Starting Anew
Sisters Welcome Faith-Based Recovery High School to Monocacy Property
“When I walked off the stage and out the doors of Mullen Hall in 1974 as a graduate of St. Francis Academy, I never dreamed that 45 years later I would stand before these same doors to welcome another academy,” Sister Bonnie Marie told those gathered for the grand opening of Kolbe Academy on August 26, 2019.
fall 2019 signals a time of renewal at Monocacy Manor – for Mullen Hall and for the students who will attend school there as the inaugural class of Kolbe Academy, the first faith-based recovery high school in the nation.
Our sisters have joined with the Diocese of Allentown to welcome the innovative program that caters specifically to teens recovering from substance abuse by surrounding them with supportive services and a nurturing learning environment.
It’s a perfect fit. “The Sisters’ Mission and our Charism compel us to minister according to the signs of the times and the needs of the church,” Sister Bonnie Marie Kleinschuster said in her welcoming remarks at Kolbe’s grand opening on August 26. “In 1974, my fellow graduates and I were well prepared by the sisters at SFA to face the world … to succeed … to thrive! But the signs of the times now, in 2019, demand a different response to adequately serve the needs of our youth.”
Kolbe’s specialized staff serves children in grades 9 to 12 and operates with rolling enrollment so teens can enter at any time. Our own Sister Frances Marie Duncan serves on the academy’s board of directors.
“We are proud of Bishop Alfred Schlert and the Diocese for their courageous commitment to educating the total person,” Sister Bonnie Marie said, “for giving the students their best chance at not just surviving in their world, but thriving and loving life for the gift that it is.”