27Oct

Become who you are

 

"But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God." - John 1:12

Become Who You Are

Last month I wrote about a fascinating and mystical saint, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, who died in 1968.  Even more recently, however, a  holy and courageous man walked among us.  John Paul II reigned as pope from 1978-2005, and his life was a series of magnificent moments of self-sacrifice and trust in God.

John Paul II was an extraordinary man and a dynamic leader.  He was the most traveled pope in history, truly living the New Evangelization. With a shepherd's hea...

Read More
13Oct

Science and Truth are on the same team


“The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day,
and night to night imparts knowledge” - Psalm 19:2
 

One of the fondest but shortest experiences of my life thus far is the time I spent at Camp Fatima. Looking back, I wonder why it even occurred to me that I should go there the summer after my first year teaching here: it was a highly illogical decision. We married in May of 2009 and then I thought it prudent to ask my wife to live at an all boys camp with me for the summer. My poor wife left the comforts of...




Read More
22Sep

Pray, hope, and don't worry


Pray, hope, and don’t worry.

This Thursday, September 23, the Church remembers a most extraordinary saint, Pio of Pietrelcina, otherwise known as Padre Pio.  Even as a child, Padre Pio had remarkable spiritual experiences; it is said he conversed regularly with his guardian angel, the Blessed Mother, and Jesus!  There are many astounding miracles attributed to Padre Pio, including healings and prophecy. He was also able to read the souls of penitents who would come to him for confession.  If they omitted a sin, he would remind them of it! Although he never left his monastery, San Giovan...

Read More
08Sep

Parents, Partnership, & Purpose

And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.” Luke 1: 46-47

I thought it prudent to follow the lead set forth by Fr. Michael, who in his homily at our opening Mass for the school year reminded students and teachers of three simple things to keep in mind: love God, love neighbor, and love self. 

Simplicity seems to be something so elusive in our society, and lest we let that enter our school community, I suggest at the start of a new school year, we look at three defining elements of our mission:

1. Parents: Parents are primary educators...

Read More
10Aug

A time for every season

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." - Ecclesiastes 3:1

The summer of 2021 hasn’t felt very summer-ish at all.  July was the wettest on record with over 10 inches of rain! But even though the warm, sunny days have been few and far between, it has clearly been summer.  The school buildings are quiet, the classrooms are emptied of furniture, and the woodchucks have been the only inhabitants on the playground.  A relaxed, peaceful summer vibe has pervaded the campus.  Mostly.

Despite the relaxed atmosphere, a lot of hard work has been happening.  Ms. Figu...

Read More
15Jun

4th Quarter Academic Honors

Announcing the fourth quarter honors recipients. Congratulations to all! Read More
29May

2021 Commencement

Welcome Address, Anna Yost Class of 2021

Good morning students, parents, faculty, friends, and graduates. I would like to welcome you all to the graduation of the class of 2021 from Mount Royal Academy. 

Some of us have attended this school for nearly our whole lives up until this point, while others have arrived later in life from other backgrounds and places. No matter when or from where we came, we can all agree that Mount Royal Academy has left a lasting impact on our lives. The most notable characteristic of this school is, of course, that it is a catholic liberal arts school. It has nour...

Read More
26May

The Telos of our Mission

What were our goals going into this school year?

  1. Increase individual student support mechanisms by adding faculty members and expanding our repertoire of creative and effective ways to inclusively support all learners in our classrooms via the Barton program, NHS tutors, targeted curricular implements, and more. 

  2. Implement the recently board adopted graduation requirements that align with mission-driven goals and increase course rigor. This includes requiring an additional credit of humanities-based electives.

  3. Finalize our revision and realizatio...

Read More
12May

It is good for us to be here


“Lord, it is good for us to be here..” -  Matthew 17:4


If my memory serves me correctly, I ended my first newsletter message of the year, way back in September, with this quote, “Lord it is good for us to be here..” Now, eight  months later, I can enthusiastically agree with my earlier assertion.  It has been so good for us to be here, in school, in person for the entire school year.  God has been gracious, indeed.

Real learning has happened here.  Minds have expanded, thought processes have been refined, skills have been strengthened, knowledge has been gained.  More importantly, ...

Read More
28Apr

We had to come to school


“I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life…
Even if I do bear witness to myself, my testimony is true,
for I know where I have come from and where I am going…” - John 8:12-13


We made it to May! Sometimes I honestly find it challenging to consider how much do I disclose and how much do I not disclose.

Ever since the questions were shoved in front of us last spring, questions that seemed so bizarre because our humanity was jeopardized, I struggled mightily inside myself. I thought, “How are we going to pull this ...


Read More