08Nov

Ruminating to avoid idols

“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of 
knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” - Philippians 3:7
 

Someone commented to me today that there is a lot going on in my head right now, and none of it seems to be connected. We used to host a podcast entitled, “Ruminations of Formation.” Yea, it didn’t go that far in terms of grabbing an audience. My faint recollection regarding the word rumination emanates from a biblical connotation: to meditate on the word of God. Much like the first compartment ...



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25Oct

Day of Beauty

In the world of classical education, we frequently refer to the three transcendental values of truth, beauty, and goodness.  We build curricula, lesson plans, and enrichment activities around them with the intention of filling our students’ hearts and minds with these universal attributes of being.  

The Greek philosophers, Plato and Aristotle, viewed these cosmic values of truth (that which defines reality), goodness (that which fulfills its purpose), and beauty (that which is lovely) as objective and knowable.  Human beings experience fulfillment through these transcendental values beca...

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11Oct

Hope & Perseverance


“Train yourself for the life of piety,
for while physical training is to some extent valuable,
religion is incalculably more so,
with its promise of life here and hereafter.
You can depend on this as worthy of complete acceptance.” - Timothy 4:8


The older I get the more I have come to believe in the value of listening. Last Friday evening, after a rather unpleasant experience on the soccer pitch - it was foggy, misty, soggy, and our girls were the recipients of rude language from the opposing team - I was graced with an opportunity to listen. 

Each morning I strive ...




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27Sep

Justice & Mercy

The parable of the landowner at Mass last weekend put the figurative bow on my week. The message of human envy in opposition to the great mercy of God brought together in one package some of the themes I encountered on campus and off.

While the message is meant to highlight the generosity and mercy of God, it does so in an uncomfortable way.  The landowner hires day laborers and agrees to pay them a just wage for a day’s work.  He returns throughout the day to hire more laborers, even taking on more workers close to the end of the day.  When the time comes to pay them their wages, all of the ...

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26Sep

Mount Royal Academy Ranked #1 Catholic High School in New Hampshire by Niche

Niche, the leading platform connecting students and families with colleges and schools, has just published its new 2024 Best Schools and Districts rankings. Now in its ninth year, the rankings include updated data for 94,058 public schools, 30,809 private schools, and 12,192 school districts nationwide.

Mount Royal Academy is a Catholic liberal arts school for pre-k through 12th grade students in Sunapee, New Hampshire. Since 1994, families have chosen to partner with Mount Royal in the education of their children because the school’s mission fosters the pursuit of excellence in learning and ...

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13Sep

A Mission Set Apart

2024 marks the thirtieth year of our school’s existence. 

Each day I am reminded of the need and impact of our mission. It comes in ways both surprising and unsurprising.

Below you will find our mission statement: it is worth reading and reflecting upon at the start of this school year. It is a sacred mission. 

What does it mean to be sacred? It is consecrated for a divine purpose, set apart for God. A sanctification into the divine life. 

In a world where God is rejected, we accept Him. We love Him because He loved us first. 

In a world where religion and communal life are shunned, we embrac...

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01Sep

The Salesian Way


The staff of Mount Royal Academy started the school year by receiving training in the preventative system, otherwise known as the Salesian Way. We were honored to welcome Sr. Eflie back to campus. 

The preventative system is predicated on three pillars: reason, religion, and loving kindness. It was inspired by the life of St. John Bosco, the preeminent model of educative presence. Perhaps there is no better explanation than the very words of this saint of the youth. 

The following is a letter written by St. John Bosco to the staff of his own school - or oratory as he called it - back in...

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18Aug

The Anchor of our School

"At the time of her death,
Mary “having completed the course of her earthly life,
was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.”

- Pope Pius XII, Munificentissimus Deus, 1950

Sometimes (most times, in my experience) it is hard to “hear” God speaking to us.  Other times, it is as if he delivers his message with a baseball bat to the head.  The past two days for me have been the baseball bat scenario.

As I was talking to him about what to write in this welcome message, trying not to rehash stale old sentiments about back to school excitement, he clearly showed me that I need to speak about t...

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15Jun

4th Quarter Academic Honors

Mount Royal Academy has announced academic awards for the 4th Quarter of the 2022-2023 school year.

Grade 6

Headmaster’s list: Haley Elkind, Emma LeBlanc, Lucy Treece, Jubilee Tremblay, Juliana Yost

High Honors: Clare Holliston

Honors: Joy Joseph, Emma Kelley

Grade 7

Headmaster’s list: Allison Cass, Ella Gifford, Charles Lee, Kathryn McLaughlin, Liam O’Brien, Liam Swegart

High Honors: Isabella Acevedo

Honors: Sean Brodigan, Eva Dowd, Clayton Herrick

Grade 8

Headmaster’s list: Sophia Chimienti, Katherine Messmore, Lindsey Smrkovski

Honors: Maia Dow

Grade 9

Headmaster’s list: Warren Bugbee, Ma...

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13Jun

2023 Commencement


Julia Stout, Welcome Address

Good morning and welcome! I would like to thank everyone for coming here this morning to support us as we, the Mount Royal Academy Class of 2023, cherish our final moments as students of this remarkable school. 

Yesterday at our Baccalaureate Mass, our school community came together in the Holy Mass for the final time this school year. Not only did our class receive spiritual guidance and a blessing for our future, we also were able to offer our thanksgiving to God for our lives, our friendships, our families, our faith, and most importantly in that moment: ...

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