Raymond de Souza,

EWTN Apologist

    Over the weekend I visited St. Gregory's to give a talk, on the day before commencement, on piety and fatherhood, to the assembled student body (55 boys), their families, and the faculty.  The school is inspired by the teaching of the legendary professor John Senior, a Renaissance scholar who headed a Great Books program at the University of Kansas back in the late 1960's and the 1970's.  It was Senior's unshakeable conviction that the desire for beauty was essential to the development of the human mind.  That is why he required his students to commit poetry to memory, and to recite it publicly.  His program was tremendously popular, and richly answered that longing in the young for something higher to devote their hearts to than self-gratification or the pursuit of wealth and power.  Many of you no doubt know far more about that program than I do; and Professor Senior's goodness and wisdom are still reaping a fine harvest, at new high schools and colleges that trace their intellectual lineage back to Kansas.  I heard one delightful anecdote about a story that some duly horrified reporter for a Kansas City newspaper wrote on the program.  Apparently, students who enrolled in it and who had had no discernible attachment to religion found themselves often turning towards the faith that inspired Shakespeare, Dante, Milton, and the rest.  So the newspaper ran a series of pictures above the story, showing, panel by panel, the terrible metamorphosis of a perfectly ordinary hippie into -- not a souse in a drying-out hospital, or a corpse, or a business executive -- a monk.  Eventually the university trustees shut the program down, but the damage, alas, had been done.

And at Saint Gregory's, too.  Perfectly ordinary boys who would be ignored or despised at most schools these days there mature into fine young men, strong in the faith, and blessed with deep friendships.  All the boys study Latin, all four years.  All learn music, singing old ballads a capella, and playing musical instruments.  All learn to juggle (!).  In fact, I was regaled with a juggling show that was as entertaining and impressive as anything I've seen professionals do -- one hour of acting, singing, music, juggling, riding unicycles, and really fine physical comedy.  All serve at the Latin mass.  The curriculum seems particularly strong in the humanities and in the more abstract approaches to science: Euclid, physics, astronomy.  It's the old trivium and quadrivium, brought back to life.  All the boys play rugby, too, and this little school managed to win the district championship against schools twenty times its size.  The boys do most of the grounds-keeping and janitorial work, and much of the cooking, too.  All that, and there's a woodworking shop and a sculpture studio.

That rugby championship, though, is most intriguing.  It's an inspired choice, to have the boys concentrate on rugby and soccer.  Rugby especially is a sport that requires no unusual hand-eye skills, and no long experience.  It's quick to learn, and anyone with a body can learn to play it.  The result is that the boys are not separated into the lucky few who are good at sports and the rest who sort of disappear.  Some of the boys may arrive at St. Gregory's stronger or faster than others, and no doubt some leave that way too.  But when everybody plays rugby, and plays it all the time, then unless some serious physical ailment gets in the way, everybody is going to end up impressively strong.  The same thing happens to boys on farms, and used to happen in boot camp.

And that makes me guess that something similar can happen with the exercise of the intellect.  Not that any combination of curriculum and moral discipline can turn Ordinary Joe into Albert Einstein.  But it can turn Ordinary Joe into a man capable of reading the classics of our heritage, discussing our history, expressing well-informed opinions about man's nature, and working at his trade with skill and diligence.  At a school like St. Gregory's, you can see how the Ordinary Cleons could have built ancient Athens, or how the Ordinary Quinti could have grown Rome from an upriver village to the ruler of the Mediterranean.  Give the young people Sophocles, Virgil, Shakespeare.  Give them a life healthy for soul and mind and body.  How can you fail to raise graduates who make their contemporaries from other schools, even the valedictorians, look paltry and puerile?

And I haven't even mentioned the most important thing of all: their faith in Christ.

