Dear Families of Holy Name,

Students in grades 7 and 8 have a great opportunity to take Logic as part of their Catholic classical education. Students focus on fallacies used in arguments. They will be armed with ways to see through an argument that may not be true. Oftentimes people will use “ad hominem” when they cannot defend their position. That means they will attempt to attack the person instead of the substance of the argument. This may or may not be found in our politics. If you listen to our politicians, you will find many fallacies, but ad hominem is frequently used. It is a tool to get off a relevant topic and to focus on a perceived flawed person. Tension builds when arguments ensue. It is in that tension that we can grow and get to the heart of a matter.

Students in grades 7 and 8 start to assert their independence and will often argue about something. The logic class is an opportunity to give them something meaningful to argue about. As students move up into the Holy Name High School – A Chesterton Academy, discussion about the daily topic becomes routine. They will use those skills learned in Logic class to challenge each other in the pursuit of Truth. It is exciting to see so many young people engaged in meaningful conversations now. I have been impressed by how the students are able to truly listen to each other and how to seek a deeper understanding of the text.

The world needs more people who will listen and seek to understand. St. Francis of Assisi spoke of that hundreds of years ago. It is nothing new. That dialogue ultimately will lead to conforming to God’s Will. At Holy Name we seek to build disciples of Jesus. Meeting people where they are at in their journey with Jesus requires a companion who listens and understands. Good questions and arguments allow us to sit with important ideas and to truly wonder about things that last.

Peace and Joy,
Nathan Vande Hey
Principal