James Despres, Ph.D.
Academic Director
Dr. James Despres joined the faculty of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in 2009 with interests in modern and contemporary philosophy, particularly phenomenology. He also has a deep philosophical interest in the thought of Plato, Aristotle, and the teleological conception of nature and the human person. He regularly teaches courses in the Philosophy of the Human Person, Ancient Philosophy, the thought of Plato and Aristotle, the Philosophy of Nature, Later Modern and Contemporary Philosophy, and electives in Phenomenology and the Rise of Philosophical Atheism in the Modern Context. Dr. Despres first developed the Master of Arts in Philosophical Studies (MAPS) Program. He serves as Director of the MAPS Program and Chair of the Department of Philosophy. He lives with his beautiful wife and three lovely children in an idyllic Philadelphia suburb.
Austin Detwiler
Managing Director
Austin Detwiler holds a Master’s degree in theology from Villanova University and a Bachelor’s from the Templeton Honors College at Eastern University. He works for American Philanthropic, a strategic consulting firm for nonprofits, and is also managing editor of Philanthropy Daily. Austin previously served as Assistant Director of the Matthew J. Ryan Center at Villanova University and an adjunct professor in Villanova’s Augustine and Culture Seminar Program. Along with his wife, Austin is committed to fostering a community of engaged and informed Catholics who are able to serve as witnesses of the Gospel in their local communities. In addition to his work with PCSP and American Philanthropic, Austin serves on the Board of Directors of the Charlotte Mason Educational Center and previously served on the board of Martin Saints Classical High School.
Rev. Sean p. English
Vocation Director
Father English is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, ordained in May 2014. He presently serves as director of the Vocation Office for the Diocesan Priesthood, which organizes PCSP, and he holds a degree in both Religious Studies and Psychology from Lehigh University. He studied philosophy & theology at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. Before his appointment as Vocation Director, Father English served as the pastor of St. Stanislaus parish in Lansdale. He has contributed to various archdiocesan initiatives supporting young adults and vocational discernment. He is known for his approachable pastoral style, his commitment to helping men listen attentively to God’s call, and his dedication to forming future priests for the Church of Philadelphia.
Luca D'anselmi, Ph.D.
Founding Director
Dr. Luca D’Anselmi, who joined the faculty of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in 2016, conceived the original vision for PCSP. His academic interests include Latin poetry, classical reception, and the history of liberal education. He regularly teaches Latin, Greek, and the Humanities in the college seminary and in the seminary’s MAPS program. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Latin from Hillsdale College (2012), a Master of Arts from Bryn Mawr College (2014), and a Ph.D. from Bryn Mawr College (2021), where he wrote a dissertation entitled “Inimitabilem Maronis maiestatem assequi: The Neo-Latin Supplements to Vergil’s Aeneid, 1400-1700.”