Choosing a school for your son involves many considerations and questions. If faith is as important to you and your son as it is to us, a Catholic seminary school is the right choice. Here are 5 reasons why you should choose a Catholic seminary school for high school.

1. Catholic classrooms provide a safe space for open discussion of religion that public or non-faith-based schools do not.

St. Lawrence Seminary High School takes pride in the open discussion of religion in both the classroom setting and in Spiritual Direction meetings. Spiritual Direction is a place and a time to talk about a relationship with God and what that means. A Spiritual Director might ask about the student’s classes and activities, how he is taking care of himself, how he is getting along with his classmates, or how God is present in his life. The spiritual director will encourage the student to reflect upon all the experiences of his life and bring these to the meetings.

The whole process is a sacred sharing in the student’s life. Spiritual Directors will share their own thoughts, reflections, personal experiences and recommendations when appropriate to do so. Directors will challenge the students, when necessary, to take responsibility for each of their own questions, ideas and responses.

There is a significant maturing process during the course of the time the student is here. The first year sharing is quite general. In the junior and senior years, the meetings tend to be more in depth and a lot more questions about God are explored. Many more questions arise about religious life and the priesthood. The Director will support the student in times of discernment in whatever way is possible.

2. A student body who works daily to uphold strong values of God creates an extremely welcoming and inclusive atmosphere in the hallways.

Bringing together as diverse a population as St. Lawrence’s gives students the experience of living with people who are sometimes very unlike themselves. Our Values of Spirituality, Diversity, Social Skills, Knowledge and Safe Community work to build class camaraderie and acceptance. Dorm supervisors help guide students to this by promoting socials and other class activities. Living together helps students build meaningful and lifelong relationships with people from across the country (and globe) whom they may never have befriended in any other setting. This also mirrors the experience of living communally that they’ll likely experience in college. 

Students at St. Lawrence Catholic Seminary also learn to develop social skills and to form good friendships and healthy relationships with others while becoming closer to God. Students are taught leadership skills in order to build up their community and become role models to their peers through ministry.

3. Catholic seminary high schools are not only for wealthy families or the academically elite.

Here at St. Lawrence Seminary, we strive to keep the cost of our education as manageable as possible for the families we serve. We currently offer two types of financial aid. Need-based financial aid is available to domestic students only and tuition payment plans are available to all students, international and domestic. The generosity of our benefactors allows us to keep the charge for tuition, room and board much lower than other private schools. Learn more about the investment of a St. Lawrence Seminary education.

For a full breakdown of St. Lawrence costs, financial aid and the educational value of a St. Lawrence education, we encourage you to download The Guide to Financial Aid at St. Lawrence Seminary High School.

4. Attending a Catholic high school provides a well rounded, diverse and virtuous educational experience

Faith-based schools hold faith formation as an equally important value in the overall education of a person. Our academic programs at St. Lawrence seminary reflect and foster the values of Catholicism. We put strong emphasis on not only enhancing the students’ knowledge and understanding of the sciences and the arts, but also of religion. There is also an emphasis on the formation of a good conscience and moral character and the teaching of skills necessary to lead a moral and wholesome life.

5. Extracurricular activities like clubs, sports and community events thrive at a Catholic seminary school.

The sports and club programs offered at St. Lawrence also students to explore their talents and interests — whether they want to play a sport (like soccer or tennis), join an intramural (like volleyball or bowling), participate in a club (like International Club or Cooking Club), or develop their artistic talents (like in band, choir, forensics, or theater) — there is something for everyone. Those who get involved find those to be some of their most meaningful experiences! Our ministry programs are another way our students can join together in brotherhood. 

Catholic seminary schools provide much more spiritual and social value over a public school or private school. For more information about St. Lawrence Seminary, download our FREE Parent's Guide.

Note: This blog was originally published 01/18, updated 04/19 for accuracy.