CV NEWS FEED // A classical homeschool hybrid academy will host a gala called Courage Under Fire in Nashville, Tennessee, rallying attendees to “be courageous” in a culture in need of truth, beauty, and goodness.
Regina Caeli Academy (RCA) is hosting the Courage Under Fire gala on May 24 at the prestigious Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville. The event will raise funds for tuition assistance.
The formal-attire gala will feature several speakers, including Daily Wire podcast host Matt Walsh, former Planned Parenthood director-turned-pro-life advocate Abby Johnson, Catholic Kansas City Chiefs football player Harrison Butker, and “the surfer priest” Fr. Donald Calloway, among others.
Gala attendees will have the opportunity to meet the speakers, enjoy a three-course dinner and refreshments, and hear a live concert by Catholic praise and worship musician Seph Schlueter.
Courage Under Fire is intended “as a rallying point for all denominations and backgrounds in support of the broader pro-family, pro-life movement,” according to a press release, which added that “speakers will highlight the importance of quality education and courageous, counter-cultural moral development as building blocks for a nation and a church of the future.”
RCA Media Coordinator Brynn Turner told CatholicVote that the “speakers, supporters, special guests, and attendees share the belief that the post-Roe pro-life movement is dependent upon raising courageous, faithful Catholics who are not afraid to defend those who cannot defend themselves.”
“With this shared vision, we believe the most effective way to ensure this battle continues is through investing in programs that are proven to raise courageous voices for life,” she added.
Abby Johnson stated in a press release, “The end of Roe is only the beginning of the battle to make abortion unthinkable and we have an extraordinary amount of work ahead of us as we empower women to choose life for their babies.”
“This battle begins at home as parents teach their children about the inherent dignity we all possess as sons and daughters of God and why abortion irrefutably harms that dignity and worth,” Johnson continued:
Programs like Regina Caeli are essential to this battle because they are raising up courageous evangelizers who we can rely on to continue this vital work of protecting innocent lives.
Turner told CatholicVote that RCA “provides families with a learning environment, curriculum, and support structure which is inherently, unabashedly, pro-life.”
RCA has locations across the United States, including in Houston, Austin, and San Antonio, TX, as well as Atlanta, GA, Baltimore, MD, and Nashville, TN, among 14 other locations. The Courage Under Fire gala will move to various other states in subsequent years.
The curriculum RCA uses is “carefully designed,” Turner said, and “has been optimized for this learning environment with the goal of providing an education that will cultivate a mind pursuant of truth.”
Rooted in the Catholic tradition, RCA offers “a rigorous, accredited classical curriculum supporting families with students from PreK through 12th grade and students graduate with accredited transcripts,” Turner added.
The tuition at RCA is “family-centered,” Turner said:
Our families are often large and single-income, and we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. While we have generous tuition discounts and free tuition for the fifth child onward, we rely on the generous support of our community to assist our families in covering the tuition expenses which fund our centers.
“Courage Under Fire is a way for all supporters of this type of education to demonstrate their support,” Turner added.
The Courage Under Fire website states about the inaugural gala:
Our high-profile featured guests, including Matt Walsh and Abby Johnson, will speak on how to have courage and stand up for the truth, no matter what adversity may be faced. Stand among the most influential leaders in the conservative movement for a night of connection and inspiration.
Courage Under Fire will rally and encourage attendees to live virtuous lives and boldly proclaim the truth, even when it is perhaps “unpopular” in the culture.
In a similar tone, RCA’s mission as an academy “is to ‘Train the Mind to Form the Soul’,” Turner told CatholicVote. “Regina Caeli encourages our students to strive for excellence in academics as well as in virtuous living, self-discipline, and accountability through a classical education taught in light of the Catholic tradition.”
RCA is a hybrid homeschool academy that “is accredited by the National Association of Private and Independent Catholic Schools (NAPCIS),” Turner explained:
Students learn at their local campus twice a week, in grade-specific classrooms, taught by teachers (who we refer to as tutors) who are trained in the Socratic method to lead intentional discussion as the students grow through stages of grammar, logic and rhetoric.
They continue their learning at home for the remainder of the week, under the guidance of their parents, who remain the primary educators (CCC 2223).
The reason for the hybrid structure, Turner pointed out, is “to support the parents in the education of their children. That is why we do not refer to our in-classroom tutors as teachers, as they provide a supportive role rather than the primary role.”
She added that the “Catholic faith is embedded into both culture and curriculum at RCA,” and that all tutors are required to take an “oath of fidelity” to the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church.
Differing from many à-la-carte-style homeschool programs, RCA’s curriculum is “determined by grade level,” with “subject lesson plans … designed to complement each other.”
“For example,” Turner continued, “in the younger grades students learn about history, Saints, and geography in combination… This aids in investment and retention, but is also a fun way to learn!”
The mission of RCA encourages encourages virtuous living and striving for excellence. As a lively pro-life, pro-truth rally, Courage Under Fire will also support this mission by inspiring attendees to “Ignite the Heart of Our Culture” with heroic virtue.
Readers can learn more and purchase tickets for the Courage Under Fire gala by clicking here.
