Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Headmaster's Update: July 2008
July 21, 2008Dear Parents and Friends of Chesterton Academy:
This past weekend, Fr. John Ubel, Pastor of St. Agnes Church in St. Paul, delivered an impassioned and moving homily commemorating the 40th Anniversary of Humanae Vitae. Paul VI, a shy and retiring pope in possibly the most tumultuous time in the history of the Church, proved in spades to be the immoveable rock that Christ intended his Church to be built upon. He stood for the family and the culture of life when the world was abandoning Christ and embracing a culture of death.
The thing that most struck me about Father's homily was that the truth, goodness, and beauty of Humanae Vitae is not lost on young people who are starving for its message. Father recounted the story of a young engaged couple that came to him for instruction prior to their wedding. When Father handed them copies of Humanae Vitae, the future groom told Father that he had studied it as a student at St. Agnes High School. Here he was, years later, ready to enter his marriage fortified by the Church's teaching and open to the graces Our Lord intends for married couples. What a witness to what solid catechesis in high school can accomplish--a Catholic couple entering marriage with a knowledge of the mystery of the sacrament and the courage to accept children as the most precious of God's gifts. This is how we build the Culture of Life! It is my prayer that such things will be able to be said of Chesterton Academy's students! I invite all of our parents and friends to read or re-read Humanae Vitae during this 40th anniversary.
Space Beautification and Classroom Items. There are several items that need the immediate assistance of our families and students (and friends). Most pressing is the beautification of our classroom space. On Friday, July 11, 2008, the intrepid Romportl and Webster kids put their destructive talents to good use by helping the Headmaster tear down drywall and haul old appliances out of our classroom. Led by the contractors of Tuppe Construction and the generosity of Dick Miller, we demolished the previous classroom and cleared it out for the beautification process. We hope to have this completed by August 15th, the Feast of the Assumption. With your help this should be no problem.
The charming and talented (and long-suffering) Mrs. DeJak is spearheading the beautification process as I focus on the academic year and faculty preparation. All parents should have received her email regarding the work dates and the items needed. To reiterate, Wednesday, July 23rd: scrape, peel, scrub, and spackle (possibly begin taping); Monday, July 28th: tape, trim out, and begin painting; Tuesday, July 29th: finish painting. If you haven’t already, please email Mrs. DeJak at ann[dot]dejak[at]gmail[dot]com or call at 612.354.7922. Your help is essential on this project.
Likewise, Chesterton Academy is still in need of some classroom items. We are humbly seeking the generosity of our friends in this endeavor. Needs include: furniture, bookshelves, artwork, and other items. Please contact Mrs. DeJak or Mrs. Ahlquist if you have anything to donate.
Summer Reading: As mentioned in our last update, our students have been assigned their summer reading. Our ninth graders will be reading C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters, and our tenth graders will be reading Chesterton's The Ball and the Cross. The students will be tested on these books during the first week of classes in September. Study questions are available at http://www.chestertonacademy.org/.
Chesterton Academy Faculty/Family BBQ: SAVE THE DATE!! Chesterton Academy Founders, Tom Bengtson and Dale Ahlquist invite all admitted students and their families along with the faculty to a BBQ at the Ahlquist home the evening of Tuesday, August 5, 2008. Please RSVP with numbers to Mrs. Susan Bengtson at 612.926.1102. Bring a dish to pass as well.
Finally...
As our inaugural year begins, we will be in further need of parental assistance. Organizing extracurriculars, assisting with recruiting, and, most importantly, fundraising. Please consider where your talents lie and where you would like to get involved. More information will be forthcoming.
Please continue to remember Chesterton Academy in your prayers and Masses. Be assured of our continued prayers for you.
In Domino,
John M. DeJak
Headmaster
Chesterton Academy
Friday, June 27, 2008
Headmaster's Update: June 2008
Dear Parents and Friends of Chesterton Academy:Summer is here! A time for rest, relaxation, fun and...summer reading! This is the time of year that I look forward to because I can do some leisurely reading. A friend recently remarked that this summer he was picking up Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales for the first time; alongside which he was going to read Chesterton's biography of Geoffrey Chaucer. This reminded me of a great line by Mr. Chesterton:
You can find all the new ideas in the old books; only there will you find them balanced, kept in their place, and sometimes contradicted and overcome by other and better ideas. The great writers did not neglect a fad because they had not thought of it, but because they had thought of it and of all the answers to it as well. (The Common Man, p. 23)
Whenever I read Chesterton, I'm continually amazed at how right he is--even 100 years later! How true it is that many of our modern writers are stuck in a particular fad! Preoccupations with sex, environmental awareness, diversity, etc. are standard fare in the modern literary entree. Sadly, these fads oftentimes extend to many of our schools and their required reading lists. "Relevance to modern life" (whatever that may mean) trumps the true, the good and the beautiful. G.K. Chesterton challenged these modern fads and Chesterton Academy continues to do the same!
