Ep. 42: What Sports, Saints, and Smartphones Reveal About the Soul – Catholic Formation at Belmont Abbey

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In Part 2 of our interview with Dr. Bill Thierfelder, outgoing president of Belmont Abbey College, we dive into the deeper layers of Catholic education, sports, culture, and the soul. With stories from NFL training sessions to his own Olympic-level athletic career, Dr. Thierfelder unpacks what sport is really for and how it can form or deform the human person depending on its aim.

From Saint John Henry Newman’s vision of the university to Pope Pius XII’s theology of sport, this episode explores the radical claim that virtue, beauty, and discipline belong in both the classroom and the weight room. Dr. Thierfelder also warns of the spiritual cost of tech dependence and offers a moving reflection on what it means to be truly present, to God, to one another, and to the purpose He gives each life.

Whether you are a parent, athlete, or educator, this is a must-listen episode on Catholic formation, real presence, and human flourishing in a distracted age.

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Ep. 41: How Dr. Bill Thierfelder Revived Belmont Abbey Through Faith, Love, & Benedictine Tradition

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Dr. Bill Thierfelder’s path to Belmont Abbey was anything but predictable — from NCAA Division I athlete and Olympic-level sports psychologist to business executive and devoted father of ten children, his journey ultimately led him to a small Catholic college in crisis. But what followed was nothing short of providential.

Rooted in the Benedictine tradition and inspired by the monks who built the college brick by brick over 150 years ago, Dr. Thierfelder helped transform Belmont Abbey into a faithful Catholic institution that now thrives spiritually and academically.

With humility, conviction, and a deep love for Christ, he shares what it means to live “according to the Rule” — not just as a motto, but as a daily mission. In this conversation, he unpacks the true meaning of love, the spiritual battles of modern education, and the simple prayer that defines his life: “Thank you, Jesus.”

This is a powerful testimony of renewal, leadership, and the beauty of Catholic tradition in action.

Click here to watch on YouTube

Leave a legacy of faithful Catholic education

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We’re now in June, with many people making plans for summer vacations. But did you know last month was “Leave a Legacy Month”?

If you haven’t made plans for how your values will be passed on in your will, now’s a perfect time.

Leaving a gift in your will to The Cardinal Newman Society is an easy way for you to leave a lasting legacy of support for faithful Catholic education. And if you don’t yet have a will, you can easily create one in 15 minutes for free through our partnership with My Catholic Will.

For more details about legacy giving, please visit cardinalnewmansociety.org/legacy.

 

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We have a winner! Meet our 2025 scholarship student, Teresa White

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Teresa White, a homeschooled student from Illinois, will attend the Newman Guide Recommended University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D., thanks to our $5,000 Newman Guide scholarship.

“Attending a truly Catholic college will decidedly strengthen me spiritually, prepare me to be a virtuous defender of the Faith, and assist me in living out my vocation according to God’s plan,” Teresa wrote.

Can you believe that scholarship applications increased 225% this year? You helped make
that happen—thank you!

 

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Facebook campaign celebrates pro-life Newman Guide education

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Perhaps you heard about Planned Parenthood’s annual report: they killed a record 402,200 unborn babies in 2023-24—while using almost $800,000,000 of our tax dollars. Still, wayward Catholic colleges refer students to Planned Parenthood, hire pro-abortion professors, and give credit for internships at pro-abortion groups.

That’s why we launched an online poll on social media asking, “Shouldn’t Catholic schools and colleges be PROUDLY pro-life?” And we’re offering our free eBook, Catholic Means Pro-Life, as part of the campaign. (Contact us for a copy.)

 

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‘Newman Guide News’ reaches worldwide EWTN audience each week

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I’m thrilled to announce that Kelly Salomon, Vice President for Newman Guide Programs, will now appear weekly on EWTN Radio to promote faithful Newman Guide education and address the latest issues facing Catholic educators. Her “Newman Guide News” segment airs each Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. (Eastern) on Catholic Connection with Teresa Tomeo. Be sure to tune in!

 

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We’ll keep promoting Newman Guide standards… with your help

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Thanks to your generous support, 1,612 schools serving 434,390 students in 48 dioceses are now using The Cardinal Newman Society’s Catholic Curriculum Standards!

Back in 2016, most Catholic dioceses in the U.S. adopted the Common Core State Standards and claimed they had no satisfactory Catholic alternative. With leading experts, we developed standards for English literature, history, math, and scientific topics in grades K-12 to keep focus on Catholic education’s mission to integrally form students in Christ and transmit a Christian worldview.

Next year, on the 10th anniversary, we plan to update and issue a second edition of our Catholic Curriculum Standards. We’re also updating our Principles of Catholic Education, a synthesis of Vatican teaching on Catholic education. And a handbook of our Newman Guide policy standards is in the works, culminating years of developing guidance to ensure faithful Catholic education. Please continue praying for the success of all this work you make possible.

 

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…and we can DOUBLE the size of our Newman Guide Leaders Summit

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After its soft launch this year, our Newman Guide Network will be fully staffed in 2025-26 to support more than a dozen working groups of leaders from Newman Guide institutions and dioceses. Nicholas Reilly will coordinate Network activity, manage an online Network platform, and communicate with Newman Guide leaders.

Anong the Network plans for 2025-26 is a very special event. You may recall our successful summit of Newman Guide college leaders in June 2024. This time we hope to DOUBLE the Newman Guide Leaders Summit by inviting two cohorts to our summer 2026 sequel: leaders of Newman Guide schools and homeschool programs, and leaders of Newman Guide colleges and graduate programs. That would be amazing!

 

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We plan to DOUBLE our Newman Guide recommendations

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Thank you, and congratulations! In 2024-25, your support helped expand The Newman Guide to recognize more than 100 faithful schools, colleges, and graduate programs! Together, we have made such enormous progress since announcing the Guide’s expansion in 2023.

And now, in the coming year, we’re gearing up to DOUBLE our Newman Guide recommendations to at least 200 model institutions. Members like you have recommended many faithful schools, and this summer, we’ll launch our major recruitment effort to persuade model schools to undergo the rigorous Newman Guide application process. I hope we can count on your support to make it a success! About 50 schools are already underway with their applications, and you’ll be excited to know we’ve been working with Regnum Christi schools and the Chesterton Schools Network.

This month, we welcome our Newman Guide liaison Molly Metzgar to lead this major recruitment drive. Molly has been a Catholic educator for 15 years, most recently as resource director and instructional coach at Newman Guide Recommended St. Rita School in Alexandria, Va. Molly managed St. Rita’s application to The Newman Guide, and she’s excited to help others do the same!

 

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With your help, we can DOUBLE our Newman Guide promotions

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I’ve spent the past few weeks with The Cardinal Newman Society leadership team, developing major plans for our 2025-2026 fiscal year, which begins July 1. I hope you’re excited as I am by what we have envisioned—and with your continued prayers and generous support, and God’s abundant grace, we can move mountains.

In the next year, your ongoing partnership can help us DOUBLE our online Newman Guide College Fair. We’re scheduling a second online fair in Spring 2026, as well as Fall 2025. In addition, we’d like to DOUBLE the reach of our Newman Guide Scholarship contest. This year, we tested allowing both high school juniors and seniors to enter the contest. In 2025-26, we’ll make the change permanent, which should motivate many more families to learn about Newman Guide colleges.

 

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View the entire Programs Report as a PDF.