by Khushro Ghandhi | January 2022

Liturgical Living in the Home|
Presented by Kendra Tierney | December 2021

Beauty: A Catholic Aesthetic Examing Aquinas on Beauty and Exploring How the Transcendentals Affect Art through the Ages|
Presented by Soli Ghandhi | November 2021

Friendship: St. Monica Academy’s Theme for the Year|
Presented by Dr. Scott Roniger | October 2021

Theology of Home: Finding the Eternal in the Everyday|
Presented by Mrs. Noelle Mering | May 2020

The Quadrivium – the Mathematical Arts|
Presented by Thomas Quackenbush | April 2020

Truth, Love and Friendship: The Path from Wonder to Wisdom|
Presented by Dr. Alex Lessard | March 2020

The Passions of Scientists: How to Understand Data, Bias, Media, and Truth|
Presented by Dr. Jorge Nieva | February 2020

How to Understand and Defend Marriage and Family|
Presented by Fr. Sebastian Walshe | November 2019

Can an Ancient Greek Help you Parent Today?|
Presented by Nicole Tittmann | September 2019

Parental Authority: Embracing your role as Author of Your Family Story|
Presented by Jim and Kendra Tierney | May 2019

Why is Literature at the Foundation?|
Presented by Christine Halpin | March 2019

The Crusades: The Christian “Just War” or Just Another European Aggression?|
Presented by Michael Grumbine | January 2019

Secrets of Parenting from a Mother of 18|
Presented by Rosa Pich | December 2018

Should Criminals Be Cured or Punished:
C.S. Lewis on Crime and Punishment|
Presented by Dr. Joseph Bessette | November 2018

Building a Family Culture: Countering Today’s Culture|
Presented by Martin Boles | October 2018

Is Piety Extinct?|
Presented by Daniel Selmeczy | September 2018