MORE NEWS

Read the special beginning-of-year newsletter! (click for PDF ver)

For our 80th anniversary, the More News will be publishing articles highlighting elements of our rich history.  

TMI Course, 1945/1949

When the Thomas More Institute began as the “Catholic Education Committee” in 1945, it took its inspiration from a series of lectures that had been offered at Loyola College in 1944. By the late 1950s, however, the Institute was known not for its lectures, but for its discussion courses. How did informed dialogue and shared inquiry come to take center stage at Thomas More? 

The Thomas More Institute and its young founders continually sought to experiment and search for the best ways to provide adult education. In the late 1940s, Great Books programs were gaining popularity. Founded in 1947 by two University of Chicago Professors, Robert Maynard Hutchins and Mortimer Adler, the Great Books Foundation “sought to promote lifelong education through the reading and discussion of outstanding literature.”(1) In May of 1949, Eric O’Connor, Charlotte Tansey, Martin O’Hara and other members of the Institute took a weeklong training with the Great Books Foundation. In 1951, Thomas More co-sponsored another training with the Foundation, which led to the creation of seven First Year Great Books discussion groups in the greater Montreal area, two under the direction of the Thomas More Institute. What began as a way to discuss the classics of the Western tradition, however, soon transformed into the method of education for most courses at the Institute. These reading-discussion courses, as they were referred to, fit beautifully with another of the inspirations behind the Institute, the thought of Bernard Lonergan.  

Speaking on the importance of Bernard Lonergan’s lecture course in 1945, the first year of the institute, Eric O’Connor said:  

“What came through from him was that all questions could be asked and should be asked, that in fact one didn’t begin to learn until one began asking questions. This was a shock to anyone educated before 1945… Having those lectures didn’t become as important as a theory. That is definite. It became important as an experience: the way you learned anything was by slow questioning.” (2)

What reading-discussion courses sought to do was to create the experience of questioning in the classroom. Have you ever wondered why every description of a course at Thomas More is filled with questions? Thomas More discussion courses don’t push a particular point of view or seek to repeat the orthodoxies of a tradition. They inquire into the meaning of the texts read by the group and seek to understand them along with the questions of the course. As William Mathews put it in his article on the work of Eric O’Connor and the Thomas More Institute:  

“The Thomas More did not mean to question the correctness of the traditions, be they literary, religious, political, or cultural. The point was, had they been understood, what did they mean?… [It is mere] dogma that the world begins with “our generation” and the past, tradition, has nothing to teach us. The fact of the matter is that there is a wisdom in one’s past traditions, which properly assimilated equips a modern generation to understand, diagnose, interpret and respond to the pathologies and the creativities of the human spirit in its own era. Without the proper awakening of our questioning to the meaning and truth of our traditions and their wisdom figures we will be in bondage to them and become bigots. Or we will discard them and become rootless, be at the mercy of the whims of our present with no past wisdom to guide us.” (3)

One becomes an adult learner, a thinker, when one questions deeply and seeks to understand the thought of others, whether the classical great works or those of current writers. This in turn leads to one’s own insights about the world we live in. What is attempted in every reading-discussion course at the Thomas More Institute is to enable understanding to take place through shared inquiry into the questions of the course and the questions of our time.  

TMI Course, 2023

–Carol Fiedler 

(1) https://www.greatbooks.org/nonprofit-organization/history/

(2) Inquiry and Attunement, Thomas More Institute Papers/81. Montreal 1981, quoted in: William Mathews S.J.,
“Curiousity at the Center of One’s Life: Reflections on Eric O’Connor and the Thomas More Institute,” p 3.
(3) Mathews, 1981, p. 4.

A warm welcome to all as we embark on our 80th year as an institute of
higher learning where people come to take charge of their own education
and to learn in dialogue with others.

Eighty years ago, the founders of the Thomas More Institute responded to
a need. They set out to create a place where adults of all ages could pursue
university-level education in the post-World War II era. Many came to
Thomas More to work on a Bachelor of Arts Degree in the evening, while
others came to experience its vibrant intellectual culture, one where
thinkers such as Bernard Lonergan, Northrop Frye, Eric Voegelin, and
Eric O’Connor made important, stimulating contributions.
Today we are proud to continue that tradition and to fill another need,
that for a community of curious, intellectually serious adults in which
participants are invited to engage in thoughtful conversation, a meaningful
exchange of ideas, all guided by a curated curriculum that speaks both to
the issues of the day and to the perennial concerns of human beings.
This year, we will be looking back to our origins and ahead to our future.
We are proud to be a part of the vibrant cultural life of Montreal, a city
home to four major universities, known around the world as meeting
places for intellectual exchange.

