Dr. Duane H. Berquist’s Course of Studies #

Dr. Duane H. Berquist taught philosophy and theology to the monks of Most Holy Trinity Monastery in Petersham, Massachusetts, for more than twenty years, and his classes were recorded. This site is that course of studies: thirteen courses, from logic and natural philosophy through metaphysics to sacred theology, in the order he taught them and in the Aristotelian-Thomistic tradition of Laval.

Each class has its recording, a transcript, study notes, the passage he is reading with a link to the text and to his own handout, and the works he cites. The texts index goes the other way: from a passage of Aristotle, Aquinas or Scripture to the classes that treat it.

About Dr. Duane H. Berquist (1939–2019) #

Dr. Duane H. Berquist, Ph.D., was a distinguished philosopher and Thomistic scholar, renowned for his profound grasp of Aristotelian philosophy and its integration with Christian theology. The youngest of three brothers who all dedicated their lives to teaching philosophy, Duane followed in a remarkable family tradition—his brother, Marcus R. Berquist, played a key role in founding Thomas Aquinas College (TAC).

Dr. Berquist received his early education at the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, and later earned both his Licentiate and Doctorate from Université Laval in Quebec, Canada, where he studied under the renowned Thomists, Msgr. Maurice Dionne and Dr. Charles De Koninck. This formation in the Laval school’s distinctive approach to Thomism—emphasizing the natural order of learning and careful progression through the philosophical disciplines—profoundly shaped his teaching methodology.

He spent three years teaching at Saint Mary’s College before dedicating forty-four years to Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he earned the title of Professor Emeritus. Throughout this time, he also delivered weekly lectures for over two decades at Most Holy Trinity Monastery in Petersham, where these recordings were made.

Dr. Berquist’s teaching stands as a testament to the harmonious relationship between faith and reason. His lectures continue to inspire those who seek genuine philosophical wisdom and a deeper understanding of the Catholic intellectual tradition.