A Note from the Headmaster |
Dear friends of Chesterton,
Thanks to your generous support, we exceeded our April fundraising goal of $60,000, maxing out our $30,000 match! We are overwhelmed by your generosity. Thank you for your prayers, your financial contributions, and your presence, all of which make Chesterton Academy's authentically Catholic, Classical education possible in the state of Rhode Island.
I was recently speaking to a friend who used to be the Headmaster of a classical school. He shared that the last quarter of the school year was one of his favorite times. All year, students strive to grow and learn. In the final months, they can delight in what their efforts have won, especially their growth in friendship.
Friendship is at the heart of what Chesterton, as a classical school, is about. As Aristotle points out, "no one would choose to live without friends, even if he had all other good things." And St. Thomas defines the highest virtue, charity, as a kind of friendship: "the friendship of man for God."
Day in and day out, our students share a way of life: they strive for virtue and wisdom, encounter beauty, and come to know God's love in Christ and the call to union with Him. This shared life is the soil in which authentic friendships blossom. The end of the school year - like other culminating moments in our lives - is a chance to acknowledge the beauty that has taken root in our lives, especially through our friendships.
Read on to learn more about Chesterton's first overnight retreat on the theme of discipleship, including a touching testimony from Sr. Igne, a sister who resides at the retreat center; to see pictures from our recent workday washing windows, improving classrooms, and building an outdoor volleyball court; to RSVP to exciting upcoming Chesterton events; and to take a sneak peak into some of the student life at the school. Gratefully yours in Christ, Robert Duffy, Ph.D. |
Growing in Discipleship at Student Retreat From April 11-12, students attended a retreat at the Immaculate Conception retreat center and convent in Putnam, CT. Students explored nature, discussed scripture and poetry, competed in games and sports, and prayed together. A sister at the convent, Sr. Igne, was moved almost to tears after witnessing the students at Mass. She shared the following testimony in an email after the retreat:
Once again, I wish to convey how delightful it was to meet you and your group last weekend. To witness such a "healthy" group of teenagers is such an unexpected event. You are to be commended for dedicating yourself to strive not only for excellence, but also to stand up against our secular society, to uphold and foster Christian values. I'm not sure the teenagers are fully aware of the invariable sacrifices you need to undergo as well as their parents' commitments to them.
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Community Workday Builds Up Chesterton On Saturday, April 27, Chesterton families, faculty, staff, and friends of the school gathered for a day of work to steward and build up our common home. Thank you to everyone who gave of their time and talents! We were able to clean and repair the building, including the chapel and windows, move furniture, care for gardens, improve classrooms, and make major progress toward installing our outdoor volleyball court! |
Join Us for First Friday Holy Hour and Fire Pit! - May 3
Join us for a Holy Hour in the chapel from 5-6, followed by food, conversation, and song around the fire pit! |
Chesterton's "Best Arts Week Ever!"
The fine arts are fundamental to our classical approach to education. They cultivate a love for the beautiful, encourage students to take risks, and help them encounter their own humanity through profound expressions of the human spirit. Sign up now for Chesterton's Arts Camp! Open to students who will be in 6-9th grade next year. |
Spring Concert and Art Show
"Cantate Domino: A Tour of the Liturgical Seasons" Join us for Chesterton's spring concert in St. Francis chapel, followed by an exhibition of student art downstairs with a dessert reception and dancing. RSVP below. |
Poetry Contest Dozens of entries have been submitted to Chesterton's inaugural student poetry contest. This year's Chesterton Poet Laureate will assist the panel of judges next year in selecting the new Laureate. Faculty seminar Last Thursday, faculty met for dinner and continued to discuss Augustine's Confessions. If you would be interested to participate in or lead a "parents & friends of Chesterton" seminar during the next school year, please reach out to rduffy@chestertonri.org.
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House Prefects - the Beginning of a Tradition The first ever prefects of Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Hope will be selected next week! House prefect is a noble and beautiful responsibility in which students help lead their community's joy and growth in virtue. House Standings
A tight race continues! As of Friday, 4/19, the standings were:
1st place: St. John Chrysostom
2nd place: St. Athanasius
3rd place: St. Augustine 4th place: St. Ambrose |
Students watch a balloon rocket up a string as part of a science experiment designed to show the effect of force as expressed in Newton's Third Law. |
Wisdom from G.K. Chesterton |
“Take the case of courage. No quality has ever so much addled the brains and tangled the definitions of merely rational sages. Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die. 'He that will lose his life, the same shall save it,' is not a piece of mysticism for saints and heroes. It is a piece of everyday advice for sailors or mountaineers." |
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