The 27th Annual G.K. Chesterton Conference: Orthodoxy Centennial. If ever there was a counter-cultural event, the annual conference of the American Chesterton Society is it! This year's conference was a great success and the attendees (from all over the country, nay, the world!) displayed a spirit of Christian joy that, to my mind, is unparalleled. Chesterton Academy hosted a small group session during the conference where the faculty spoke to a full room of interested parents and supporters. As always, our faculty members were inspirational with their thoughts and insights on the curriculum and the upcoming school year. I am honored to be surrounded by such colleagues!
Interestingly enough, a reporter from the Wall Street Journal attended the conference to report on "this guy recently quoted by Mike Huckabee and John McCain." She interviewed Dale Ahlquist at length about G.K. Chesterton and she also took great interest in Chesterton Academy. She subsequently interviewed me for an hour about the school, our curriculum, and our philosophy. Perhaps we will be featured in the near future! I'll keep you posted!
Summer Reading: Speaking of books, our students recently received their assignments for summer reading. Our ninth graders will be reading C.S. Lewis's classic, The Screwtape Letters, and our tenth graders will be reading Chesterton's apocalyptic novel, The Ball and the Cross. Both books provide much intellectual and spiritual succor and are also very enjoyable to read! (I highly recommend both to our parents and supporters as well!) The students will be tested on these books during the first week of classes in September. Study guides will be available at http://www.chestertonacademy.org/ after June 30.
Demolition Days. SAVE THE DATES!! July 11-12, 2008 will be the days when we need the assistance of our students and their families to help begin the renovation process at the Eliot Community Center. Under the guidance of our contractor, Gary Tuppe, father of 12 and solid Catholic, we will be gutting the place. The rest of July will then be spent rehabbing the location. Subsequent to the "Demolition Days" we will need parent, student, and sibling volunteers to help paint and beautify our classroom during the month of July. These will be great opportunities to get to know the school community and the pioneering families of Chesterton Academy. (The Headmaster will likely spring for pizza and drinks!) Information regarding meeting times will be forthcoming.
Chesterton Academy Faculty/Family BBQ: SAVE THE DATE!! Chesterton Academy Founders, Tom Bengtson and Dale Ahlquist invite all admitted students and their families along with the faculty to a BBQ at the Ahlquist home the evening of Tuesday, August 5, 2008. More information will be forthcoming on this event.
Finally…
Chesterton Academy is in need of some classroom items. We are humbly seeking the generosity of our friends in this endeavor. Needs include: furniture, bookshelves (for the best library in town!), artwork and other items. I will be emailing a "wish list" in the next two weeks. If there is something that you wish to donate, please contact me.
Applications are still being accepted for Chesterton Academy's inaugural year! If you know anyone who may be interested please have him contact me at john.m.dejak[at]gmail[dot]com or via telephone at 612.619.0039. Prospective students and their families can also peruse our application on our website at http://www.chestertonacademy.org/apps.htm. Also, please check our website's "News Section" for updates and the latest information: http://www.chestertonacademy.org/news.htm.
As this month dedicated to the Sacred Heart draws to a close, please be assured of our continued prayers for you and your families to Our Lord's Most Adorable Heart.
In Domino,
John M. DeJak
Headmaster
Chesterton Academy
Monday, June 9, 2008
Chesterton Conference
Don't forget! This week is the American Chesterton Society's Annual Conference. Be sure to visit here for a full schedule of events. Chesterton Academy will be featured at one of the small group sessions at 2:30pm on Saturday, June 14, 2008. See you there! Saturday, May 31, 2008
Headmaster's Update: May 2008
May 31, 2008Dear Parents and Friends of Chesterton Academy:
In 1932, G.K. Chesterton observed something about modern education in America:
It can be stated in half a hundred different ways, but perhaps the simplest way of stating it is to say that a perfectly vigorous and intelligent young American, equipped with all the latest devices of mechanics and chemistry, bursting with all the latest business tips about salesmanship and mass psychology is not an educated man. He is not educated because he has only been educated in modern things, and not even in all mortal, let alone all immortal things. In a word, he has not been made acquainted with human things, and that is what we mean when we say that he has neglected the humanities.