Dr. Anthony Esolen,

Touchstone Magazine

Translator of The Divine Comedy

    What I want to relate about my visit to the Fraternity is something more. The priests also operate a boarding school for boys called the St. Gregory Academy. From all I observed, it's first class. High school boys there are given a Catholic education of the kind that was once commonplace in cities all over the country. Academic excellence, discipline and a thoroughly Catholic life of prayer, worship and devotion permeate this place. Involvement (and success) in sports and the expression on other manifest talents are also not lacking. This is, to all appearances, a healthy and happy Catholic environment for the development of mature and capable citizens of this world and, in the end, of the world to come. The students of the Academy are eager to learn, serious in their purpose, and exude a happiness that comes from their ordered way of life. If I may put in a further plug about this place, I wish it known that the cost of this rare and invaluable experience is well below the competition. I would like to get the word out about this unusually fine institution that offers an education of the kind that's all too rare anytime, and nearly extinct in our day. This is not a 'reform school' for troubled boys but a place for the development of competent and mature Catholic men. You just might want to have a look at www.saintgregorysacademy.org. Their video presentation tells their story convincingly.

Fr. Eduard Perrone,

Pastor of Assumption Grotto

Detroit, MI

    On behalf of my husband and me, it is with pride and honor that we acknowledge the tremendous influence and impact that St. Gregory's Academy has had on our two beautiful sons:  John and Joshua Blonski, alumni of 2001 and 2005, respectively.

While entrusting the care and development of our sons to St. Gregory's Academy we saw our boys leave home as adolescents and return as young men, prepared to take on the challenges that life offers, filled with much inner joy and the Spirit of Truth.   St. Gregory's Academy is alive with faith, knowledge, struggle, strength and the Love of God manifested in the Very Presence of Our Lord, witnessed by the students daily in the Priests, faculty and staff.    The faith of the students of St. Gregory's Academy comes alive as they live as true Catholic gentlemen, having been shown example by adults who demonstrate everything that our Catholic Faith represents.

The great love that is shared amongst the students and the faculty of St. Gregory's Academy becomes quite obvious as the alumni continue to return to St. Gregory's long after graduation:  to visit, reminisce and share their faith and life.  They continue to remain united by the bonds of love, friendship, and faith.  Through beautiful guidance and faith filled formation, the students of St. Gregory's have profoundly touched the lives of so many others.   The alumni of St. Gregory's Academy have continued onto various commitments in their lives including religious vocations, colleges, universities, armed forces, etc.  Many have become wonderful fathers, as well as teachers, professionals, police officers and soldiers, who are living testimonies to Christ, which was formed in their hearts by the faithful examples found at St. Gregory's Academy, during one of the most important part of their developing years, their teen years. 

St. Gregory's Academy is an exemplary school, as it prepares young men to face the realities of the world as strong, faithful and faith-filled Catholics.  We are not only so very proud of our sons but all the sons of St. Gregory's Academy who have been embraced by its very arms and released with love and triumph, knowing that all things through Jesus Christ last into Eternity!

May Almighty God, though the intercession of the Blessed Virgin and St. Gregory, continue to bless St. Gregory's Academy for years to come. God bless you.

John and Rebecca Blonski,

Syracuse, NY

    We will always be grateful that our boys attended St. Gregory’s Academy. There is no doubt in my mind, particularly with regard to our eldest son, Alex, who paved the way for his brothers, that the entire direction of their lives would have been different had it not been for St. Gregory’s.

I first became interested in the school because I saw a need for Alex to become more acquainted with people who shared our beliefs and who could provide a good example to him. Through a daily immersion in Catholic culture my boys developed a firm belief in our catholic faith and a love for our catholic heritage. They learned to stand up manfully for Catholic truths. In their classes they learned to consider ideas more thoughtfully and to appreciate beauty in literature, music, and nature. They formed friendships that, to this day, continue to hearten and strengthen them in living s Christian life. And through it all they experienced much joy.

I believe God will use them and their fellow alumni, as they follow their various callings in life, to help transform our decaying culture. Whatever influence they are able to have will be due, in a large part, to their formation at St. Gregory’s.

Sending the boys away from home was a great sacrifice. Working things out financially to enable the boys to attend St. Gregory’s was sometimes difficult. Yet every effort was well worth the making. The influence of their education upon their minds, their hearts, their whole souls, was, in a word, profound. I believe that they will be better men for all eternity for having gone there.

Mark and Matilda Misko,

Blairstown, NJ

    As an emergency physician, I do not use the word “lifesaving” lightly. And yet I know of no more fit way to describe the impact of St. Gregory’s Academy on our youngest son. The transformation that St. Gregory’s has worked on him has manifested itself in every way imaginable: his demeanor, his academic abilities, his confidence, and his faith. For my wife and I, the influence St. Gregory’s has had on our son has been nothing short of miraculous.

