Dangerously Good: Forming Great Souls

Where to begin with the lofty, almost nebulous virtue of magnanimity—what St. Thomas Aquinas called "stretching forth of the soul to great things"? Of course we want to raise great-souled children, who even outstrip us in their vision of the good and their commitment to serving it. But words alone will fail to impart such a personal and complex mission. At last April's Fatherhood Conference at The Heights, Headmaster Alvaro de Vicente tackled the challenge of how to teach magnanimity to our children. Following Fr. Carter Griffin's keynote address, Mr. de Vicente laid out the map: the obstacles we must navigate, the targets of opportunity we must seize, and the tools to pack for the mission. Chapters 4:30 Defining magnanimity: a vision of and commitment to the good External challenges to teaching magnanimity: 6:37 Identity culture 7:43 Sexualized culture 9:09 The "second-hand smoke" of culture 10:20 Materialism and affluence 13:18 Entertainment culture 16:01 Moral relativism Internal challenges to teaching magnanimity: 19:23 Selfishness, "I deserve" 22:33 Anxiety 24:26 Personal weakness 26:26 Playing the wrong role: acting coach, not director Opportunities for teaching magnanimity: 28:08 Dealing with our own anxiety 31:32 Communicating with God and spouse about each child 33:42 Emotional presence at home 37:50 Expressing affection Ways to discuss magnanimity with your child: 40:00 Positive framework for "the talk" 40:52 Examples of virtue 44:36 Through sports 47:00 Dependable routines 47:50 Financial awareness 48:59 Forming a boy's intellect with conversation Your best resources: 51:38 Friendship with like-minded parents 52:14 Online resources, podcasts 52:52 Spiritual direction53:46 Hope in God's grace Also on the Forum: Magnanimity and the Great-Souled Man featuring Fr. Carter Griffin Featured Opportunities: Mentoring Workshop at The Heights School (June 13-14, 2024) The Art of Teaching Conference at The Heights School (November 13-15, 2024) Leaders Initiative now accepting applications