Since March of this year, we have been directing our energies towards the possible acquisition of a former college campus property in the town of Mt. Carroll, Illinois.  This stunning campus encompasses  14 acres and includes 14 buildings in various stages of repair, some serviceable and most salvageable with the implementation of a prudent, long-range plan.

 

We invite you to view our Gallery of Photographs which capture the architecture and ambiance of this site.  Currently being evaluated for development by others within a 90-day time frame (scheduled to expire in September), we are hopeful that the site will be passed over and, by God's grace, our foundation be granted the opportunity to employ our time and energy in preparing the site for the College of St. Athanasius.  Join us through your prayers and generous donations by clicking on our Donate button or by sending us a check to:

                                                   

                                                     St. Athanasius Educational Foundation

                                                     611 Bradshaw St.

                                                     Dixon, IL    61021

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22 October 2018. 

       We have just begun our grass roots donor campaign, to coincide with the soon to begin, new liturgical year.  Included in this updated segment is a link to a downloadable donor document that can be printed out and used to send a donation via the regular mail.  We continue our efforts to gain a foothold for the College of St. Athanasius in the town of Mt. Carroll.  By the end of this month we expect to better know if we can, and indeed if we should, continue to expend more time and energy in this pursuit.  The success of our grass roots campaign will play a significant role in attaining some leverage in this pursuit, so please consider donating as generously as you can to our cause.  What better time to help us in our quest than to prepare your budget to aid us at the beginning of a new liturgical year. 

 

Thank you for your prayers and please consider aiding us by donating to our foundation.   

 

Tim Bratt-Board Member. 

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3 December 2018

 

We have launched our donor campaign, coinciding with the beginning of Advent and the new Liturgical Year.  We have already received nearly $500, and express our gratitude to those of you who have contributed thus far!

 

We have also just recently been blessed with acquiring the talent and expertise of Professor Brian McCall to write/develop the pre-law curriculum of our Letters Program.  In June of 2015, Professor McCall graciously endorsed our work, by letter, which can be read by link in our Past News/Updates.  His contribution is part of our continuing effort to structurally "flesh-out" the next three areas of study, as described on pages 12 through 16 of our Proposed Academic and Informational Bulletin; those three being the Justice & Authority, Agriculture, and Visual Art & Design programs.

 

As we move forward in laying the foundation of our academic offerings, we again ask you to join our effort by sending us a generous contribution to our foundation as well as praying for our cause, asking especially for the prayers of our Holy Mother Mary and our patron St. Athanasius, as well as for those of Archbishop Marcel LeFebvre, who holds so much in common with that great Doctor of our Lord's Holy Catholic Church.

 

Tim Bratt-Board Member

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5 January 2019

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Our donor campaign, being launched November last, is set to shift gears this month with, first, an interview in Catholic Family News (CFN), conducted by Editor-in-Chief, Brian McCall.  Catholic Family News is a traditional Catholic newspaper publication founded to proclaim the truths of Catholicism in an age (post Vatican II) of near epic confusion and disarray within the walls of Holy Mother Church, when sanity has never been more highly sought after.

 

Beginning in February, we'll be running a year-long (26 issues) advertisement for our foundation in the National Catholic Register, a conservative Catholic newspaper geared primarily to covering current news within the Church from an orthodox perspective.  They are owned by EWTN, and we expect this advertisement to allow our apostolate to become better known and funded.

 

Finally, we are also shifting gears in our quest for a location.  Our Picture Gallery has been altered to show, exclusively, the site of the former Mt. Carroll High School in Mt. Carroll, Illinois.  This site will again be assessed, in greater depth, in a feasibility study as soon as we know if the current owner(s) is still interested in a pursuing a sale (hopefully before the month is over).  

 

Please continue to pray for us, stay tuned for further updates, and please donate generously to our cause.

 

Tim Bratt-Board Member

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11 February 2019

 

Thank you to all who have so far contributed to our foundation in the early stages of our first donor appeal.  We are approaching $2500, and though it may seem small,  this amount represents the seeds of our cause, and used judiciously, like in the Gospel account of the stewards entrusted with their master's talents, will prove to generate an increasing interest and generosity in the growing Traditional Catholic sphere.  May our Lord's grace ever-multiply.