            Perhaps, however, we should not marvel, knowing that Christ promised us that “wherever two or more are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” I cannot imagine a more resolutely Catholic band of brothers than the religious and faculty of St. Gregory’s Academy, boldly teaching the Faith and the great tradition of the West to our children and, over the course of four truly short years, molding them into that rarest of all vanishing species, the Catholic gentleman.

            We cannot adequately express our gratitude to St. Gregory’s Academy for having the clear vision and simple courage to stand in the midst of a dying culture, rallying young minds, hearts, and souls to the standard of Christ, and thus making boys into men.

Dr. Stephen Hileman,

Soldotna, AK

    My all too brief visit to Saint Gregory’s over Immaculate Conception has left a deep mark on my heart, and your beautifully produced video fired my imagination with a flood of memories about your magnificent school.

In our ever-darkening world, it is nearly impossible to believe that such a place as Saint Gregory’s exists, and I would not have believed it had I not beheld it myself. Someone meaning to praise your school might say that the future of the Church is at Saint Gregory’s. Speramus. But the real praise of your school is this: the past of the Church is at Saint Gregory’s, or better, as Saint Augustine puts it, the remembered present. That is the thing at your school over which to rejoice.

Christopher Check,

ExecutiveVP,

Rockford Institute

Rockford, IL

    Our family has a very positive opinion of St. Gregory’s Academy. Our oldest son William graduated in May of 2007 and our son Alexander will be graduating in May of 2008. More than anything we have seen our two sons grow and mature into fine Catholic men. The school is staffed by dedicated individuals who have a genuine concern for your son’s physical and spiritual well-being.

If you are looking for a great education rooted in the Catholic Faith, then St. Gregory’s is for you.

William and Thea Michel,

North Bellmore, NY

    I had the pleasure to referee a soccer match between St. Gregory's Academy and E. L. Meyers High School at the Lake-Lehman Sports Complex Soccer pitch. I have been officiating high school and college soccer matches for the past 29 years. I was graduated from Allentown Central Catholic High School and from Kutztown University with a B.S. Degree in Education. I am an Educator, having taught German at the ‘Grand Army of the Republic Memorial’ Junior-Senior High School in Wilkes-Barre, PA, for 35 years and am presently Professor of German at King's College, also located in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

I am very well aware that interscholastic competition in an extension of academia, but is hardly ever demonstrated with that philosophy in mind. St. Gregory's Academy renewed my own enjoyment of officiating soccer at the high school level when I witnessed the school representatives, coaches, players, scorekeeper, ball boys, bagpipers, flag-wavers, and students demonstrating a rare school spirit which was both refreshing and spiritually uplifting for me!

The skill level and sportsmanship displayed by the Highlanders was outstanding, which is certainly a reflection of their coach and school.  The camaraderie among the players was great. I heard only positive reinforcement from coaches and players: no negative sarcasm when a player missed an opportunity or misplayed a ball. I look forward to officiating your team in the future.

John F. Györy,
Professor of German

P.I.A.A. Referee

    It has been my great pleasure to visit the academy on many occasions and to meet and observe the boys who are privileged to experience the first-rate education that St. Gregory’s offers.  Not only do these boys excel in all the various and necessary academic subjects, but also, I was most especially impressed with the firm grasp these outstanding students have on the knowledge and practice of the Catholic Faith.  I wholeheartedly recommend St. Gregory’s Academy.  It is an excellent Catholic school and worthy of the support of all those who want to assist with the education of our future Catholic leaders.

Most Rev. James C. Timlin, D.D,

Bishop Emeritus

Scranton, PA

    As Superior of Our Lady of the Annunciation of Clear Creek Monastery, I have had many occasions to meet with students of St. Gregory’s Academy, both individually and in groups.  They not only impress me as being fine young men, but also seem to possess, to a rare degree, that youthful and joyful exuberance with respect to the things that count the most—the Good, the True and the Beautiful of God—which denotes and education of exceptional quality. 

Fr. Philip Anderson,

Prior of Our Lady of the Annunciation

of Clear Creek Monastery

Hulbert, OK

    We would like to express how much we enjoyed our visit to St. Gregory’s Academy last week.  The moment we walked through the doors, we sensed a true spirit of dedication and an appreciation for the “permanent things.”  Mass was a pure joy, accompanied as it was by a true sense of the sacred.  The reverence that the boys demonstrated both on the altar and in the pews marks the proud tradition thriving at St. Gregory’s that, prior to our visit, we had only heard about.  The Gregorian schola was the last jewel set in place for the crown of Mass. 

