MADISON — St. Ambrose Academy (SAA) is thrilled to welcome Fr. Greg Ihm as our first chaplain.
Throughout its history, the Academy has been blessed by the generosity of many priests, and in particular, by the dedication of the three former and current pastors of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish: Msgr. Terrence Connors, Msgr. Donn Heiar, and Fr. Bart Timmerman.
The involvement of clergy in our mission of educating young Catholics is vital.
The Academy’s mission statement is predicated on the awareness that “all truth has its origin and end in the person of Jesus Christ.”
Priests are essential for us to offer regular access to the sacraments so that our students may grow in knowledge, love, and service of Christ and His Church as well as having their intellects formed through our strong classical academic formation.
The priests at St. Thomas Aquinas have made this possible for us all these years, and we extend our deepest thanks for their support.
A ‘new dawn’
As the Academy leaves the education wing of St. Thomas Aquinas, a new dawn arises!
Executive Director Joan Carey exuded, “We are eternally grateful to Bishop Hying for appointing Father Ihm as our chaplain. Father Ihm has a heart for young people, as witnessed by his work with the seminarians and his youthful joie de vivre. We could not ask for a better shepherd for our student sheep and the opportunities this appointment brings!”
Beginning this fall, Father Ihm will spend one day per week with St. Ambrose students, starting the day with Mass, hearing Confessions, offering spiritual direction, visiting classrooms, and other ways of being engaged with the community such as retreats or special events.
He will be working closely with SAA teacher Theresa Klinkhammer, newly appointed as the director of student ministries, who has been charged with helping guide the spiritual life of the school family.
Together, they will help students mature in their prayer habits and build a life of ever-increasing love of Jesus and desire to serve Him.
Goals also include developing our small group lectio divina/Bible study prayer groups and bringing regular opportunities for service, building community, and spiritual growth.
Looking forward
Father Ihm is excited for this new role: “I’m looking forward to seeing what the Lord wants to do with this time. St. Ambrose already has so much going for them and there’s a lot of opportunity for greater spiritual integration within the formation. It’s going to be fun because I’m not creating something, I’m assisting with what’s already done well.”
Having visiting priests say Mass for the students on other days of the week will be an important way to continue the sacramental life of the Academy, and we welcome any local priest who would like to spend time with these joy-filled youth in the Holy Mass.
Reach out to any member of the staff and be connected.
Educating in the faith
Educating and raising children in the faith is an essential work of the family and the Church.
Carey, a parent of six SAA alumni, knows well the challenges the modern world presents when striving to give children the very best preparation.
With hope, she looks towards the benefits of Father Ihm’s appointment: “As parents, our greatest hope is that our children’s faith will become ever more fully alive during their years at St. Ambrose as they grow daily in relationship with God. Under Fr. Ihm’s joyful care, our children will be invited to know and love Christ ever more deeply: to experience the life of Christ burning in their hearts, to grow in friendship with the saints and angels, to discover a hundred entry points into a living, breathing friendship with Jesus.”
In the classroom, SAA students are taught to use reason and intellect to study core subjects, preparing them academically and spiritually for a fulfilling life both now and in eternity.
With the new interim space and the new appointments adding to our already talented faculty and staff line-up, the coming year is one filled with excitement, hope, and great promise for the continued, powerful impact of Catholic classical education in this diocese.
Thank you, Bishop Hying, for your continued support and fatherly care of this young generation by blessing us with Father Ihm’s priestly presence in their lives!
Carolyn Averill is the advancement director for St. Ambrose Academy in Madison.