St. Gregory's Academy

St. Gregory's Academy was an all-male Roman Catholic boarding school in Elmhurst, Pennsylvania, operated by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP). Founded in 1993, it offered a traditional Catholic liberal arts education rooted in spiritual, intellectual, and physical formation. Students participated in daily Latin Mass and communal prayer, studied classical literature and philosophy, and engaged in athletic and cultural programs such as rugby, music, and folk arts.

The school adopted an educational philosophy influenced by the Integrated Humanities Program at the University of Kansas and sought to instill Catholic virtue through immersion in the good, the true, and the beautiful. It became known for its close-knit community, poetic curriculum, and a distinct emphasis on brotherhood and spiritual growth. The school closed in 2012 after 19 years of operation.

Campus History

The Elmhurst campus had a long institutional history prior to housing St. Gregory's Academy. Built in 1923 by the Greek Catholic Union, the site originally served as *St. Nicholas Orphanage*, operated by the Sisters of St. Basil the Great. In 1948, it became *Our Lady of Fatima Orphanage* under the Roman Catholic Diocese of Scranton. The orphanage later transitioned into the *Our Lady of Fatima Retreat Center*, which served diocesan youth and retreat groups until the late 1980s.

In 1993, the Diocese sold the vacant property to the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. St. Gregory's Academy was established on the site that same year, repurposing the facility for academic, residential, and liturgical use.

Academics and Student Life

The academy offered a classical curriculum for boys in grades 9–12. Students studied Latin, literature, theology, philosophy, history, and the arts. Extracurricular activities included choir, drama, woodcraft, and a performing juggling troupe. All students lived on campus under faculty supervision, with limited access to technology to foster communal life and discipline.

Athletics, particularly rugby and soccer, were central to student life. The school’s rugby team won a Pennsylvania state championship, and alumnus Patrick Audino was named to the USA Eagles national rugby team.

Controversies

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, members of the Society of St. John (SSJ), a traditionalist clerical group, were permitted to reside and teach at the academy. In 2002, two SSJ priests—Fr. Carlos Urrutigoity and Fr. Eric Ensey—were accused of sexual misconduct involving students. A federal lawsuit alleged abuse, and a diocesan investigation confirmed violations of conduct policies. The Society was expelled from the property and later disbanded. While the academy's core faculty were not implicated, the episode led to criticism of administrative oversight during that period.

Closure and Legacy

In 2012, the FSSP announced it would close St. Gregory's Academy to refocus on priestly formation and parish missions.

Following the closure, former faculty and alumni established a new school, Template:URL, which graduated its first class in 2014. Though legally distinct, it follows the same educational model and re-acquired the original Elmhurst campus in 2017.

Philosophy

St. Gregory’s Academy drew inspiration from Pope Pius XI’s Divini Illius Magistri:

"The specific and immediate purpose of Christian education is to cooperate with divine grace in forming the true and perfect Christian… the true Christian, the product of Christian education, is simply the supernatural man: the man who feels, judges and acts always and consistently in accordance with right reason enlightened by the example and teaching of Jesus Christ."