Page 3 - Priorities #42 2009-January

From the Head of School
Our Class of 2009 has received early acceptances to a number of highly esteemed local and national universities, and there are six members of the class who have been honored by the National Merit Scholarship as commended, semi-finalist or finalist.
Our academic program and curriculum continues to prepare our graduates for college and life beyond.
When I talk about the Priory at our Open Houses for prospective students, I mention that we are a truly unique school:
• As a Catholic school we are one of the few that still have monks active in their ministry.
• We are an International school with 49 young people in our boarding program from all over the world enriching the lives of their classmates.
• With 17 homes and 2 apartments we provide housing for 27 staff and their families who live on campus 24/7 and create a community of dedicated lay people.
• We are located on 52 acres of land in Portola Valley one of the most beautiful areas of Northern California.
We are, as Father Egon said in a newspaper article a few years ago, An American Miracle!
Thanks for all you have done and continue to do to allow us to keep the spirit of this Benedictine school alive in the hearts and minds of so many. On behalf of the Monastic community, the faculty and staff, we are grateful for your prayers and support. Happy New Year!
I continue to be humbled by the great generosity of the Priory community ...
Dear Priory Community,
Welcome to 2009, a
year I hope will be
filled with many
blessings for you and your
family! Our blessings include a
dedicated monastic community
who are influential role models
for each and every one of us, a
supportive parent community
who give of their time, talent
and treasure to ensure the
viability of this Benedictine school, and a wonderful student body and staff who amaze me with the gifts they possess and share with each other.
In this issue of Priorities we have dedicated a special page to our beloved Monks – Father Martin, Father Pius, Father Maurus and Brother Edward – and will continue to do so in each upcoming issue. Each issue will contain a letter from one of the monks along with pictures of them on campus. I hope you enjoy this addition.
In Chapter 64 of The Rule of St. Benedict, Abbots are warned to steward resources, human and material, with care and consideration for our world. Tending to environmental issues is the natural nexus between faith and reason, between science and humanities, and between humans
and creation — a position we prize highly at the Priory. The addition of our 135kwh solar system on campus is just one example among many that demonstrates our commitment to being good stewards of the environment. These panels have been placed on three roofs (lower classroom, upper dorm and Science) and on one ground mount on the hillside below the monastery. This system of alternative energy will offset our current electrical bill by as much as 50%.
Sincerely,
Tim Molak Head of School
In Chapter 64 of The Rule of St. Benedict, Abbots are warned
to steward resources, human and material, with care and consideration for our world.
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