It is hard to believe that a full decade has gone by since we began this educational apostolate known as Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy in the Jubilee year 2000; many students, staff and teachers have graced our halls over those years, with the numbers growing year by year. All have their stories to tell, and we have had our ups and downs, but you can see God’s providence through it all. On a bright and clear August 31st, His Excellency Bishop Michael Mulhall celebrated our tenth opening Mass, always a beautiful and inspiring event, but especially so this year.

Opening MassThe music, conducted by Maestro Uwe Lieflander, was glorious, filled out by our largest group of freshmen to date (with but one hour of practice, their performance of Bruckner’s Locus Iste was breathtaking). Bishop Mulhall’s thoughtful homily inspired us all to be humble before the truth, and especially the Truth, God Himself, Who is the only one who can reveal to us who we really are. This is a time for students (as well as staff and teachers) to discover their own identity, a lifelong process, but one that begins especially in this critical time of young adulthood. Directly after the homily, eighteen faculty and adjunct faculty members of the Academy teaching staff knelt before the bishop at the front of St. Hedwig’s Church. They made a Profession of Faith and swore an Oath of Fidelity, pledging to faithfully uphold and promote the teachings of the Catholic Church through their example and work as professors.  The afternoon was topped off with a delicious (as usual) meal cooked by Rachel and Sandy; a beautiful evening of fellowship to begin this year.

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At the beginning of this tenth year, we have been blessed with a bright and enthusiastic group of incoming students from all over North America, and, of course, our loyal and dedicated second and third year returning students, many of them working for us as Residence Assistants and Proctors. The tenth anniversary year of Our Lady Seat of Wisdom promises great things, all possible with the grace of God and your help. So continue to pray for us and our students. Sedes sapientiae, ora pro nobis!

Academy servers with Bishop Michael Mulhall following the Opening Mass