In the pages that follow, you will see the rich offerings at Thomas More
this year: 33 newly designed reading-discussion courses, 8 instructor
courses in music, art, and writing, and 4 courses under the rubric TMI and
Our City, that invite us to bring our curiosity to some of the treasures our
wonderful city has to offer. In addition to this, keep an eye out for special
events this year as we celebrate our 80th anniversary and look forward to
a rich future ahead.

–Carol Fiedler
Chair, Board of Directors of the Thomas More Institute

As the 2024-25 academic year winds down, MORE News had the opportunity to sit down with Joseph Vietri to get a taste of what TMI’s 2025-26 programming will look like. Read on for an exclusive look at the year ahead!

TMI often offers courses that relate to current events. Are there any this year that you feel are particularly timely?

One of the literature discussion courses coming up is “America Through the Looking-Glass: Questioning the U.S. as Superpower in Fiction”. I think many of the course’s topics, such as American identity and the narratives that exist around it, will resonate with people who are observing what’s happening in the U.S. currently. There will also be a social sciences course titled “Eastern Europe: An Out-of-Fashioned Idea?” which will offer lots of food for thought to anyone wanting to know more about recent events in Europe. And for an even broader perspective, the bilingual social science course “La défaite de l’occident?” will take a sharp look at some of the very foundations of Western civilization. Of course, these are just three of many courses—we will have many more on other subjects such as history, art and philosophy, just to name a few.

TMI is also known to offer various writing courses. Any sneak peeks you can give?

TMI has a very vibrant writing community, so we’ve planned several fun writing courses. One of them is “The Moments That Shape Our Lives”, a memoir course on writing about the transformative events in our lives. Another is “How to Finish Your Novel”, for writers who have unfinished novel drafts in the works. And finally, “Creative Writing: Hybrid Forms” will allow participants to explore the blending of different writing genres such as fiction, poetry, playwriting and others. I hope these courses will encourage writers to pursue their projects regardless of which stage they are at in the creative process.

Over the last few years, TMI has also been offering courses that allow participants to explore the city around them. What can we look forward to from these TMI and our City courses?

Our Discovering Art series will return with two new topics: “Discovering Art: The Rise of Landscapes”, and “Discovering Art: The Beginnings of Contemporary Art”. One of our walking tours will return for a second edition, so if anyone didn’t get a chance to take “Exploring Montreal’s Urban Nature” last year, this will be another opportunity to do so. And for those who love both art and walking, there will be a brand new course that combines both of these things: “The Art of Close Looking: Sketching at the Border of Shaughnessy Village and Westmount”.

Thank you for these special insights! We look forward to seeing the full list of courses, which will be revealed in the first week of July!

Lenore Beitel arrived at TMI with impressive credentials.  She held a PhD in Biochemistry from McGill, and had a professional career in molecular biology and genetics.  In her final working years, she was contributing to neuroscience research at the Montreal Neurological Institute.    

However, she had always been curious about other subjects as well, and wanted to know more about the world.  Her studies had left her little time for non-science subjects, but even as a student she had felt that something was missing, so after completing her BSc, she travelled around Europe for three months, visiting churches, museums and historic sites.  Once she started working, she continued to love travel, visiting places as diverse as Peru, Egypt, Jordan and Turkey.   

It was a natural step for a woman who had always shown such curiosity in her life to sign up for a course in Basic Essay Writing at TMI.  After the Essay course she chose one on Leonardo da Vinci.  “Leonardo da Vinci is my inspiration,” she says.  “Renaissance man, scientist and artist, and left-handed (like me).”  Unfortunately, that course was interrupted by the Covid pandemic, but Lenore was hooked. 

“I always liked school,” she tells me, “and I like the reward of getting a flat hat!” she adds, with a laugh.  She decided to apply for a B.A. degree, because she felt that the additional effort involved would be more rewarding.  “You learn so much more, going over the material, synthesizing it, and writing about it,” she explains. 

Her courses to date have ranged from The Bronze Age to Reading Machiavelli, Ancient Chinese Philosophy and A Stitch in Time: The History and Practice of Textile Arts.  Her quiet, thoughtful enthusiasm as she talks about the courses is palpable.  She has strong praise for many of her discussion leaders, and for the books and readings chosen.  She especially liked the way the textiles course included a visit to the Visual Arts Centre in Westmount, to learn about weaving in a practical way. 

However, some aspects of the TMI learning method were a bit of an adjustment for Lenore.  “I had no trouble with the reading, as I’ve always liked to read,” she says.  “But it took me a while to get used to expressing an opinion in the discussions.  I’m more of an introvert.”  Essay writing was another challenge.  In the sciences her papers were based on research, experiments and results, with a focus on the results.  She had more flexible deadlines and often worked with contributions from several people.   

