Knowledge, Power, & Purpose: A Reflection on the Formation of Young Men at St. Augustine Prep
By: Brendan D. Towell (Director of Engagement)
Sir Francis Bacon famously said, “Knowledge is power.” It’s a phrase so commonly displayed in schools that it almost blends into the background, a self-evident truth about the purpose of education. But at St. Augustine Preparatory School, we recognize that knowledge alone (what Augustine refers to as an “acquaintance with the truth”) is not enough. In an authentically Catholic and Augustinian environment, students are not only equipped with knowledge but also invited into friendship and community, serving as a training ground for virtue leading to wisdom. Knowledge without this training is like a ship without a rudder, and power without purpose can be, at best, ineffective or, at worst, destructive. Instead, wisdom is the goal (what Augustine calls “a possession of the truth”); simple acquaintance will not suffice.
With this in mind, let us revisit an old myth first made famous by the German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Goethe's 1797 poem, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (better known by Disney’s 1940 animated adaptation, Fantasia), is a cautionary tale about what happens when power is wielded without the wisdom to control it. The Apprentice (Mickey Mouse wearing the blue sorcerer’s hat!), having learned just enough magic to be dangerous, overconfidently believes he can command the forces at his disposal. But lacking the deeper knowledge and experience of his master, he quickly loses control, and chaos ensues. Buckets, brooms, and torrents of water spiral into madness; all because he had knowledge without discipline, power without prudence.
This is precisely where an education at St. Augustine Prep differs. Yes, students gain knowledge in the classroom, learning (eventually) to master subjects ranging from the humanities to the sciences, sharpening their intellects, and preparing for success. But more importantly, they are nurtured in a community that teaches them what to do with that knowledge. In the spirit of St. Augustine, they are trained to seek truth in love (veritas in caritate). They are not merely given intellectual tools; they are taught how to wield them responsibly, guided by faith and reason.
Too often, students today are brought up with a false sense of freedom - one that mistakes the absence of restrictions for true liberty. In contrast to this view, the Catholic ethicist, Servais Pinckaers, spoke of a freedom for excellence. This authentic kind of freedom he described as "the disciplining of desire so as to make the achievement of the good first possible, then effortless." This deeper freedom is cultivated, not indulged. It requires self-control, fortitude, and patience - all virtues that stand in stark contrast to a culture obsessed with instant gratification and quick fixes. The apprentice (i.e. Mickey), in his rush to circumvent effort with magic, serves as a perfect metaphor for a generation that is often drawn to technological shortcuts rather than the hard-earned wisdom that comes from study, reflection, and perseverance. This is simply not how Hermits are educated at St. Augustine Prep.
Unfortunately, too many schools today, particularly those outside of a Catholic framework, are designed to produce apprentices, not masters. The modern educational system prioritizes efficiency, treating students as vessels to be filled with technical and practical information rather than as minds, hearts, and souls to be formed. This is evident in the overwhelming emphasis on STEM at the expense of the humanities, where utility trumps wisdom, and in the sterile, factory-like design of classrooms that reward compliance over contemplation. Even the very structures governing education, often laden with bureaucracy and administrative oversight, favor measurable outcomes over a meaningful mission. Yet, true mastery is not just about knowing - it is about understanding, about shaping both intellect and character. St. Augustine Prep, and Catholic education at its best, refuses to settle for mere apprenticeship.
What then lies in the way of such mastery? It is indeed a rethinking of some of the approaches mentioned already, but it is also a recalibration of two more things: how we see ourselves in relation to those who came before us and how we ought to view education as an opportunity for adventure. A well-known literary figure who offers us a helpful perspective here is C.S. Lewis. It was Lewis who famously warned against the hazard of chronological snobbery, the belief that our age is superior to all those that came before it, and that modern solutions are always better than the old ways. This mindset fosters a dismissive attitude toward the wisdom of past generations and leaves us vulnerable to mistakes that could have been avoided if we had only looked back with humility. The Apprentice character embodies this very attitude, assuming that power can be easily manipulated without the need for careful understanding. However, history and experience teach us that true wisdom is built on the lessons of those who have gone before us, and it is this humility that guides the responsible use of power. A valuable lesson for young people if there ever was one!
In all this, we simultaneously encounter the danger of acedia, or what the ancients knew as a spiritual malaise. This is the tendency to avoid the necessary work of intellectual and moral formation because it feels easier to pursue immediate satisfaction. Acedia is more than just “laziness,” as it is far more nuanced (and therefore more difficult to eradicate). It encourages passivity and disengagement, leading us to seek shortcuts, to "get ahead" without earning it. This mindset, too, feeds into the cycle of technological over-reliance, where speed and convenience are pursued at the cost of deep thought and meaningful growth. In a culture (and educational system) that prizes efficiency, acedia is the quiet killer of authentic adolescent formation and can result in young people feeling cut off from the transcendent (God) in their lives. This is a terrible tragedy which has done so much harm to young people for far too long.
Now more than ever, our world demands individuals who are willing to slow down, to engage in deep thought, and to cultivate the virtues necessary to see life, not only as worth living, but as an adventure worth taking. However, in a society that prizes efficiency over contemplation, there is a growing danger that young people will be swept away by the currents of distraction, mistaking convenience for progress. At St. Augustine Prep, we resist this cultural tide. The Catholic tradition provides our students with moral and theological wisdom, while the Augustinian emphasis on community and humility reminds them that knowledge is meant to serve, not simply to be wielded. Power for its own sake is an illusion; true leadership comes from understanding, virtue, and a willingness to act for the good of others.
A St. Augustine Prep education is not just about growing in intellectual prowess - it is about empowering young men to find their mission and use their power for good. Our goal is not to create mere apprentices of knowledge but true masters of wisdom, men who will shape the world not by domination but by service. Even the casual cultural commentator can see that the world does not need more well-trained functionaries; it needs young men who are formed to lead, to serve, and ultimately, to master the art of living well.