Not much has changed in over 70 years! On May 22, 2008, Chesterton Academy had an informational meeting at our first home, the Eliot Community Center in St. Louis Park. There we introduced our fine faculty. Answering Mr. Chesterton's critique of modern education in America, our faculty spoke well of their intent to acquaint our students with "human things!" Truly, that is the goal of Chesterton Academy--an integrated education at the service of the culture of life. We have no better model in such an approach than Mr. Chesterton himself. On behalf of our faculty, I wish to thank all who promoted our meeting and all those who came. It was a wonderful evening.
Information for Admitted Students and Parents. With the summer months upon us, Chesterton Academy will continue to communicate with our parents and admitted students in preparation for the academic year. Initial matters to be addressed will be our tuition and fee schedule, uniform policy and purchasing information, and summer reading materials. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
The Finest Library in the Twin Cities! In past updates, I mentioned the generosity of many individuals who have donated books to Chesterton Academy. Once again our school is the beneficiary of the tremendous generosity of others, this time from the Society of Jesus. Several weeks ago, I traveled to Chicago at the invitation of Fr. Raymond Baumhart, S.J. Fr. Baumhart was President of Loyola University Chicago from 1970-1994. Currently, he is the special assistant to Francis Cardinal George, the Cardinal-Archbishop of Chicago. The Jesuit Residence building is the old residence on the campus of Loyola University Chicago where the older professed Fathers have traditionally resided. The building is scheduled for demolition this summer due to new construction on campus. As a result, Fr. Baumhart generously extended an invitation to Chesterton Academy to take whatever books would be appropriate for our students from the House Library. As you can well imagine, I felt like young Jim Hawkins happening upon the treasure in Stevenson's Treasure Island. There were some tremendous volumes and we obtained close to 15 boxes of books from the Jesuits at Loyola! It was also a bittersweet time as I spent some of my most formative educational years in that house. While most of my old Jesuit professors have died, the residence and its library were a reminder of those wonderful years of intellectual richness.
On the same trip I also visited several others who generously donated books to the school. Another fine Jesuit priest, Fr. Daniel Flaherty, S.J., donated some wonderful volumes from Canisius House, the Jesuit Writers' residence. Fr. Flaherty co-wrote With God in Russia and He Leadeth Me with Fr. Walter Ciszek, S.J. (Fr. Ciszek's cause for canonization is being considered in Rome.) Currently, Fr. Flaherty is the Treasurer of the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus. Yet another Jesuit I visited in Chicago was Fr. George Lane, S.J., President and Publisher of Loyola Press. Loyola Press (formerly Loyola University Press) publishes the Latin series authored by Fr. Robert Henle, S.J. Chesterton Academy will be using this series for our Latin instruction. Fr. Lane was very supportive of our efforts and also donated some additional books that will be helpful to our faculty and staff. Finally, Mrs. Dorothy Unger, sister of Fr. Baumhart, donated a full set of hardbound volumes of The Great Books Collection published by the University of Chicago.
Truly these donations were overwhelming and the Jesuits in Chicago along with Mrs. Unger will always be remembered in Chesterton Academy's prayers and Masses.
Father Pacwa Visits. Speaking of Jesuits, another Chicago Jesuit was in town and it was none other than EWTN personality and Chesterton Academy Advisory Council member, Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J. Father was in the Twin Cities as the keynote speaker for the Minnesota Homeschoolers Conference. The American Chesterton Society and Chesterton Academy were also in attendance and shared information to parents about the school. After the session on Friday, Fr. Pacwa visited with members of Chesterton Academy's Board and had a relaxing evening that included scotch and cookies. Of course, bearing in mind the line of G.K. Chesterton (and extending it to a fine single malt from the Isle of Islay): "We should thank God for beer and burgundy by not drinking too much of them." We had a wonderful time and Father is delighted at our progress and continues to offer us his intellectual expertise in forming the theology curriculum and, most importantly, his prayers.