Lastly, it was particularly impressive to encounter such confident young men, who seem to exude a sense of purpose which is so needed in today’s world.  Our visit was most rewarding, as we were able to take home such wonderful impressions of student life at St. Gregory’s which, prior to our visit, we had only heard about.  Thanks for living up to your growing reputation of teaching future men how to guard time-honored traditions.  It is a worthy cause and awesome responsibility to live up to.  Thanks for assuming such a tremendous task.

Mr. and Mrs. Ben Nysewander,

Pebble Beach, CA

    In my six and a half years as the University of Dallas campus chaplain, and more recently, Adjunct Theology Instructor for the Christendom College Roman campus, I have had the distinct pleasure of working with a number of former students from Saint Gregory’s Academy who have come to Rome as college undergraduates to live and study for a semester in the Eternal City.

I have found the St. Greg’s men to be true Christian gentlemen, students with an authentic intellectual curiosity, imaginations grounded in the real and a strong sense of Catholic identity.  While they enjoy good camaraderie with their fellow St. Greg’s classmates, they have integrated themselves fully into the larger group and offer their own unique contributions.  Having been given a good foundation in the liberal arts at the secondary school level, they have come well prepared for the intellectual rigors of higher education at these two fine Catholic academic institutions.  I might add that their talents in sport, song, and performance have also won the esteem of their fellow classmates. 

Most Rev. James D. Conley,

Congregation for Bishops,

Auxiliary Bishop,

Denver, CO

    As you know, my son will be entering his third year at St. Gregory’s Academy this fall and I have been meaning to convey to you and the faculty and staff how appreciative I am of his education at the Academy—and not just for his formal studies, but for that aspect often called school culture.  It is my sense that there really is a defining character left on the boys of St. Gregory’s that comes from the whole boarding school experience.

It has been said that everything in a school teaches in some way and I see this in my son and his classmates.  Words to describe this would be vigor, mirth, and in spite of their youth, an uncommon level of maturity that evidently comes about in learning to live in an academic and social routine with other boys with all their differences.  With the Mass and the Sacraments at the center of the school, and with the balance of studying the good and great books, the integration of music and athletics, the access to teachers, the responsibilities of dormitory life, the opportunities to travel, there really is no school for boys like it in the United States.  My wife and I consider ourselves, and our son, most fortunate. 

James S. Taylor, Ph.D.,

Maple Hill, KS

    Three of my sons have graduated from St. Gregory’s Academy and my fourth son is a sophomore there. Thus, I have been closely associated with St. Greg’s for more than 10 years and believe I know the school extremely well. To send a child nearly 3,000 miles across the country to attend high school is a daunting decision. But I have not regretted doing this. I have seen first hand the excellent results of the St. Gregory’s experience. My boys are well grounded in faith and reason – what Pope John Paul II calls the two wings of the truth. 

St. Gregory’s Academy has a wonderful ability to mold boys into strong Catholic young gentlemen and future leaders – in an atmosphere of love, learning, safety, security and discipline that is overseen by dedicated religious and staff. These attributes are found in the classroom, on the playing field, throughout the 200-acre wooded campus, and, most importantly, in the chapel. If you know them by their fruits, my oldest is a teacher of history and theology at St. Theodore Guerin Catholic High School in Noblesville, IN. He is married and expecting his first child in July. My second oldest is a second year law school student at Washington and Lee University in Virginia. The third oldest is a freshman studying classics at Christendom College, Virginia, where the two older boys graduated. I am so thankful that all my sons have had the same St. Gregory’s formation and know that throughout their lives they can rely on each other for advice and good counsel in sorting out life’s challenges -- and be a strong support for their only sister.

St. Greg’s concentrates on getting the basics right, and as the school grows and matures, it will only get better – icing on a really nice cake. All the St. Greg’s graduates I know are manly young men filled with the joy of life and of lasting St. Gregory’s friendships. If you have sons and are looking for solid Catholic education and formation in a great atmosphere, give St. Greg’s a serious look. It’s not for every child, but every child who attends will benefit greatly their entire lives.

