Over this past year, as I have become more committed to the development of Mater Boni Consilii Academy, My understanding of the mission MBCA brings to Ontario and the Halton Region has deepened.
More than just being an independent Catholic school, through the lens of Integral Formation©, MBCA is participating in the new evangelization of the Church. I am happy to share that this past January 2022, MBCA has officially become affiliated with RC Education and is on the path to full accreditation.
RC Schools are unique among Catholic schools. They have a culture, structure, roles, staff members, nomenclature, and a charism that is entirely different from other schools. Every RC school has a unique community, with inherent attributes, strengths, and areas for growth. I had the opportunity to see this first hand while visiting Clear Water Academy,(CWA) in Calgary, AB this past February.
I have never visited any other province outside of Ontario, so when I was discerning to make the trip CWA in Calgary, I thought I would make it a road trip. Below are some pictures from the drive. Much of it after Ontario is flat all across Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Thankfully the weather was good, besides my one night in Winnipeg at -40°C! Nonetheless, the 36 hour drive was completed in 3 days and 2 nights.
At Clear Water Academy, I was greeted and accompanied by RC Education's Executive Director, Margaret Matthews. I spent a week meeting, learning, and observing from CWA's leadership team; learning from their experiences, developments and gaining a better insight into the operations of an RC School. The valuable experiences from sitting with the Head of School, Principal, Executive Director, and Formation Directors provided a broader perspective into implementing each of the 4 Dimensions of Integral Formation©.
I wanted to ensure I had a wholesome understanding of CWA's operations not just within the school's walls but also with the rest of the community and its constituents. His Excellency, Bishop William McGrattan, took the time to sit with me and share the Diocese's relationship to the school community. He offered suggestions to encourage the growth of MBCA's relationship to our own Diocese and parishes alongside guidelines for protecting the integrity of the school's Catholicity.
Among all the wisdom that was shared with me - going deeper into the principles of RC School Boards, the profile of an RC Educator, role descriptions and much more - I also made sure to enjoy time for myself in the beautiful province. I made sure to fulfill one of my bucket list items and took the drive to Banff. Stopping in Canmore, Banff and Lake Louise, it was breathtaking to see the grandeur of God's creation. Enjoy the pictures!
I am very grateful for this networking opportunity at CWA, in the city of Calgary. Now with my return, I look forward to bringing together our team at MBCA to continue to move forward with further support from RC Education and the network of 150+ RC Schools around the world.