Finally...
The 27th Annual G.K. Chesterton Conference: Orthodoxy Centennial. I encourage all to come to this great event for young and old alike. Chesterton Academy will be featured at a small-group session on Saturday, June 14, 2008, at 2:30pm. This would be a great time to attend if you missed our informational meeting in May or if you know others who would be interested. You can check out the conference schedule at the American Chesterton Society's website.
Applications are still being accepted for Chesterton Academy's inaugural year! If you know anyone who may be interested please have him contact me at 612.619.0039. Prospective students and their families can also peruse our application on our website. Also, please check our website's "News Section" for updates and the latest information.
Please continue to remember Chesterton Academy in your prayers and Masses. Be assured of our prayers for you and your families.
In Domino,
John M. DeJak
Headmaster
Chesterton Academy
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Chesterton Academy Informational Meeting
Chesterton Academy would like to invite parents and students and friends to an informational meeting on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at 7:00pm with the Founders, Headmaster, and Faculty at Eliot Community Center 6800 Cedar Lake Road, St. Louis Park, MN 55426.For more information call 612-619-0039.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Headmaster's Update: April 2008
April 29, 2008Dear Parents and Friends of Chesterton Academy:
I recently came upon a lecture delivered by the great 20th century Thomist, Etienne Gilson, entitled "The Eminence of Teaching." The lecture describes what it means to teach and what teachers actually do when they teach and teach well. Permit me to quote a portion:
Maius est contemplata aliis tradere quam solum contemplari: it is a greater thing to distribute to others what one has contemplated than only to contemplate. What life, then, could be more noble than that of a teacher, if it achieves in its perfection the unity of action and of contemplation?...[O]nly the teaching of the Gospel remains what it is, and when all is said and done, Mary has still chosen the better part. Who would deny this? Certainly not Thomas Aquinas, for he was not trying to be clever; as usual, he was simply trying to say the truth. And the truth is that if there has been a teaching of the Gospel, there must also have been a teacher. Not this time St. John Baptist de la Salle, nor St. Albert the Great, nor St. Thomas Aquinas, but He better than whom no man can ever pretend to do: the teacher and the divine model of all teachers; namely, Christ.
After a brilliant philosophical explicatio (as was his custom), Gilson ends his lecture with this paragraph. It very much struck me as it mirrors what we look for in our children's teachers: men and women who model themselves on Christ. This is a solemn obligation and a continual work in progress. As parents and teachers we must constantly struggle in our daily lives to better conform ourselves to the Divine Teacher Himself.
In light of these beautiful words by Gilson, I am honored to formally announce the inaugural faculty for Chesterton Academy! These talented men and women are faithful Catholics, tremendous intellects, and, teachers! James Mills will teach Math, Science and Music Theory. Laura Ahlquist and Jean Matheny will be teaching Art History and Studio Art. Alyssa Bormes will teach Theology and Public Speaking, Richard Vigilante will teach Philosophy, and Ann DeJak will teach Music and Choir. In addition to administrative and disciplinary duties, I will be teaching Latin, History and Ancient Literature. Finally, I mustn't forget Dale Ahlquist who will teach the "Chesterton Capstone" at the end of the year. Read about our stellar faculty here.
We have a Facility! I am also delighted to announce that Chesterton Academy has its first home--The Eliot Community Center 6800 Cedar Lake Road in St. Louis Park. In addition to classroom space, the building has a theater and a gymnasium. In the upcoming months, contractors will rehab our classroom space and we hope to have an open house in our newly refurbished classroom space as soon as possible.
Save the Date! We invite our parents, admitted students, friends and all others interested in Chesterton Academy to an informational evening at the Eliot Community Center tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at 7:00pm. We will meet in the auditorium, introduce our faculty, view our new home and answer any and all questions. This meeting will also be an opportunity for those who have not yet heard of Chesterton Academy to visit with us and learn more about the school. We will send a follow-up announcement after all the logistics have been arranged.
The 27th Annual G.K. Chesterton Conference: Orthodoxy Centennial. This wonderful event is especially significant this year because it commemorates the 100th anniversary of G.K. Chesterton's book Orthodoxy which was instrumental in the conversions of countless people to the Catholic faith. It is all the more significant for the fact that this is the inaugural year of Chesterton Academy! I encourage all to come to this great event for young and old alike. There will be talks by noted scholars, songs, games, a banquet dinner and (of especial interest to the dads) FREE BEER! Check out the conference webpage here for more details.