Cort Freeman,

Butte, MO

    St. Gregory’s Academy has been the backbone of our family life for the past six years. Next year upon graduation, my youngest son will follow his two brothers to complete four years of high school at St. Gregory’s. It will be a startling transition – the end of a great adventure.

I often find myself at a loss for words to “explain” St. Gregory’s to people, because as a mother, it involves so many very personal experiences and meditations to attempt to express all that St. Gregory’s is, or strives to be. At a certain point, some years ago, I realized that more than anything, St. Gregory’s is a true act of love. I say this with the conviction of one who has long known personally, everyone (faculty and staff) involved with St. Gregory’s Academy. Were it not for the fraternal love which they manifest to the students and each other, and zeal for the mission of this school, St. Gregory’s would not exist.

The school’s philosophy, the religious formation, the classical curriculum, the teachers, chaplains, and dorm staff, the athletic program, extracurricular activities and trips, the juggling, musical and theatrical performances, the emphasis on music in the context of daily life, the delight in poetry – have all been clearly described through St. Gregory’s newsletters, website, handbook, etc.

What is not described is the joyful oneness of hearts that I witness on seeing a group of boys and dorm-fathers spontaneously pick up their musical instruments and begin to play and sing! – or the oneness of hearts on the athletic field, which the entire student body shares no less than the players.

No pamphlet can convey the enthusiasm and spirit of a group of boys who will let nothing keep them from achieving a goal, such as a class trip to France to walk the seventy-mile Pentecost pilgrimage from Notre Dame in Paris to the Cathedral of Chartres – which this adult had deemed nearly impossible due to logistics and lack of funds. Through hard work, the boys and their dorm-father made it possible! Does such unity exist in any other school?

Unity is a fruit of love, and yes, it is brought out of the haven of St. Gregory’s into our home, as my sons speak of things, or entertain themselves, or behave in ways that reflect the Good, the True and the Beautiful, and together our lives and spirits are enhanced through the culture which is embraced at St. Gregory’s. I am so very happy with the friendships my sons have made through the school and the blessing of coming to know so many sincere Catholic families.

For certain, there are times when our sons are not yet able to comprehend all that St. Gregory’s is, and the sacrifices that their families make so that they may be there. As much as my boys love St. Gregory’s, on occasion I have said to them, “You may not fully understand it now, but one day you will understand what St. Gregory’s is…” Such was the source of one of my happiest moments in recent years, which came a few months after my oldest son graduated. We had just left the school after visiting his brothers, and as we drove towards home, he turned to me and said, “Mom, did I ever say thank you for sending me to St. Greg’s?”

Carol Long,

Scranton, PA

    Many thanks for the opportunity to express my thoughts and those of my recently deceased wife about the extremely positive effect that St. Greg’s had on our son, Andrew. Andrew attended SGA for three years –sophomore through senior years.  His first year was a struggle for both Andrew coming from a rather unstructured home-schooling background and SGA, trying to administer some discipline in his daily life.  Frequent Mass attendance and Confession (which has spilled over to this day) seemed to be the leavening agent to change his attitudes. Involvement in both soccer and rugby released some of the pent-up energy and enthusiasm that Andrew has always carried.  Finally, the caring staff specifically Howard Clark, helped change Andrew into a good student and a fine young man.  His success at Thomas Aquinas College is another reflection of the great job that St. Gregory’s accomplished – for that the School holds a very special place in my heart.

Dan Baird,

Winona, WI

    Driving away from St. Gregory’s after saying goodbye to our 14 year old son Joe was one of the most difficult things my wife, Christine, and I had done in rearing our children.  Joe, the 7th of 8 children was the only one to go to high school away from home.  He would be 650 miles away as a freshman where he knew absolutely no one. Four years later, attending his graduation festivities, we realized how much St. Gregory’s meant to both Joe and to us. St. Gregory’s provided a highly structured environment, yet built-in free time allowed Joe to be his own person. On one of our first visits he beamed with pride as he showed off a rather sophisticated lean-to hideaway in the woods he and his friends made with discarded material.  Reluctant to play team sports in his Indiana junior high, Joe quickly discovered his abilities were needed for St. Greg’s soccer and he was steeped in the tradition of toughening and conditioning himself for the Highlanders Rugby team.  St. Gregory’s kindled an interest in the classics, poetry, and literature.  Joe’s academic work earned him admission to Christendom College.  He came away from St. Greg’s with a strong devotion to the rosary and the Sacrament of confession.  He and his wife Michele, together, made nightly rosaries and weekly confession a part of their spiritual journey while dating. Joe learned to juggle and to sing ballads with the other boys and these talents were amply demonstrated at the graduation party in St. Gregory’s refectory.  The camaraderie he developed at St. Greg’s was intense and resulted in deep friendships. 

