“Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” - St. Teresa of Calcutta
Reflection on Catholic Education
Personally, these are living, breathing words that continue to inspire me to strive to bring others closer to Christ through joy and love. Catholic education opens the opportunity for God to use educators as an instrument of His love, to provide an avenue to truly profess the faith. Continually, it enriches the soul of the student to understand and see through the eyes of Christ, form the ability to serve the Church with the hands of Christ, and fully love others with the heart of Christ.
Catholic education uniquely prioritizes the whole person as the subject of formation because God designed us as mind, body, and spirit. Each of these elements need nurturing in order to flourish. This is why I chose to pursue a liberal arts education myself, because I desired to further my education in a way that I believe is holistic, one that focuses not just on intellect, but also on forming the whole person. Mount Royal Academy shares this same mission as it strives to educate the whole person, one student at a time. It is through this way of learning that a deeper understanding of our relationship with God, ourselves, and the world around us is gained. When these pursuits are successful, God’s love is fully able to shine through, allowing for His love to be spread everywhere, leaving everyone around it happier.
Ms. Audrey Puksta graduated in 2023 from Saint Anselm College with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and a minor in Theology. During her time at Saint Anselm, she was highly involved in the Office of Campus Ministry. There, Ms. Puksta found a love for working in ministry after serving as a Peer Minister on campus for a period of time. Her passion for soccer led me to earn a spot on the Women’s Club soccer team at Saint Anselm, as well as accept the position of Assistant Coach for Mount Royal’s girls soccer team. She is very excited to start her teaching career at Mount Royal Academy and serve God through the ministry of Catholic education. Ms. Puksta enjoys journaling, doing any type of outdoor activity, exercising, spending time with family and friends, teaching herself guitar, cooking, and deepening her faith through different forms of prayer and reflection.