Dear Friends of Seton Academy,
Recently, I had the blessing of observing how the Upper Elementary students conduct study of sacred scripture during a Level III session of our Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program. To begin the Advent season, the students read through several important Messianic prophecies from the Old Testament. When focusing on Isaiah, they shared insight on this reading from Chapter 11, Verses 6-9: “Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them… There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the Lord, as water covers the sea…”. The students discussed how animals that are normally predators would be able to live in harmony with animals that are typically their prey. Aside from the fact that these students utilized their lessons from biology to correctly identify the uniqueness of the situation that Isaiah depicts, what truly drew their attention was the deep sense of peace, safety and tranquility that the scene exudes. Each child clearly found such comfort and reverent satisfaction in the peace that God offers us through His Son.
As I listened to the insightful comments of these children, the line “...with a little child to guide them…” echoed in my mind. It struck me anew: with their innocent and clear grasp of the truth, beauty, and goodness of Holy Scripture, these students have learned how to trust God, and how to use the reasoning minds that God gave them to look for His Voice in everything that they do. What is more: they lead the people around them to live this way by their very example, and they will continue to do this well into the future. Resting solidly on the beautiful relationship that they have each forged with Christ, these students are ready to accept God’s Word through the prophet Isaiah, because they have studied and experienced so many examples of the fact that “...nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37). These children come from families who choose Seton Academy because it provides an educational environment of peaceful stability with countless opportunities to encounter Our Lord throughout the school day. This environment with its order, routine, engaging materials, and strong presence of Christ allows the children to reach their potential through work that is meaningful and independent. The fruit of this environment is that it helps each child to cultivate a personal faith life that will not be easily shaken by the storms of this world.
Occurrences like the one I experienced happen so many times throughout the school day, and each one leaves me feeling immensely grateful for your generosity. Without you, Seton Academy would not exist to provide the peaceful and faith-filled learning environment that strengthens young Catholics today, and thus the Church for years to come. The families that send their children to Seton Academy, like you, understand the vital nature of building a strong foundation in the Faith, and leading children to use their God-given talents to know Him, to love Him, and to give Him glory. Unfortunately, many find the cost of tuition burdensome within the context of raising their young families. Therefore, I humbly invite you this Advent Season to consider supporting Seton Academy, so that we can continue to offer as many children as possible the opportunity to develop their personal relationship with Our Lord within the peace and stability of our Montessori environments. Most importantly, I ask that you continue to remember Seton Academy in your prayers, as the students, staff, and parents continue to remember all of our kind benefactors in our daily prayers.
In sincere gratitude,
Anne Marie Sowinski