Applications are still being accepted for Chesterton Academy's inaugural year! Prospective students and their families can peruse our application on our website here. Also, please check our website's "News Section" for the latest information.
Please continue to remember Chesterton Academy in your prayers and Masses. Be assured of our continued prayers for you and your families. We have much to be thankful for.
In Domino,
John M. DeJak
Headmaster
Chesterton Academy
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Headmaster's Update: March 2008
March 27, 2008Dear Parents and Friends,
Resurrexit sicut dixit! Alleluia! Happy Easter from Chesterton Academy! It is my sincere hope that this season of Our Lord’s Resurrection brings peace and joy to you and your families. It is opportune during this season to give thanks for all the blessings that Chesterton Academy has received over the past several months. This is the first monthly update that I will be sending to parents and friends of the school to give reports on our progress and development. Chesterton Academy has much to be thankful for and we are delighted to report such good news to our supporters. I believe that it is also important to keep everyone engaged. This is your school and the pioneering families and supporters will help form this institution and the traditions that will mark it in years to come.
Recruiting. I am pleased to say that our recruiting efforts have gone well and that there is a tremendous amount of interest in Chesterton Academy. I have given talks to many groups all over the Twin Cities and I have had the pleasure of meeting with families individually and in their homes. I am pleased to report that we have accepted a group of students for our inaugural year and I continue to meet with more families and prospective students. Applications are still being accepted. If you know anyone who may be interested please have them check our website for further information. http://www.chestertonacademy.org/apps.htm
Advisory Council. The Chesterton Academy Advisory Council was announced by the Board of Directors on February 29, 2008. The purpose of the Advisory Council is to provide spiritual and intellectual support to Chesterton Academy and its faculty, students, and families. We are humbled that these generous men and women have taken such an interest in our school and we include them in our prayers. The members of this august group include Sr. Joseph Andrew Bogdanowicz, O.P., Mrs. Mary Ann Kuharski, Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J., Prof. Charles E. Rice, and Mr. Joseph Scheidler. In addition to the original members, we are happy to announce our newest member of the Advisory Council: Fr. Joseph Fessio, S.J. Fr. Fessio joined the Advisory Council on March 25, 2008 and we are honored to have his support. I have enclosed the biographies of our Advisory Council members for your perusal.
Media Coverage. Chesterton Academy has been covered by the Catholic Press in several recent articles. The January/February 2008 edition of Gilbert Magazine--the magazine of the American Chesterton Society--was dedicated to G.K. Chesterton's thought on education. Founder Dale Ahlquist penned an article entitled "Introducing Chesterton Academy" in the issue and introduced our school formally to a nationwide audience. In February, Dale also authored an article for the The Catholic Servant entitled "Chesterton Academy will teach students how to defend the Faith" and Paul Likoudis authored "Lay Catholics Launch the Chesterton Academy in the Twin Cities" for The Wanderer. The latter two articles may be viewed on our website's News Section here: http://www.chestertonacademy.org/news.htm. Be sure to check the website often for the latest news.
Library. As a result of the coverage we have received in The Wanderer and The Catholic Servant (in addition to personal contacts), several generous people from across the country have decided to donate books to help the school start a library. I would like to publicly acknowledge the generosity of Mrs. Frances Farrell from Wisconsin, Miss Sue Gorski from Illinois, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Likoudis from New York, and Mrs. Carol Suhr from Arizona. All of these individuals have our heartfelt thanks and prayers for their wonderful commitment to our school and their generous donation to the education of our students. We will remember all of these generous people in our prayers and Masses.
I am finalizing the composition of our faculty and will formally announce them in next month's update. Similarly, we are finalizing our location (still!) and I hope to formally announce that as well in the April Update. Please continue to check our website for news and updates http://www.chestertonacademy.org/news.htm. If there are any questions that you may have please feel free to contact me at john.m.dejak[at]gmail[dot]com or you may call me at 612.619.0039. Please continue to remember Chesterton Academy in your prayers and Masses. Be assured of our continued prayers for you and your families.
In Domino,
John M. DeJak
Headmaster
Chesterton Academy