SOLD
St. Angela Merici, foundress of the Ursuline Order and patroness of St. Angela's Academy and Alumnae, writes in her Last Legacy to her followers"
"Finally, take the greatest care that good directives given ... to be most diligently observed. And if, according to times and circumstances, the need arises to make new rules or do something differently, do it prudently and with good advice. And always let your principal recourse be to gather at the feet of Jesus, and there, all of you, offer most fervent prayers. For in this way, without doubt, Jesus Christ will be in your midst, and as a true good master, he will enlighten and teach you what you have to do."
We, the Ursuline Sisters, our Alumnae, families, and friends had been praying since the closure of St. Angela's Academy that someone would take over the facility and use it for a good purpose rather than see the complex be demolished.
On August 15, 2011, the Islamic College of British Columbia took possession of St. Angela's Convent and Academy and Sister Rosetta, former Executive Director, handed over the keys to Mohammad Tayyab, director. They are operating a boys' residential school. It is known as the "Islamic Academy of Saskatchewan" and is a registered independent school under the Saskatchewan Department of Education. They offer the academic program along with the studies of their Islam faith.
Over the years we have stressed that St. Angela's Academy was all about "educating for life." One of the ways to "educate for life" is to make people more open to and accepting of other cultures and religions. We need to distinguish between the terrible happenings we hear about in other parts of the world and see the good people who are trying to live upright lives and improve the lives of others.
In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 841, we read:
"The Church's relations with the Muslims: The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day."
Let us remember that we are one world and one family under one God.
Let us all continue to "LET OUR LIGHT SHINE."
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF ST. ANGELA'S ACADEMY
The Ursuline Order was officially established by St. Angela Merici on November 25, 1535, in Brescia, Italy. St. Angela chose St. Ursula, the recognized patroness of youth and learning, as the special patroness of her Company of young women who dedicated their lives to the Christian education of youth, especially of girls. St. Angela died in 1540. Her Company of women increased in number and spread to various parts of Europe. In l614 the Order was established in the city of Bordeaux, France, and from there it spread to Cologne, Germany.
In 1912 members of various religious orders came to Canada and among them were the Ursulines of Cologne. They served as educators in a parochial school in the parish of St. Joseph, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Guided by the Spirit, Mother Clementia Graffelder established a foundation in Prelate, Saskatchewan, in 1919, upon the invitation of Father Joseph Reidinger, O.M.I. On December 8, 1919, St. Angela's Convent, Prelate, was officially blessed. The Act of Incorporation of the Ursulines of St. Angela's Convent was passed in the Legislature of the Province of Saskatchewan on December 19, 1924.
The present Academy was part of the Convent complex, which had expanded over the years. In 1967 the Academy became eligible for private school funding by the Department of Education. In 1991 it was recognized in an Act of the Legislature as one of the eight independent historical high schools in the Province of Saskatchewan. On June 30, 2007, the Academy closed its doors due to the shortage of younger Sisters interested in education.
From the beginning, girls came to obtain an education for life, and some came with the intention of entering the Ursuline Order. We could accommodate a maximum of seventy to eighty girls. All were residential students.
St. Angela Newer St. Angela pointing to her followers to instruct other.
The first Convent
Mother Clementia, fourndress . Father Riedinger, co-founder
The first uniforms worn by the girls at St. Angela’s Convent