Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Guadalupe: Witnessing to Joy
“There was some one thing that was too great for God to show us when He walked upon our earth, and I have sometimes fancied that it was His mirth,” wrote G.K. Chesterton in his classic apologetic work, Orthodoxy.
Chesterton was a prolific English writer of the early 1900s and one of his well-known characteristics was JOY. His approach to all things, as demonstrated in his broad and varied writings, was through the Catholic lens of hope and joy. G.K. Chesterton is the patron of the new Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Guadalupe – Detroit, Mich. which plans to open this fall in Clinton Township, Michigan.
“Chesterton Academy of our Lady of Guadalupe wishes to transmit the faith and our intellectual tradition through this joyful faith-filled lens. The faith, when lived in authenticity and fullness, brings the gift and grace of joy. Young people are seeking such joy,” shares Alejandra Correa, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a classical, co-educational high school in the Catholic intellectual tradition. The school offers an integrated, broad liberal arts curriculum teaching from the Great Books in the Socratic method, which is a seminar-style class approach where students answer questions about a particular argument or theme. The goal is to allow students to examine all sides of a topic as well as discover what is true, good and beautiful in the world. Every day will begin with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and all teachers and staff must take an oath of fidelity to the Magisterium. Though Chesterton Academy is not an archdiocesan school, it will be operating in good faith with the Archdiocese of Detroit.
“Joy is contagious, and the staff and teachers of Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Guadalupe want to be living witnesses of this ‘gigantic joy’”
“If you would like an education that forms the whole person and places the Catholic faith at the center of all subjects, rooting everything in the Incarnation of Christ, then this is the high school for your family,” shares Alejandra. “We form young minds to strive for excellence and holiness. Our mission is to provide this kind of full-time high school experience which is otherwise only available locally through homeschool and hybrid programs. We strive to make tuition affordable, and financial aid is also available,” she continues.
“Joy is contagious, and the staff and teachers of Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Guadalupe want to be living witnesses of this ‘gigantic joy’ (as Chesterton wrote) that Christ brings to our lives. Contagious joy is the infinite remedy to the apathy that saturates our current culture. Jesus wants us to be filled with joy!” Alejandra shares.
In March, the James D. and Rosalie A. Miller and Friends of Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Guadalupe Scholarship Designated Fund was opened to support tuition assistance and the mission of the school.
“It has been a gift to work with the Catholic Foundation team in setting up our Donor Designated Fund. Angela explained clearly the details of how to set up different types of funds and was able to answer all of our questions. Partnering with the Catholic Foundation provides us with a great advantage and will allow us to reach donors we wouldn’t have been able to reach on our own. We feel confident that the Catholic Foundation will promote our mission with integrity and transparency in order to help us find the right partnerships with future donors and help us live our mission fully.” Alejandra shares.
“We feel confident that the Catholic Foundation will promote our mission with integrity and transparency in order to help us find the right partnerships with future donors and help us live our mission fully.”
Although Chesterton Academy’s tuition is one of the lowest tuition that will be offered in the metro Detroit area for a private high school education, some families will have a hard time paying the full cost (one year’s tuition of $6,000 plus books, fees and uniforms). The school seeks enthusiastic partners who are interested in supporting their Eucharistic-centered, joyful mission to help offer scholarships for its future student body.