 

We have found that the owners of the old Mt. Carroll high school property, in which we have been interested in for quite some time, are asking $80,000 for the property, plus what they have paid, for the last four years, in taxes.  Pictures of the site are posted in our Picture Gallery.  The building is approximately 78,000 square feet of floor space, and occupies 4 acres of land in the heart of the city.  We are working on developing a feasibility study of the site, with the permission of the owners.  A local, professionally licensed, civil engineer has generously offered to help us with this study.  There is reason to believe that expansion of the site is possible, given the economic state of the community.  We will forge ahead on this front.

 

As always, keep us in your prayers and please be generous with your donations to our apostolate.

 

In Christ our Lord,

Tim Bratt-Board Member

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5 March 2019

 

It is now time to begin the most solemn of occasions in the Liturgical year of Holy Mother Church, that of the season of Lent.  Our penitential journey coinciding with this season begins tomorrow, Ash Wednesday.  Pertaining to the cause of our foundation, perhaps it is best to now reflect upon those things that we are in control of versus those that we have little or no control over.  One of those that we have control over, to a large extent, is the education of our offspring.  Those of us who have chosen to home-school our children may examine (or re-examine) the effectiveness of our efforts to date and thereby either stay the course or tweak what needs to be emphasized more clearly, concisely, or even deleted altogether.  

 

Those of you who are looking at a long range plan for your children in a post-secondary institution, I pray that you spend time perusing our website to ascertain if it offers what you value in a college education.  If so, please consider donating monetarily, praying or sacrificing spiritually or just spreading the news of our efforts to others who may do likewise.  

 

For the moment, we have found that the owners of the property that we spoke of last month are asking $90,000 for the site, which includes the amount that they have paid in taxes since they purchased it in 2015.  We have begun working on a site development plan that we hope to finish by the end of April, around Easter, the greatest of all Feast days!

 

Praying that your Lenten sojourn may be fruitful and discerning for the work of our apostolate,

 

Tim Bratt-Board Member

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1 April 2019

 

Greetings to all of you reading this monthly update.  Having reached the mid-point of our Lenten journey, we give thanks for the crosses that we have been granted in this life, for they allow us to become more and more familiar with the sufferings of our Savior and, thereby, become more Christ-like ourselves; and fear not, joy does await us if we but persevere to the end!

 

Our foundation continues to grow,  to the extent that an investment seed account has been started, intended to increase our funding stream for the opening of the doors of the College of St. Athanasius.  Our site development plan for the former high school campus in Mt. Carroll, Illinois, is also moving forward and the initial estimates expected to become known before the May 2 Feast Day of our Patron, St. Athanasius.  On May 4, I will be behind an informational table at the Catholic Family News Conference being held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 1750 Lake Cook Road, Deerfield, IL, to promote our work and answer questions pertaining to our apostolate...

 

Pertaining to our work, we pray that you will find it worthy of a generous donation.  Those of $1000 or more will be invested in our Seed Account.  Donations under that amount will continue to be used to promote our cause and expand our donor base.  To those who have already contributed, THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU!  Keep us prayerfully yours and stay tuned as we move ahead.

 

Tim Bratt-Board Member

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3  May  2019

 

Dear Friends and Benefactors,  changing gears in the formational machinations of a college start-up is, as it turns out, not an unexpected outcome of the process.  Gratefully, the Holy Ghost persists in "directing traffic", as it were, and charts the more prudent path.  Our foundation, therefore, has decided to forego an investment strategy (as spoken of last month) and pursue and expand our donor outreach and curriculum development programs with the generous contributions received thus far.  As our reputation and funding grows, so will our opportunities to invest, eventually moving, in the fullness of time, to the start-up of an endowment fund for the college.

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The preliminary site development estimates for Phase 1 of our proposed campus are finished, thanks to the efforts of Mr. Rob Spielman, a registered professional engineer who has graciously contributed his time and talents to our foundation.  The estimate includes the purchase price of the campus, upgrades to the mechanical, electrical and plumbing elements of the building, building renovations to the classrooms, library, gymnasium and cafeteria, needed paving and site demolition, new windows and doors, tuck pointing of the exterior brick while providing for contingency costs; all amounting to a total of 3.85 million dollars.  That calculates out to approximately $50 per square foot for a 78,000 square foot structure.  As a rule, an estimate of the amount cited is quite reasonable.   

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As we approach the great feast days of the Ascension of our Lord and Pentecost, we turn our attention to what is required of us as it relates to our state in life and what might be the state in life of our offspring as they grow, mature and approach adulthood.  Might it entail furthering their education at an institute of higher learning?  Might that institute be the College of St. Athanasius?