John Curran,

Carmel, IN

    There are no words to describe the gift of St. Gregory's. The Academy influenced our entire family. Our son, Michael, is now a US Marine. St. Gregory's has given Michael the spiritual boot camp training!  May he persevere and fall back on this training no matter where he is. In the Church Militant it doesn't get better than that!! 

Tina Witt,

Matthews, NC

    I am pleased to recommend St Gregory's Academy to anyone looking for a good school for teenage boys.  My son Anthony has very good study habits that he learned at St Gregory's. He attends college full-time, and also works a full time job. Best of all he has a strong Catholic faith, and is a perfect gentleman. My thanks to the dedicated staff at St. Gregory's Academy.

 
Lawrence Langbeen,
Attica, MI

    Our son, Patrick McLaughlin, attended St. Gregory's Academy from 1995-1999. For us they were the most  wonderful years for our son.  He grew in faith and friendship, was intellectually stimulated by all the great books he read, and through the singing under Mr. Donnelly, learned about camaraderie. The friendships which started at St. Gregory's continue and will likely continue for many years as each of them grow in their individual lives. They do keep in contact regularly. We have met many of Patrick's friends and have enjoyed each and every moment.

He missed out on family life for a few years, but it was more than compensated by all the great memories he received at SGA.  We visited three times and were so impressed by the teachers and all those who gave to our son at the school.

Our son has grown into a wonderful young man and is out in the world making his mark, but his years at the Academy will continue to influence who he is and his life yet to come. Thank you St Gregory's for being that shining light that has shown our son the right path on this journey through life.  Forever grateful for all that you did for our son.

John and Margot McLaughlin

Vancouver, BC

Canada

    We sent two sons to St. Gregory’s Academy.  They both graduated on the Dean's honor roll.  Both benefited greatly from the spiritual atmosphere, camaraderie, and superb great books education.  They both played rugby and both ended up as honors students at their University.  One is going to law school in the fall; the other will be a senior.  They are committed to their Catholic faith.  They developed into young Catholic gentlemen at St. Gregory’s and are still very loyal to the school and to their circle of friends, be they in professions, school, the military, or elsewhere.  St. Gregory’s helps transform boys into men by showing them what faith, commitment, honor, hard work, and friendship can mean for one’s whole life.  We are deeply grateful to the faculty, staff and priests for the priceless education our sons received there.

Scott and Catherine Bloch

Arlington, VA

    Our son, Michael, attended St. Gregory's Academy and was a proud graduate of the 2003 class.  It was a difficult decision to send him to the school, as we live in Florida and it was a hardship to get him to and from during the school breaks, but it was the best decision we could have made.  We sent them a boy and they sent back a fine young man, well-grounded in the Faith, and ready to take on the rigors of college.  With the fine study habits and writing skills learned at St. Gregory's, he was able to succeed in his college courses. He will be graduating in May '08 with a BA Degree. We would encourage anyone considering St. Gregory's for their sons, to do so.  The school is small and the life-long friendships and brotherhood which will be developed are a bonus to the graduates. 

If you do not have a child to enroll, we would encourage you to donate to the school.  There are too few schools dedicated to maintaining the traditions of our precious Catholic Faith. We would be remiss if we did not mention the outstanding dedicated staff of the Academy.  These men and their families have dedicated their lives to the school and our children.  They have sacrificed greatly for the Faith and deserve our prayers and financial support.

Frank and Ann Martin

Tampa, FL

    Having all three of our sons attend St. Gregory’s was the best thing that could have happened to them and to us. Their Catholicity was confirmed and strengthened, and the curriculum and camaraderie helped form them into Catholic gentlemen.