“Writing in the humanities is more opinion-based, and you need to develop a thesis statement,” she says.  She found it challenging to link together a large variety of readings, and to meet fixed deadlines.  Lenore now sets herself goals of writing a certain number of words per day, and she has become more comfortable summarizing specific points from the readings.  She has also learned not to take too many courses with overlapping deadlines at the same time. 

After a rewarding career in the sciences, Lenore is thoroughly enjoying her new venture in the Liberal Arts world, bringing her into contact with other lifelong learners.  “I like the chance to get together with other people who want to learn.  I have met people who felt they were missing something, and studying the humanities filled a gap,” she says.  “I wasn’t expecting the range of viewpoints,” she adds.  “There are people in the classes from many different backgrounds, so we hear many different viewpoints.” 

She has some final advice for anybody who, like herself, might be interested in pursuing a B.A. at TMI, even if they already have an advanced degree in another field.  “Be curious.  Be open.  Share what you think.  Listen to other people.  Develop your writing skills.”  Lenore will graduate in about six more years.  After that?  “I’ll probably be back for different classes,” she says with a smile.  “And I’d be happy to mentor any new degree students.” 

– Pauline Beauchamp 

Pauline, together with colleague Karen Nesbitt, offered a very successful series of writing workshops at TMI in the 2010s.   

Interested in TMI’s degree program? You can learn more here, or make an appointment with Joseph Vietri, Manager of Academic Affairs and Operations. 

June 2025 More News

Anatomy of a Course Design: Jane Eyre and Her Heirs  

Charlotte Boatner-Doane 

By Dominic Varvaro, Fall 2024

Prompted to think of TMI course designs in anatomical terms, I immediately zero in on the brain and the heart. In my interview with Charlotte Boatner-Doane about her upcoming course, Jane Eyre and her Heirs, it is clear that the impetus for the course comes from her heart, but that the working through of the design involved lots of brain-work—from initial curiosity to thorough research to the imaginative leaps required in bringing together in conversation seemingly disparate works. 

When I first talked to Charlotte to arrange a time and place for this interview, Charlotte asked if she should bring anything. I didn’t think she needed to, but suggested she bring in her copy of Jane Eyre, thinking we might want to look up a passage or quotation. I’m so glad she did. 

I start the interview with “Why Jane Eyre?” Charlotte responds by pulling out her copy of the book. I needn’t have asked the question. The physical book immediately shows me that this course springs from love. Her copy of the book is well-worn, the cover has been torn and taped over many times, and the pages are thoroughly thumbed. There is a dedication on the inside cover written by her father when he gave her the book, her “first grown-up book,” 20 years earlier. 

Jane Eyre is Charlotte’s favourite book. After reading and rereading and rereading it, she started to become interested in the afterlife of Jane Eyre in popular fiction. Charlotte started to think about designing a course that would include novels that are in conversation with Jane Eyre. As is so common with TMI course designs, the idea for the course had been percolating in her brain (and heart) for a long time.  

When Jane Eyre was published, it was met with some praise, but with more moral outrage (stemming from fear?) because Jane behaves un-Christianly (she speaks critically to a preacher), and rebels against prevailing gender and class structures. Social class is important in this novel. Jane is an orphan; she has to work for a living. Her outspokenness was seen by many nervous upper-class critics as a reflection of the class revolts occurring in society at the time. 

Charlotte explains the phenomenon of Jane Eyre-inspired novels (there are lots of them!) as having several motivations; the first is the continuing relevance of class and gender issues today. Another is simply that people still really like Gothic novels, especially ones with big houses and madwomen in an attic. What is unique about this Gothic novel is the voice of its protagonist. Jane is a strong proto-feminist character who stands up for herself and demands a rich life of her own. 

When I ask Charlotte how she chose the three specific “afterlife” novels she wanted to include, she says simply that she liked these three the best. She deliberately included only one other Gothic novel (Rebecca), in order not to overdo the gothic aspect. The three novels speak to Jane Eyre in very different ways, making for a richer course design, and ideally leading to more vibrant and varied course discussions. 

I ask Charlotte whether she feels these later novels do justice to Jane Eyre. She responds in a way that suggests this is not the right question. She says, “They do something different.” Wide Sargasso Sea gives the “madwoman in the attic” a voice. In Jane Eyre, this character is portrayed unsympathetically. She is often seen by critics as a representation of Jane’s inner rage at her social situation. Jean Rhys rewrites this compelling character with sympathy, portraying her madness as a consequence of her having been displaced from her home in the Caribbean. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit is very different, but like Jane Eyre, it is a coming-of-age story that speaks to Bronte’s deep interest in relationships between women.  

