FAITH FORMATION IN THE CATHOLIC TRADITION

CHRIST IN THE WORLD: FIDELITY TO THE MAGISTERIUM
“Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth—in a word, to know himself—so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves.”
— Pope Saint John Paul II, Fides et Ratio (1998)
Saint Michael the Archangel Catholic High School is the Fredericksburg area’s only secondary education institution recognized by the Diocese of Arlington based on our fidelity to the Sacred Magisterium and our willingness to live our Catholic faith fearlessly in the public square.
Not all of our students are Catholic. Every student that graduates from SMHS Catholic will emerge with a clear understanding of what Catholics understand our faith to be and how to explain that faith in the world.
Our Catholic identity is what defines us from other private non-diocesan schools precisely because we link the development of each student to three principles: faith formation, academic formation, and physical conditioning.
Our mission at SMHS Catholic is to create strong men and women ready to fearlessly defend their faith, secure in who they are and why they believe what we believe. Today more than ever in a hostile world, we must ex ducare (the Latin root for education, to lead forth) young men and women confident in their faith and excited to be WARRIORS for Christ.
DAILY PRAYER
Daily prayer is the centerpiece of our day at SMHS Catholic. Every morning, the student body prays as one for the success of the day.
WEEKLY MASS
Every week, SMHS Catholic celebrates the Holy Mass as one, with Catholic students receiving the Holy Eucharist and non-Catholic students invited to participate with the community and with respect to the Blessed Sacrament.
FRIDAY ROSARY
The mysteries of the Holy Rosary are the centerpiece of any sound Catholic formation. Students are invited to join us in this devotional exercise on Fridays as we place our hearts and minds in the presence of the Lord and his mother.
CULTURE OF LIFE STUDIES PROGRAM (CLSP)
American Life League’s award winning curriculum program is an educational initiative that gives educators the tools they need to teach about pro-life topics and the sanctity of every human being’s life in every subject and at every grade level. You can learn more about CLSP by clicking here.
FAITH FORMATION IN EVERY CLASS
Not only does SMHS Catholic focus on Sacred Studies for all grades, but in every classroom and at every time, we set the example of Catholic discipline and perspective while fearlessly presenting the truths of faith and reason.
STUDENT SERVICE PROJECTS
SMHS Catholic focuses on making sure our students participate in the world, not of the world. Whether it is helping the poor or assisting our local pregnancy resource centers, SMHS Catholic challenges every student to think of the Beatitudes as a way of living. “You might be the only Christ someone sees today…”
FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES (FCA)
Christ is the center of everything we do at SMHS Catholic. Just as with our academics program, our athletics program strives every day to create strong, faith-filled men and women willing to stand up for their faith.
SPEAKERS SERIES
Given our proximity to Washington D.C. and our unique role in the Catholic world, SMHS Catholic has brought a number of top-level Catholic leaders from across the nation to speak to our student assembly.