Open Registration for Fall Semester 2024 (June 1 - August 15)
Open Registration for Fall Semester 2024 (June 1 - August 15)
"While I was pastor of St. Mary Catholic Church from 2006-2014 in Escondido, Robert Pickard, after his day ministry of teaching, generously offered faith formation without remuneration out of love for Jesus and the salvation of souls, in order to form people in the faith through the Adult Catechism program.
His sound knowledge, clear unambiguous teaching, and compassionate care for the souls entrusted to him in this ministry brought men and women into the faith, gave them a foundation in truth to build their relationship with Jesus in His Holy Catholic Church, and kept them in the church after the Easter Vigil. Building on this faithful resumé Robert Pickard offers the same knowledge, the same faith, the same care for souls through Bellarmine Studies."
"It’s been a genuine blessing to have Mr. Pickard as a Church History and Apologetics teacher. I’ve learned more about the Faith and the Church with Bellarmine Studies than with any other schooling. I’m so impressed with how knowledgeable Mr. Pickard is in his subjects and with his love for teaching and the Faith. His classes have been very enjoyable and engaging with review games, informative documentaries, stimulating discussions, and material that is presented in a clear and comprehensible way. Mr. Pickard’s teaching has created a long-lasting impact on the foundation of my knowledge in Church History and Apologetics and makes me want to learn more every day we’re in class. He is a true gem!"
"Mr. Pickard of Bellarmine Studies (and formerly Saint Joseph Academy) has been teaching my children Christopher, Anthony, Bruno, Olivia and Patrick for over 10 years. We all agree that he is one of the best teachers that they have ever had.
I had the experience of being in the classroom at Bellarmine Studies while they learned Latin and World History. Not only did they learn a lot, but Mr. Pickard makes learning fun and funny along with his many planned field trips, the kids really received a top notch education faithful to the timeless teachings of Holy Mother Church."
"Mr. Pickard is an engaging and fun teacher and knows how to progress through the material. His class time is never wasted. My 12 year old daughter learned more Latin in 1 year than her older brother did in 3 years taking it with other teachers. Our experience with Bellarmine Studies has been a true joy! Who says that about Latin!"
"Our son had been struggling with high school Latin until we found Mr. Pickard and Bellarmine Studies. Providentially, we were introduced to Mr. Pickard, who is a parishioner at our parish, right when we were in need of more Latin help. He was so generous in starting an online class for us mid-year customized to fit our situation and schedule. We are thankful for this online high school Latin class in which Mr. Pickard patiently engages our son through class participation by practicing translations, proper pronunciations, and working through in-class exercises along with providing helpful explanations to build a solid foundation in college-preparatory Latin. As a homeschool mom, I also greatly appreciate Mr. Pickard's excellent organizational skills with frequent progress and grade reports and communication with the parent as well as his prompt email replies to questions. Our experience with Bellarmine Studies has been wonderful and a blessing."
"Mr. Pickard taught my daughters History, Latin, and Religion. They enjoyed his classes and his fun personality. I am impressed with his knowledge of Church History and his love of Catholic Tradition. I went on pilgrimage with Mr. Pickard to Germany and Italy, and have since developed a greater appreciation for the rich history and Traditions of the Catholic Faith, as understood by my ancestors throughout history. I have known Mr. Pickard to be a loyal son of the Church who really cares about preserving and passing on the torch of the One True Faith, in all its glory, without compromise."
"In the fall of 2012, I heard about R.C.I.A. on Catholic Radio. Although living in Carlsbad at the time, I was encouraged to attend the Adult Catechism program at St. Mary in Escondido. Father Richard Perozich was the Pastor. Robert Pickard was the teacher. I came into the class thinking I might believe some of the Catholic teachings, I exited at the Easter Vigil believing it all. Robert with his faithfulness, kindness, and teaching skills helped bring me and at least 30 others, albeit at least four decades younger than me, to the truth and fullness of the Catholic Church that year. My many questions were answered during, before and after class, and continue to be answered to this day.
Robert is extremely knowledgeable about the history, tradition and beliefs of the Church connected to Christ. I will always be sorry that I missed his last class on the Early Church Fathers. That being said, maybe when I attend one of his Pilgrimages, I will finally hear it.
