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Dear Families,

It is difficult to believe that we are almost to Holy Week and the end of third quarter.  It has long been a tradition at Mount Royal to have Holy Thursday and Good Friday off from school in order to allow families to participate in these days without distraction.

Fulton Sheen wrote an amazing book called The Seven Last Words, a meditation on each of the last seven statements of Christ as He hung on the cross.  It was introduced to me many years ago by my dad, who always read it between noon and three on Good Friday, and if you don’t mind I’d like to share a short excerpt which...

Dear Families,

I thought it might be a good idea to continue our Lenten focus on gratitude towards God as the fundamental motivation for every spiritual sacrifice we make during this holy season. 

It was also very fitting that I came across the following quote in the Little Book of Holy Gratitude, especially in light of all this unwelcome weather of late. 

"Neither must we think that too much is being asked of us when spiritual writers tell us we ought to return thanks to God for afflictions and tribulations, both those that are passed and those that we may be suffering from at the present ti...

The student body was blessed with a visit from Hal Liberty this week. Hal is an octogenarian who has devoted his life to bringing joy to children. For over 30 years, Hal has been crafting handmade wooden toys. What began as a simple hobby that focused on his own children has become a wonderful ministry to disadvantaged and special needs people of all ages.

From his 1,000 square foot wood shop in Bradford, Hal builds up to 1,500 wooden toys that are sent to area churches, soup kitchens, crisis centers, and prison ministries. Although the raw material is donated, there are still the utility cos...

Six Mount Royal high school students were recently inducted into Mount Royal Academy's St. Thomas Aquinas chapter of the National Honor Society. The inductees were Hannah Fraioli (’19), Kateri Kalpakgian (’20), Mary Grace Klucinec (’20), Aidan Moorehouse (’20), Tristan Ouellette (’20), and Antigoni Souliotis (’20).

Dr. Mary Mumbach, a professor of literature from Northeast Catholic College, gave the keynote address. She praised Mount Royal for it’s commitment to classical education and noted the synergy of missions between the two schools. She further explained the importance of a classical e...

Dear Families,

March 19th marks the feast day of our school’s patron, St. Joseph. Scripture tells us little about this patron of the church, fathers, workers, families and a happy death, but perhaps that is a lesson in and of itself. Joseph is striking in his silent obedience to God and steady commitment to Jesus and Mary. We know nothing of the words Joseph spoke, but see instead the work ethic he shared with Jesus, the kindness and loyalty toward Mary, the unwavering courage and faith with which he protected his family. Joseph exemplifies the words of St. Paul, “If I speak in the tongues of...

At Mount Royal Academy, the mission is to form the whole person. With this goal in mind, we provide a rigorous academic curriculum, musical and artistic development, and competitive sports programs. Every aspect of the school is infused with the living faith of the church. This faith is joyful and filled with hope. Jesus said, “I came that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.” (Jn 10:10) He promised to the one who gives that “gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap” (Lk 6:38).

This hope gives life to t...

Dear Families,

I was recently given the Little Book of Holy Gratitude, authored by Fr. Frederick Faber, which features some penetrating insights during this Lenten season. Fr. Faber boldly proclaims that we neglect gratitude more than prayer. "If we had to name any one thing that seems unaccountably to have fallen out of most men's practical religion altogether, it would be the duty of thanksgiving... Alas! It is not hard to find the reason for this. Our own interests drive us obviously to prayer; but it is love alone that leads to thanksgiving."

Of course, Fr. Faber does not intend to...

Dear Families,

Today we enter the season of Lent, something I always dreaded growing up but now look forward to. What used to be mean nothing more than 40 dismal days of no dessert (made worse by the fact that my dad, to replace the smoking habit he gave up, relied heavily on a nighttime bowl of Ben and Jerry’s to get through) now presents as an opportunity to clean my spiritual house. Pope Benedict often referred to Lent as a period of conversion, a time to “return to God with all our heart.” The Church is so wise in her liturgical year, providing for us during Lent a framework to make amends...