In contrast to the many post-secondary universities and
colleges out there, not only do you get a high-quality
education from the faculty, but you also get to build
a strong student-teacher relationship that fosters an
improved learning experience.
As great as the Academy is with its excellent
academic program, it also deserves to be looked
at as one of the spiritual apexes in the Diocese of
Pembroke. The Academy provides and encourages
an authentically Catholic spirituality that very few
schools in North America would offer.
Being situated next to the beautiful St. Hedwig’s
parish, students have the opportunity to attend
daily Mass. The Academy’s class times are scheduled
so that students have the option of attending Mass.
As a community, we attend Mass together every
Monday, where we are joined by the school’s
chaplain, Fr. Paul Burchat of Madonna House,
and hear the inspiring voices of students in the
choir which is conducted by the experienced
Maestro Uwe Lieflander.
St. Hedwig’s is a vibrant Catholic parish that
always has its doors open for people to venture
in and worship God. In addition, it also has an
adoration chapel that is open throughout the day
for those who are interested in adoring the Blessed
Sacrament. Spiritual direction from our school
chaplain and assistant chaplain is also readily
available for those who desire it.
Due to being around for more than a decade,
the Academy has seen the growth of many groups
and clubs in its student body. Some of these groups
include an evangelization club, dance clubs,
outdoors clubs—and one in which I am actively
involved in and serve as the vice-president: the
Paul Sanders and Janine Lieu Pro-Life club.
My tenure in being part of the Pro-Life team at
the school has been quite memorable. Our activities
to date have included bearing witness for the
culture of life, collecting donations for the First-Step
Options pregnancy support centre, attending
the annual Renfrew County Right to Life dinner,
writing letters to our respective members of
Parliament, hosting a Pro-Life bake sale whose
proceeds went to Pro-Life causes, and recently
having the opportunity to visit Parliament Hill
and meet with MPs such as Stephen Woodworth,
Jason Kenney, Brad Trost, Pierre Lemieux, and
Cheryl Gallant. Being part of the pro-life club can
be an ambitious endeavor, and it is certainly
rewarding from a Catholic standpoint.
At OLSWA you also get to forge friendships that
could very well last your entire life. Not only do
you study together, but students live in houses
where strong brother- and sister-hoods can form.
The Academy is a place where you do not walk alone,
and you are recognized as an individual with dignity
and deserving of a rewarding education.
If someone were to ask me if I would recommend
that young men and women should consider studying
the Academy after high school, my answer would
be a resounding yes! You are given an education
that liberates your mind from ignorance and allows
you to utilize it practically in your life. Ultimately,
by having a grounded knowledge of the Catholic
faith, you attain an education that helps guide you
to heaven. You are formed socially, academically,
and spiritually at the school. Even the location of the
school is a benefit in its own right, as it is not located
in a highly populated city, but close to nature, which
allows students to unplug from the noise and focus
on becoming the person God wants them to be.
The faculty and staff are a joy to be around, and
the students are wonderful people.
Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy truly lives up
to the motto of “the truth will set you free”. I have
had no regrets in making the decision to attend the
school, and I cannot recommend or praise the school
enough for what it has to offer. I urge you all to
recommend it to anybody you can, and to give it
your full support.
Student Shares Experience Pursuing Catholic Liberal Arts
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