My son, who lives in Orange County, is hoping to attend Catechism Class next year, and my young grandsons will be old enough for Catechism classes before you know it. My prayer is that their teachers will be at least a little like Robert, and that they will be faithful Catholics all the days of their lives."
“Our three children have had the privilege of experiencing Mr. Pickard as a teacher from 6th-8th grade. As they moved on to high school, much of their success can be attributed to the foundational instruction they received from Mr. Pickard. My wife and I believe that Mr. Pickard is one of the main reasons why our children have such a solid foundation in Religion, Latin and Church History.
Now that they are in their college years and beyond, we are truly grateful to him for preparing them so well. Mr. Pickard is very knowledgeable, professional and works well with his students.”
"Four of our five children were lucky to have Robert Pickard as a history, latin and religion teacher at Sierra Madre Academy/St. Joseph Academy. Our fifth child had Robert as a Latin teacher. Robert is clearly well educated and has a rich understanding, appreciation of, and loyalty to the teachings of Holy Mother Church, which he passes on to his students in a kind, thoughtful, and gentle manner. Without question Robert has made a positive contribution to the education of our children. Testament to that is that although it has been quite a few years since our four oldest have had Robert as a teacher, they often tells us he was one of their all-time favorites. That is perhaps the best endorsement of Robert’s teaching ability. We highly recommend Robert to any parent looking for a great teacher. "
"I'd never been in a classroom before, but really adapted quickly to the live, school environment due to Mr. Pickard's excellent teaching methods. I will be attending St. Michael's Preparatory School next year as a more confident student because of my Latin and History classes with Mr. Pickard. I highly recommend Bellarmine Studies to homeschoolers seeking the Catholic approach to learning. I am truly thankful to Mr. Pickard for being such a great teacher! "
Our daughter Emily was a student of Mr. Pickard throughout middle school and high school in the subjects of Latin, Theology, Apologetics, Church and World History, and Philosophy. Bellarmine Studies was truly an answer to our family’s prayer for a solid and orthodox homeschool Catholic education for our daughter. The entire curriculum at Bellarmine Studies is faithful to the teachings of the Magisterium.
Mr. Pickard is a brilliant, fun, dynamic teacher. His ability to give each student personalized attention made him my daughter’s favorite. Emily was very comfortable engaging with himand always looked forward to attending class. Mr. Pickard’s compassion and understanding to the needs of our daughter was very much appreciated by me and my husband. He became a mentor to Emily, as anytime even outside of class when she had a question or dilemma regarding the faith she could turn to Mr. Pickard, and he wouldn’t hesitate to help her understand or clarify a situation. He truly went above and beyond our expectations.
Mr. Pickard‘s regular communication and updated reports made Bellarmine Studies a homeschool mother’s dream! We have no doubt that Bellarmine Studies played a pivotal role in our daughter’s acceptance into a leading university in New York State, where she received several academic scholarships.
The Merlo family highly recommends Mr. Pickard and Bellarmine Studies!”
"My four children greatly benefitted from their many years with Mr. Pickard as their teacher in Middle and High School, and speak about him with fondness to this day (during and after their Catholic higher education). He instilled in them not only a profound love for the Catholic Faith but also essential life skills which have served them well in their further academic pursuits and beyond. My wife Sue and I without hesitation strongly recommend this exceptional teacher!"
"For a number of years I ministered to the students and staff of a Catholic school in San Diego North County. Among the teaching faculty, one individual in particular stood out - Robert Pickard. With his enthusiasm, remarkable knowledge of the subjects he teaches, and obvious love for the young minds and souls under his care, Robert (based on my personal observations and interactions with his students) represents the best of what a Catholic teacher should be. And now, years later, Robert has most certainly maintained his excellence as an educator with his Bellarmine Studies program. "
"During the years our family was associated with St.Joseph Academy, my four children were privileged to be taught by Mr. Pickard at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels. They benefited greatly from his impressive knowledge, assured teaching style, and engaging personality. Parents can rest assure that the academic and spiritual formation of their children are in quite capable hands."
Copyright © 2018 Bellarmine History and Latin Studies - All Rights Reserved.
Saint Robert Bellarmine, pray for us!