Institute for Catholic Liberal Education

Please read ICLE Director of Curriculum and Academic Resources, Jake Tawney's remarks on Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, emphasizing Catholic liberal education as uniquely equipped for this technological moment.

Tawney notes:

"...Let us help our students encounter those 'deepest and most important things' that make up 'reality beyond appearances' in order to cultivate both faith and reason for full human flourishing. And with Pope Leo XIV , let us look to Jesus Christ for our model, knowing that it is 'only in the mystery of the Word made flesh that the mystery of humanity truly becomes clear.' "

Read the full article:

Magnifica Humanitas: Educating Students for A(ctual) I(ntelligence) | The Institute for Catholic Liberal Education The Creation of Adam. Michelangelo, ca. 1512 Pope Leo XIV’s highly anticipated new encyclical has been billed as a manifesto on artificial intelligence. Without

What happens when a Catholic school trades modern data-driven testing for an educational model rooted in wonder, awe, and deep integration?

Our chaplain and board member, Msgr. John R. Cihak, recently joined host Deal Hudson on Ave Maria Radio's "Church and Culture" to discuss how the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education (ICLE) is helping over 300 member schools across the country reclaim their heritage.

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Deal Hudson and the entire team at Ave Maria Radio for having us on the show to share our mission.

Drawing from his own experience spearheading Catholic education renewal at his parish school, Msgr. Cihak shared the profound shifts that occur when a school centers its entire curriculum on Christ:

"When we did this renewal with the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education, I saw our kids, and our teachers, too, they transformed. There is so much more peace. There's joy. There's the joy of learning again."

Rather than fragmenting knowledge into isolated subjects to pass a standardized exam, a Catholic liberal education invites students into a unified reality where everything connects back to a loving Creator:

"Liberal education works on recognizing patterns. Of seeing connections. Of knowing the stories. Of seeing yourself in the midst of this meaningful story that's going on between God and the world..."

🎧 Listen to the full segment to hear Msgr. Cihak discuss how this shift dramatically lowers classroom behavior issues, cultivates lifelong retention, and brings true freedom to students' hearts and minds.

Church and Culture Hr. 1 - May 30, 2026 - Msgr. John Cihak Msgr.

"It all began with a picture study. There we were, myself and eight other diocesan leaders from every corner of the country, engaging in a great discussion about Thomas Cole’s four-part painting series, The Voyage of Life. Although not new to the renewal of Catholic liberal education, I was a brand-new diocesan leader, eager to learn and fully aware of all the things I did not know."

Applications for the Diocesan Leaders Academy are being accepted through June 10. Apply now or pass it on to your Diocesan Leaders!

READ MORE ABOUT Diocese of Lansing ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS STEVE VAUGHAN'S EXPERIENCE HERE:

Diocesan Leaders Academy Offers Provisions for the Voyage of Renewing Catholic Education | The Institute for Catholic Liberal Education Childhood, Youth, Manhood, Old Age, Thomas Cole, 1842, National Gallery of Art It all began with a picture study. There we were, myself and eight other diocesa

“If I had not done the Credential Program, I very likely would have stopped teaching after my second year. My first year was really challenging … but the tools I was given through the Credential Program renewed my own confidence … and fed my own love for learning.”
— Credential Candidate

🎉 ICLE's newly expanded Western Regional Cohort is designed to serve educators across California, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada. While hosted by three specific dioceses (Archdiocese of San Francisco, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, Diocese of Oakland), the cohort is open to any K-12 teacher from the West Coast, including those from independent schools and other neighboring dioceses. Thank you to diocesan leaders Christopher Fisher, Andrew Currier and Elias J. Moo for your faithful and mission-aligned collaboration in this partnership.

🔍 Please peruse our WRC brochure to learn more about the program here:https://catholicliberaleducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/WRC-CEFC-May-2026-Edition-1.pdf and
📰 Educators and School Leaders, read more about the expansion here: https://catholicliberaleducation.org/2026/05/22/san-francisco-oakland-and-portland-dioceses-will-now-form-western-cohort-of-icles-catholic-educator-formation-and-credential-program/

Today, on the Feast of Mary, Mother of the Church, we look to Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres’s 1852 masterpiece, The Virgin Adoring the Host, to cultivate our sacramental imaginations, that we might see divine truth mirrored in earthly beauty.

In this image, Mary demonstrates the disposition of the Church: hands clasped, eyes cast in prayer, and her entire heart centered in adoration of the Holy Eucharist.

We invite our community of educators to join the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education (ICLE) in offering this portion of our organizational Act of Consecration today:

Mary, Mother of the Church,
We entrust the work of the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education to your motherly care.

Through your prayers, example, and guidance, make us docile to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and to the guidance of the Church. May He ground all our work in humility and love.

May He fill us with wisdom and form us into fit instruments for serving Catholic schools and educators. Provide the Institute with the material resources needed to fulfill God’s plan.

Draw to the Institute associates on fire with the love of Christ and His Church, with a passion for spreading Catholic wisdom about education. May all who labor on behalf of the Institute grow together in charity and friendship.

Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us!
Amen

📖 Read ICLE's full Act of Consecration here (made in 2017): https://catholicliberaleducation.org/our-mother/

"On behalf of the Diocese of Oakland, we are truly honored to host ICLE's Western Regional Cohort in a beautiful setting at San Damiano Retreat Center," said Dr. Andrew Currier, Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Oakland. "I wholeheartedly believe in the strength and significance of the formation provided by ICLE and am truly hopeful that the fruits of these efforts in teacher training will give rise to greater renewal in Catholic schools."

📢 ICLE is pleased to announce a significant expansion of its Catholic Educator Formation and Credential (CEFC) program for the 2026-2027 academic year! Building on the successful 2025 launch of the Western Regional Cohort, the Archdiocese of San Francisco and the Diocese of Oakland will now join the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon as host dioceses for CEFC.

The Western Regional Cohort is designed to serve educators across California, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada. While hosted by three specific dioceses, the cohort is open to any K-12 teacher from the West Coast, including those from independent schools and other neighboring dioceses.

For the upcoming 2026-2027 18-month program, in addition to five integrated courses delivered through distance learning, the cohort will convene for three in-person workshops. This structure brings mission-aligned formation directly to West Coast educators participating in a groundbreaking Catholic alternative to state licensure.

Applications are live now! Read more about the expansion here:

San Francisco, Oakland, and Portland Will Now Form Western Cohort of ICLE’s Catholic Educator Formation and Credential Program | The Institute for Catholic Liberal Education The Institute for Catholic Liberal Education (ICLE) is pleased to announce a significant expansion of its Catholic Educator Formation and Credential (CEFC) prog

“God has created me to do Him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission.”
— Saint John Henry Newman

Are you called to leadership in Catholic Education? Which ICLE program is right for you? APPLY NOW!

Diocesan Leaders Academy: https://catholicliberaleducation.org/diocesan-leaders.../
School Leaders Academy: https://catholicliberaleducation.org/.../school-leaders.../
Aspiring School Leaders Program: https://catholicliberaleducation.org/.../aspiring-school.../

Are you called to leadership in Catholic Education? Which ICLE program is right for you?

Diocesan Leaders Academy: https://catholicliberaleducation.org/diocesan-leaders-academy/

School Leaders Academy: https://catholicliberaleducation.org/events/school-leaders-academy/

Aspiring School Leaders Program: https://catholicliberaleducation.org/events/aspiring-school-leaders-program/

"When students write by hand, something different happens than when they merely see or hear words. Handwriting slows the mind just enough for attention to take root. The hand traces each letter, the eye follows the line, and the mind holds the word long enough for meaning to settle. Writing becomes an act of engagement rather than passive reception."

Thank you to Linda Shrewsbury for this thoughtful piece linked here. ICLE is grateful to partner with CursiveLogic in 2026 and we appreciate your generous support! Check out CursiveLogic and all of ICLE's 2026 partners at the 2026 National Conference from July 14-17 in Columbus, OH. There are still a few seats left! Register today: https://catholicliberaleducation.org/events/national-conference/

Read more from CursiveLogic on "How Handwriting Forms the Mind": https://catholicliberaleducation.org/2026/04/14/handwriting-and-the-formation-of-the-mind/

How Handwriting Forms the Mind | The Institute for Catholic Liberal Education A Girl Writing; The Pet Goldfinch, Henriette Browne, ca. 1870. “When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this

Imagine leading a school where every hallway and classroom is alive with the joy of the Gospel and the beauty of the liberal arts! We are looking for applicants for the ICLE School Leaders Academy (SLA) who imagine just that.

Do you display a sincere desire to lead, learn and grow as a Catholic school leader? Are you looking to bring your experience to contribute to the collective wisdom of an SLA cohort?

🌟Renewing Catholic schools in the Church's intellectual tradition is an exciting journey, and you don’t have to walk it alone.
🌟The Institute for Catholic Liberal Education (ICLE) invites you to step into a community of hope through our School Leaders Academy. This 10-month mentorship and formation program supports leaders as they guide their schools toward a vibrant, Christ-centered future rooted in the Church’s rich intellectual tradition.

What makes this experience so special?
🌿 Seasoned Wisdom: Gain insights from two veteran educators with over 40 years of combined experience in the Church’s vision of education.
🤝 Lifelong Connections: Grow alongside a select cohort of passionate, like-minded leaders. We prioritize applicants who bring a sincere desire to learn and a wealth of experience to share with the group.
🌱 Purposeful Growth: Dive into the Church's vision of education to rediscover the "why" behind your vocation.
✏️ Commitment to Excellence: To ensure the highest impact for every leader, our cohorts are determined by application. This program is designed for those ready to dive in—regular attendance and active participation are key to the formation process.

📖 If you are ready to commit the time and effort to see your school flourish, apply today. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis. https://catholicliberaleducation.org/events/school-leaders-academy/

A Poem to Delight Your Students for this turn of the year that "can be as hard for students as for teachers when the year continues on, seemingly endlessly..." as recommended by Lizzie Black, ICLE Faculty and Credential Program Cohort Director

A Poem to Delight Your Students | The Institute for Catholic Liberal Education Portrait of the Countess of Lameth, Adélaïde Labille-Guiard, ca. 1790. This turn of the year can be as hard for students as for teachers as the year continues o