Greetings
FROM OUR PRINCIPAL Dear Friends of Mount de Sales Academy, We can all agree that the world as we know it drastically changed in March 2020. Throughout it all, Mount de Sales Academy has remained a beacon of hope for our community, and we are grateful for our ability to continue serving our students. In this season of Thanksgiving, it is good to recognize the many blessings we have received here at MDSA over this last year, especially the blessing of our generous donors named in this Annual Report of Donors. To that end, I would like to share the top ten blessings I have seen this year at Mount de Sales: 1. We have experienced tremendous goodwill in others to build and unify our community. 2. In-person human interaction is valued more than ever. 3. Technology is recognized more as a tool than an end in itself, and we prefer personal interaction more than ever. 4. Young people have developed resilience with a clearer sense of priorities. We all value more what is truly important, even in simple ways! 5. The change of pace has made us reevaluate and align our routines in healthier ways. 6. We have grown in a deeper sense of self-knowledge in the time spent with our families. 7. We have gained gratitude for the ability to participate in Mass, even from home, and it has given us awe and appreciation for the sacraments. 8. We have a profound sense of the fragility of health, a greater sensitivity to those who are sick, and empathy for others experiencing fear of COVID-19. 9. Small things that were once ordinary mean more, such as in-person learning, being together, or having sports. The ordinary has become extraordinary. 10. There has been a sense that we are all in this together, making things work in creative ways for each other. These blessings are a reminder that God promises that the trials we face are never without fruit. In the coming weeks, as you prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas, take courage and peace in remembering your blessings. Though the season may look very different this year, “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together� (Colossians 1:17). Sincerely in Christ,
Sister Mary Raymond, O.P.
Annual Report July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020 | 3
