Ursuline Academy

Ursuline is very pleased to announce a special service/enrichment opportunity to Lourdes, France, for a rising senior and a faculty member this summer.

David Ripsom, one of our Board of Trustee members, and his children wished to honor and recognize a faculty or staff member and a student who exemplify the Serviam spirit and the core values of Ursuline Academy by offering them a one-week pilgrimage trip to Lourdes, France, this July. Airfare and lodging will be completely covered.

The Ampleforth Lourdes Pilgrimage is quite special, as the participants accompany sick and disabled people to Lourdes. The volunteer helpers care for the hospital pilgrims throughout the week by attending to sick and disabled pilgrims in wheelchairs, helping in the hospital (making beds, cleaning floors, moving the pilgrims), visiting the Grotto where Our Lady appeared to St Bernadette in 1858, participating in the Masses and processions, and visiting the baths. Not only is the week an unforgettable spiritual and service experience for all who go, it also, and very importantly, enables caregivers and families back home to have a much-needed break.

Its focus is a truly service-oriented experience organized by the Ampleforth School in Northern England. This is a Benedictine school, and a good number of Ampleforth students and recent graduates participate in the pilgrimage.

Mr. Ripsom has gone on this pilgrimage and found it to be a very powerful experience. There is also social time, and Lourdes is a beautiful city that the recipients will be able to tour and enjoy.

We asked our faculty, staff, and Junior students to nominate in writing one faculty or staff member and a student who fit the following criteria:

1) Exemplify the Serviam spirit in all that they do, both in service to the community as well as toward each other here at Ursuline.

2) Live the core values of UA, which are academic excellence, emphasis on the individual and the whole person, women as leaders, family spirit and community, service and social consciousness, curriculum integrated with Christian values, and religious education, in the spirit of St. Angela Merici.

The nominations we received were excellent and the decisions were difficult. Congratulations to the individuals who have won:

2009

Courtney Seitz ‘10

Shaina Rafal ‘01 (MS Language Arts and Religion teacher)

2008

Jackie Desch ‘09

Christine Zane ‘09

Susan Buono (2nd grade teacher)

We thank those who took the time to write letters of nomination. They were well thought out, thorough, and captured the real spirit of each person.

We thank and honor all the nominees for the example they set for us each and every day.