 

As St. Joan of Arc once said, "Act and God will act..."  Please do so by generously donating to the St. Athanasius Educational Foundation, securing for our offspring the place of higher learning envisioned at the College of St. Athanasius.

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Tim Bratt-Board Member

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12 June 2019

 

Dear Friends and Benefactors,  We now prepare to enter into the ordinary time of the Liturgical Year, pausing momentarily within the Octave of the Feast of Pentecost.  The Holy Ghost, having entered His Church, now seems to excel in His provision of graces, especially though, the actual graces which are made manifest to us day by day...all we need do is recognize them and cooperate.

 

Ordinary time reminds me of the coming days and weeks of labor ahead during the summer and fall; rolling up our sleeves daily, perhaps gardening, maintaining the home, recreating, helping our neighbors, practicing the spiritual and temporal works of mercy...and praying ceaselessly while living to please God.

 

Perhaps you may, while working and praying during these days and occasionally casting your gaze, when prudent, beyond the bounds of ordinary time, find it fitting to provide the St. Athanasius Educational Foundation with a generous monetary donation and prayer intention for our continued success, spiritually and temporally; helping us in our cause by making this ordinary time an extraordinary occasion of harvest, when the doors of such an institution are finally opened, blessing that time when a new Liturgical Year may find our children and grandchildren attending the College of St. Athanasius.

 

Tim Bratt-Board Member

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2 August 2019

 

The Rational appetite of man (a.k.a., our will) is a true gift of the genius of God our Creator.  Distinctly setting us apart as creatures of God from others of creation and virtually connecting us to the Divine, it grants to us the freedom to attain to the perfect will of God; thus our will is truly free when seeking to know and act on the will of God...otherwise we will find it under the coercion of the follies and foibles of men, enslaved to the flesh.

 

The St. Athanasius Educational Foundation has been established, as written of elsewhere on our website, to develop a funding stream for the founding of the proposed College of St. Athanasius.  It also has been working to develop a scope of academic studies that reflect an exercise of the free will, to the perfection of God, through first focusing on the created nature of man, in the Thomistic sense, and then extrapolating from that knowledge to establish the curricula set forth in our Proposed Academic and Informational Bulletin found in the Academics section of this website.  Please take the time to peruse this important document.

 

At some point, under ordinary circumstances, we will be faced with a choice that will likely determine what we will pursue as a livelihood in this life.  When connected to our created nature, the fruits of that choice will challenge us to know and pursue  the will of God, who created us for that very purpose.  This is the purpose of the education envisioned for the College of St. Athanasius, towards the pursuit of a livelihood that is rooted in our created nature and therefore pleasing to God.

 

Please help us to attain to the education envisioned for the College of St. Athanasius through your prayers and generous financial assistance.

 

Tim Bratt-Board Member 

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2 September 2019

 

Our 4th Quarter donor newsletter/appeal is now in the mail and our benefactors and prospective donors have been asked to continue, once again, with their gracious generosity, or to join our cause with their philanthropic zeal.  ALL levels of giving contribute in so many varied (and valuable) ways to our objective...the opening of the doors of the College of St. Athanasius; everything from the purchase of stamps, ink and paper, further curriculum development, advertising, procurement and development of a brick and mortar campus, along with the eventual search for key administrative personnel to prepare for the staffing of the school, and so much more.  Your contributions continue to move us forward, allowing us to continually reach out and expand our donor base.  We expect our mailing list to exceed 600 addresses by the start of the new Liturgical Year this December.

 

Looking ahead, Phase 1, 3-D computer drawings of our proposed campus location are being developed and are anticipated to be ready for viewing on our website by the middle of November.  Also, we expect to add to our Proposed Academic and Informational Bulletin (found under the "Academics" heading on our website) two more programs of study: Justice and Jurisprudence (pre-law) and Visual Arts, within the first part of the Liturgical Year.

 

Progress continues and we invite you to be a part of our quest through your financial generosity, your fervent prayers as well as your words of encouragement and/or insight, via our email links.

 

In continued gratitude,

Tim Bratt-Managing Board Member  

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1 October 2019

 

This month begins a feature in our News Updates that has, perhaps, been overdue for those who would like to know more about those who have contributed to the development of our proposal...the start-up of the College of St. Athanasius.  