St. Gregory’s has been there for our sons after graduation as well. When our oldest son was in the hospital last spring with a nearly fatal acute asthmatic attack, the school Mass was offered for him as well as many prayers. The school acted as an extension of our family.

My husband has been a high school teacher for thirty-two years, yet St. Gregory’s is always our first choice.

Mr. and Mrs. Ron Klassen

Fort Scott, KS

    My years at St. Gregory’s were the most beneficial and formative in my life. My eyes were opened to the wonders and depth of Western Civilization, my soul was truly forged into a soldier of Christ, my mind and body were transformed from a boy’s to that of a young man’s, and the values, virtues, lessons and friends that I acquired there will remain with me forever. I have known no other place that comes so close to reaching the Catholic ideal. In short, St. Gregory’s Academy is a happy and holy place, perfect for young men.

Thomas Ranieri

SGA Class of 2002

Washington, D.C.

    I grew up in a loving family, and was taught to love my Faith and defend it.  St. Gregory's not only taught me the importance of family in deeper and deeper ways, but brought me into a greater family.  It not only reaffirmed the value and supreme importance of my Faith, but also made this understanding rich.  I would have a much poorer life if not for this school.

St. Gregory's has given me most importantly, tangible gifts as friends.  Furthermore, a much more elusive thing, which I can only describe as "richness," is also a gift that St. Gregory's has given me.  A human thing, the family, is also a religious thing; and all religious things meant for humans are human things also.  St. Gregory's made the truths of Catholicism become palpable things for me.  Without these friends and this richness, I would be left a Faith that I would have few human ties to outside my natural family.

Paul Prezzia,

SGA Class of 2002

Pittsburgh, PA

    We have had three boys attend St. Gregory’s.  Each one is completely different in personality, professional interests, and learning strategies.  The personalized academic approach and small class sizes at St. Gregory’s Academy have been tailored to their interests and methods of learning.  The Academy has given them a solid academic background and deep spiritual fiber.  This combination is something we could not have provided at home and is serving them well in young adulthood.   We have delighted in observing their growth spiritually, educationally, and in maturity under the amazing efforts of the chaplains, teachers, and staff at the school.  Each of our sons has distinct interests, yet each found the encouragement and direction to develop his abilities from the faculty.

The comradeship of the young men at the school is a pleasure to behold: they learn many lessons from each other and they are all able to participate in a wide variety of activities.

To have sons leave home at age fourteen is not common today, yet it has been a perfect way to grow in independence for our sons, while maintaining close ties to home via letters and telephone calls.  They call whenever they want advice or a chat, yet day-to-day, they develop confidence through the self-discipline the school encourages.

The first few weeks of school are exciting and new, then comes a period of homesickness.  I told each of my sons as they started at St. Gregory's that if they attended, they could change schools after their first year, but that it would be essential to complete the first full year rather than quit due to homesickness.  I recall that at Thanksgiving my second son to attend was unsure whether he would continue after the first year; however, by Christmas all doubts had faded.

We would be happy to speak with prospective families about the school; please call us at 574-287-1498.

Prof. and Mrs. Thomas Gordon Smith

Professor of Architecture,

University of Notre Dame

South Bend, IN

    I am writing a few lines to express how much St. Gregory’s has had a profound effect on every aspect of our son’s life. 

When we entrusted Jonathan to St. Gregory’s Academy, he was unfocused, confused, and misdirected. Over the course of four years of exceptional social and spiritual formation by the dedicated faculty and priests, and supported by his close friends, his brothers in arms, he became a new person.  He acquired a love for the Faith.  He discovered strength and courage within himself and others.  He developed an appreciation for beauty and truth.  In short, he became a complete Catholic man.

St. Gregory’s has been the answer to all our prayers and hopes for our son.  We are certain the course of his life has been changed.  Thank you.

Michael Kuplack

Post Falls, ID

    St. Gregory's Academy is a place that takes ordinary young men and shows them ordinary good things.  It teaches the truth about these good things through simplicity.  And by way of simplicity arrives at the extraordinary, the Ultimate Good, the Ultimate Truth, the Ultimate Beauty.

By combining the study of these three in the development of each young man's physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing, St. Gregory's Academy provides the necessary foundation and cultivating of that willing desire to achieve our end, which is to know, love and serve God in this world and be happy with Him in the next. 

Scott Halisky

SGA Class of 1995

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