As in all TMI courses, supplementary readings are an essential feature, and finding appropriate ones takes a lot of research. Charlotte explains how she looked for the readings she selected, first by going back to the source book, Jane Eyre. She looked at articles about Bronte, about what she would have been reading, where her inspirations may have come from. When looking for material to support the later novels, Charlotte used a mixture of looking for specific ideas (e.g., articles that touched on her hunch that there were interesting, but not obvious, connections to be made between Jane Eyre and Oranges) and being open to serendipity, to finding articles that spoke to connections she hadn’t thought of. 

Charlotte’s visible love for Jane Eyre, and enthusiasm for the way Bronte’s work still lives on today, have combined with her intellectual curiosity to create a fascinating and compelling course design. This will lead undoubtedly to a wonderful and exciting course.  

The Thomas More Institute has a variety of courses on offer this spring. Whether you’re looking for a deep dive into literature or philosophy, or a shorter but no less compelling look at cultural topics, you will find something to tempt you. Sign up early; courses are filling quickly.

Twelve-Week Courses

A Disturbing Disquiet: The Fiction of Patricia Highsmith

Starts March 13 • Online • Thursdays 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Patricia Highsmith’s noir fiction will be the focus of this course that looks at this “poet of apprehension,” as Graham Greene once called her. Highsmith probes the underbelly of the human psyche, compelling her readers to reflect upon what dark secrets lurk within ordinary middle-class lives. Is there at the core of her writing an existential message about our post-modern condition – do we live in a moral vacuum where virtues are willingly shelved and amoral actions justified?

The Humanists: Exploring What It Means to Be Human

Starts March 10 • Atwater • Mondays 6:15 – 8:15 p.m.

What does it mean to be human? How did humanists envision the role of religion in our lives? How does our shared humanity transcend cultural and political borders? These and other questions will be explored in this course anchored by Sarah Bakewell’s new book Humanly Possible: Seven Hundred Years of Humanist Freethinking, Inquiry, and Hope.

Six-Week Courses

Imagining Medea: From Myth to Modernity

Starts April 17 • Atwater • Thursdays 6:15 – 8:15 p.m.

This course will consider the figure of Medea from Greek mythology and explore how her story has been reimagined and recontextualized from classical antiquity until the present day. What draws us to characters who commit horrifying acts of violence? Why is Medea associated with both creativity and destruction? How have modern writers reconceived her identity?

Repatriation of Cultural Artifacts: Ethical and Practical Considerations

Starts April 15 • Atwater • Tuesdays 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.

The joy of seeing the treasures of the world on display in the Louvre in Paris or the Met in New York or the British Museum in London belie a darker history of the acquisition of such artifacts. What is the role of the museum in modernity? Should works taken as trophies in an imperial age be returned to their homelands? What would it mean if the world’s greatest museums were emptied of their treasures?

Shakespeare in the Spring 2025: Light and Darkness in As You Like It and Macbeth

Starts April 15 • Atwater and Online • Tuesdays 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.

This year’s celebration of Shakespeare is a study of contrasts, looking at his lightest comedy, As You Like It, and his darkest of tragedies, Macbeth, both coming to the Stratford Festival this summer. We will explore these plays in depth, watching videos of scenes played by some of the best theatrical companies and reading interpretations by Emma Smith, Marjorie Garber, and others.  Shakespeare’s plays become demystified, and their brilliance revealed as we explore them together.

Four-Week Courses

A Beginner’s Guide to Jazz

Starts May 1 • Atwater • Thursdays 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.

As Montreal prepares to welcome some of Jazz’s most prominent performers at our annual Jazz Festival, we will dive into an understanding of jazz music and its origins, from the descendants of African slaves to the early 20^th century recordings of Louis Armstrong, on to the very latest jazz trends. The course will also survey the program of the Festival de Jazz International de Montréal, and concerts will be recommended.

Exploring Montreal’s Urban Nature

Starts April 18 • Atwater • Fridays 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Join us on a walking journey into the hidden wildness of our urban landscape during this four-week course that will allow us to experience nature within Montreal. The walks will run from 10:00 to noon, rain or shine, and will explore the following sites: Mount Royal, Parc des Rapides, the Falaise Saint-Jacques, and Angrignon Park.

Portraits and Still Life

Starts March 26 • Atwater and Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) • Wednesday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Anita Grants is back with another instalment of her popular course focusing on different highlights of the MMFA’s permanent collection. This spring, we will be looking at portraits and still life paintings. Two in-person lectures will introduce the works we will be looking at in subsequent museum visits. The week following each lecture, we will meet at the MMFA to engage with the art discussed directly.