The Making Every Class Catholic Podcast

The podcast of the Making Every Class Catholic online community, hosted by Dr. Brett Salkeld and dedicated to helping Catholic educators approach everything they teach and do from within a Catholic worldview.

The Making Every Class Catholic Podcast is a education podcast hosted by Dr. Brett Salkeld, with 22 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Dr. Brett Salkeld hosts The Making Every Class Catholic Podcast, a education show with 22 episodes published.

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  Episode #22

  Episode 22: Greg Bottaro

  Aug 31, 202658 minS2

  In this episode of the Making Every Class Catholic podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Greg Bottaro, founder of the CatholicPsych Institute. Greg shares his own journey—from philosophy student and aspiring Franciscan friar to clinical psychologist and founder of a growing apostolate dedicated to integrating faith, philosophy, and psychology. Together, we explore what it means to approach psychology not simply as a collection of theories, but as “applied philosophy” rooted our beliefs about the human person. Our conversation examines why Catholic educators cannot afford to ignore psychology, while also recognizing the limitations of many contemporary psychological frameworks. Greg argues that without a clear understanding of what it means to be human, concepts like mental health, flourishing, and even education itself lose their foundation. We discuss the importance of relationships for human development, the rise of anxiety and isolation among young people, and why a Catholic understanding of the person offers a richer framework than many prevailing cultural narratives. We also explore how good psychology can help schools can cultivate authentic community, form students for virtue and vocation, and prepare them for a future in which human presence and relationships may become more valuable than ever. Music by Braden Kuntz

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  Episode #21

  Episode 21: Chris Fisher

  Aug 4, 20261h 8mS2

  In this episode of the Making Every Class Catholic podcast, I’m joined by Chris Fisher, Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Drawing on his years at Portsmouth Abbey and the Portsmouth Institute, Chris explores what the Benedictine tradition has to offer Catholic schools today: an education that forms not only the mind, but also the heart through beauty, receptivity, contemplation, and community. Chris expounds what St. John Henry Newman called the Benedictine “poetic imagination” and why it remains foundational for Catholic education. And he argues that before students analyze the world, they must first learn to receive it—to encounter literature, nature, Scripture, and the liturgy with wonder and love. And we explore how practices like lectio divina , the Benedictine tradition of florilegia , and meaningful classroom conversation cultivate habits of attention that prepare students not only for academic success but for a life of faith. We also look at the integration of faith and culture across the curriculum. How can teachers read Virgil, Freud, Marx, or Shakespeare in a way that takes each author seriously while also placing them in dialogue with the Gospel? Finally, we discuss the importance of conversation itself as a mode of learning and formation. In an age increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, the distinctly human capacities for dialogue, attentiveness, and community are more essential than ever. Whether you’re a classroom teacher, school leader, or simply someone interested in the renewal of Catholic education, this episode offers both profound philosophical insights and practical ideas for cultivating schools where students learn to love the truth—and ultimately, to desire God. Music by Braden Kuntz

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  Episode #20

  Episode 20: Sr. John Dominic OP

  Jul 7, 20261h 1mS2

  Copy and paste blurb from Substack

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  Episode #19

  Episode 19: Kenneth Craycraft

  Jun 9, 20261h 14mS2

  In this episode of the Making Every Class Catholic podcast, I’m joined by Kenneth Craycraft, author of Citizens Yet Strangers , for an engaging conversation on faith, politics, and the challenge of forming students as Catholics in a polarized civic culture. Drawing on his work and experience, Ken reflects on the tensions Catholic educators face when teaching subjects like civics, history, and social studies in a culture shaped by modern political assumptions. Together, we explore the competing “stories” that shape our moral imagination: the dominant narrative of liberal individualism, and the Catholic vision of the human person as inherently social, ordered toward truth and the common good. Along the way, we examine how concepts like rights, freedom, and political participation are often misunderstood—even by Catholics—and how language itself can subtly form (or deform) our understanding of what it means to live well together. As the conversation unfolds, we dig into the foundations of Catholic social teaching—human dignity, solidarity, subsidiarity, and the common good—and consider how these principles resist being reduced to either left- or right-wing political ideologies. We also discuss the formation of conscience, the moral meaning of voting, and why participation in political life extends far beyond the ballot box. From classroom practices to concrete assignments, we highlight ways educators can help students critically engage political narratives without losing sight of the Gospel. Finally, Dr. Craycraft offers a compelling vision of Catholic education as necessarily “subversive” in its refusal of the absolutization of politics. In a culture tempted toward political idolatry, this episode invites educators to form students who can think clearly and act faithfully. Music by Braden Kuntz

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  Episode #18

  Episode 18: Dr. Andrew Salzmann

  May 12, 20261h 22mS2

  <p>In this episode of the Making Every Class Catholic podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Andrew Salzmann of Benedictine College for an engaging conversation on a fundamental question: What is an education? Drawing from theology, philosophy, and classroom experience, Andy invites us to reconsider education not as information transfer or product generation, but as a process of formation—one that shapes how students think, feel, act, and ultimately love.</p><p>Together, we explore a rich Catholic vision of the human person, one rooted in potential, habit, and growth. Framed by the idea of education as exercise, we explore how...

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