Born in Wonder: How a Kansas Great Books Program Sparked a Catholic Education Revival – Fr. Dcn. Kyle Washut – 06/30/2026

The Book Fr. Dcn. Kyle Washut, president of Wyoming Catholic College, wrote the new introduction to the reprint of Truth on Trial: The Rise and Fall of the Integrated Humanities Program at the University of Kansas, authored by Dr. Robert K. Carlson — founding dean of Wyoming Catholic College and a student and friend of John Senior. The reprint appears in The Adeodatus Series on Catholic Education and Culture and is available from CUA Press. What Made the IHP Different The Integrated Humanities Program (IHP) ran at the secular University of Kansas in the 1970s, led by three professors — John Senior, Dennis Quinn, and Franklyn Nelick. Rather than deconstructing the classics, students read Homer and Virgil to be moved by them, memorized poetry, sang songs, learned Latin, waltzed, told stories, and stargazed under the night sky. Washut explains how this immersion in authentic human culture — what John Senior called the recovery of a "hearth culture" — produced more than 300 conversions to the Catholic faith. The Fruits Among those formed by the program: Bishop James Conley (who writes a foreword to the reprint) and Archbishop Paul Coakley. The IHP's influence rippled outward to Clear Creek Abbey in Oklahoma, St. Gregory's Academy, St. Martin's Academy, and the founding of Wyoming Catholic College itself — a vision Washut says is carried forward today through John Henry Newman's principle of "personal influence" and the friendship between professors and students rooted in the True, the Good, and the Beautiful. Learn More Read the story of Wyoming Catholic College's founding and vision statement in the book's appendix, and explore the college at WyomingCatholic.edu. Listen to The Catholic Morning Show weekdays at 7 a.m. Central at IowaCatholicRadio.com or on the Iowa Catholic Radio app. #CatholicEducation #GreatBooks #WyomingCatholicCollege #JohnSenior #TruthOnTrial #ClassicalEducation #LiberalArts #CatholicConversion #CatholicMorningShow #IowaCatholicRadio Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh, Alexia Baker, and Brady Grimm. ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Catholic Morning Show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode — and if this one was worth your time, please leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating. It takes ten seconds and it's the single best way to help more people find the show. 🎧 LISTEN LIVE Catch The Catholic Morning Show live, weekday mornings on Iowa Catholic Radio. Listen Live · Program Schedule · Our Stations LINKSYou can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok! More on our website.If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here! More from Iowa Catholic Radio:Sunday Dive with Katie PatrizioMan Up! with Joe StopulosCatholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie NelsonThe Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud MarrBe Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce RiebeBe Not Afraid en Español con el P. Fabián MoncadaMaking it Personal with Bishop William JoensenFaith and Family Finance with Gregory WaddleThe Great Men of the Bible with Joe Stopulos Liturgy & DevotionsThe Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick SmithThe Daily Mass from St. Francis of AssisiThe Daily Mass from St. Pius XThe Daily Mass from St. TheresaSunday Mass from the Basilica of Saint JohnWant to support your favorite show? Click Here Iowa Catholic Radio - Connecting People to Christ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.