Catholic Thought I (Fall)
This will be an exploratory experience reading and discussing Catholic documents covering engaging and relevant topics each semester. Find out what the
pontificates of Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis have had to say on topics affecting all of us from the not-too-distant past, today, and into the future. This is a Catholic course intended for The Aquinas House of Studies of Scholé Academy. These are semester courses, independent of each other; therefore, students may enroll in one or both semesters. Recommended as a Humanities or Theology elective, ½ credit per semester for high school.
An Exploration into Church Thought I
Quarter 1 Pope Paul VI – The Church in the Modern World
Quarter 2 Pope John Paul II – The Value of Human Life
Syllabus
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Semester 1 Course Texts
Print the free online versions or purchase the hardcopy versions linked below.
- Gaudium Et Spes (Pastoral Constitution on The Church in The Modern World)
- Free: Gaudium et spes (vatican.va)
- Hardcopy: Past Const of Church In the Modern World Gaudium Et Spes | Pauline Books and Media (paulinestore.com)
- Evangelium Vitae (On the Gospel of Life)
- Free: Evangelium Vitae (25 March 1995) | John Paul II (vatican.va)
- Hardcopy: Gospel of Life Evangelium Vitae | Pauline Books and Media (paulinestore.com)
- Catechism of the Catholic Church 2nd ed., 2019 (blue cover)
- Free: Catechism of the Catholic Church (usccb.org)
- Hardcopy: Catechism Of The Catholic Church | Pauline Books and Media (paulinestore.com)
Kirsten Fortier holds a BA in Education from Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan. The bulk of her experience comes from 18+ years of classically homeschooling four sons K-12 who have now transitioned successfully through college, into careers, and enjoying life. She has taught in various settings including at home, in co-ops, in brick-and-mortar schools, and online. Most recently she enjoyed the role as the Director of Curriculum at a small classical Christian school. She now looks forward to a part-time career teaching restfully at Scholé Academy. Her passion for classical education is especially apparent when she is developing in others a love for the humanities and all that is good, true, and beautiful. In her free time, she enjoys visiting her children and grandchildren, hiking, camping, and researching family genealogy. She and her husband live in Michigan with their two dogs, one cat, a handful of chickens, and two hives of honeybees. kfortier.scholeacademy@gmail.com
Computer: You will need a stable, reliable computer, running with a processor with a speed of 1 GHz or better on one of the following operating systems: Mac OS X with Mac OS 10.7 or later; Windows 8, 7, Vista (with SP1 or later), or XP (with SP3 or later). We do not recommend using an iPad or other tablet for joining classes. An inexpensive laptop or netbook would be much better solutions, as they enable you to plug an Ethernet cable directly into your computer. Please note that Chromebooks are allowed but not preferred, as they do not support certain features of the Zoom video conference software such as breakout sessions and annotation, which may be used by our teachers for class activities.
High-Speed Internet Connection: You will also need access to high-speed Internet, preferably accessible via Ethernet cable right into your computer. Using Wi-Fi may work, but will not guarantee you the optimal use of your bandwidth. The faster your Internet, the better. We recommend using a connection with a download/upload speed of 5/1 Mbps or better. You can test your Internet connection here.
Webcam: You may use an external webcam or one that is built in to the computer. Webcam Recommendations: Good (PC only) | Best (Mac and PC)
Headset: We recommend using a headset rather than a built-in microphone and speakers. Using a headset reduces the level of background noise heard by the entire class. Headset Recommendations: USB | 3.5mm
Zoom: We use a web conferencing software called Zoom for our classes, which enables students and teachers to gather from around the globe face to face in real time. Zoom is free to download and easy to use. 
To download Zoom:
- Visit zoom.us/download.
- Click to download the first option listed, Zoom Client for Meetings.
- Open and run the installer on your computer.
- In August, students will be provided with instructions and a link for joining their particular class.
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