 

It is profitable for us who do not know what we are doing to seek out those who do, whether they reside here on earth or in the Heavenly abode of the Church Triumphant.  One of the first of those who lent his talents to our quest and who resides with us on this side of Heaven is Donald Prudlo.  Mr. Prudlo graciously contributed his time in formulating the core curriculum found in our Proposed Academic and Informational Bulletin, under the Academic section of our website.  Link to his biography here https://utulsa.edu/catholic-studies-prudlo/  to find out more about him.  We are blessed to have his academic "DNA"  imprinted on our scholastic offerings thus far.

 

We are still on track to present a Phase 1, 3-D mock-up of the proposed campus of the college in mid-November.  It will be presented in a "flyover" format, allowing viewers to feel as if they are on a helicopter flight over the campus. Visitors to this website will visually experience the undertaking of campus preparation that we hope to embark upon.  We also hope that it will compel you to continue with your generous support, or join us in our quest with a first-time donation, gift or grant.

 

Kind regards and with continued gratitude,

Tim Bratt-Managing Board Member  

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5 November 2019

 

Our work continues as we keep the sleeves rolled up and prepare for the start of our second year of campaigning for the funds necessary to support our Phase 1 & 2 Priorities, shown 

 

Along with this challenge, we are preparing to unveil, as noted in last month's update, a visual depiction of the existing campus site along with the first phase, rehabilitated view, done in preparation for the eventual opening of the doors of the college.  This depiction should be ready for posting by the middle of this month.  The estimated cost?:  3.85 million dollars, as shown in this 

 

We also continue with of a revision our Proposed Academic and Informational Bulletin (shown under the "Academic" button link).  This revision will include the addition of two more academic majors: Justice and Jurisprudence (pre-law) and Visual Art and Design.  We are hopeful to have this completed by the end of January, 2020.

 

Finally, click          to read a biography of Mr. David Pedersen, who was instrumental in formulating the proposed music portion of our Music and Dramatic Arts curriculum for the college.  We are very grateful to have gained his trust and expertise for that endeavor.

 

Please continue to be generous with your financial support and thought & prayers as we continue the quest.

 

Gratefully,

Tim Bratt - Managing Board Member

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24 November 2019

 

Our 5th of November update mentioned that a depiction of an existing and phase-1 campus would be available for viewing by the middle of the month; however, some aspects of modeling process have delayed the viewing.  This merely means that it has been pushed back one or two weeks...stay tuned!

 

Tim Bratt - Managing Board Member

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27 November 2019

 

The existing campus "flyover" is complete and can be accessed below for viewing.  The plan view depicted first shows a detailed rendering of the proposed campus, including all 3 phases of our proposal for the ultimate college setting.  Activating the flyover allows you to see the 3-D scope of our project, as it now exists.  A Phase 1 rendition is already being worked on and should soon be available for viewing.  Stay tuned. 

 

Tim Bratt - Managing Board Member

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2 December 2019

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We continue this month with our introductions of those who have generously supported our efforts over the past several years.  This month we feature Mr. Joel Pidel.  Joel was one of the first to contribute by writing the Architecture curriculum featured in our Proposed Academic and Informational Bulletin found in the Academics section link of our website.  Click         to connect to his biography, and         to view his CV. We are grateful for his time, his energy and his talents.

 

If you haven't already seen the ATHANASIUS FLYOVER EXISTING,  check below to view the proposed location of the college campus.  The 3-D "flyover" will allow you to get a unique, isolated perspective of  the campus.  By the time that phase 3 is completed, it will encompass approximately 14 acres.

 

Please continue with your generous support, or join us now by sending us a tax deductible donation, gift or grant.  May His graces multiply.

 

Tim Bratt - Managing Board Member

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7 February 2020

 

Dear Viewers,

The month of January was passed over for the release of an update for a number of complicated, though not insurmountable reasons, had time not been one of them.  Thank God that we are able to continue with our February update.  This month our website has created a "Recongnitions" tab, which continues with our feature biographies of those who have found our cause worthy of their valuable talents.  Please take the time to peruse this link and acquaint yourself with those who have joined our quest.

 

Our Proposed Academic and Informational Bulletin is still undergoing revisions, but will not be completed as soon as we had anticipated.  Please stay tuned on this score as we hope to have them done by the end of March.  

 

Finally, at the bottom of this update page, you will find the completed flyover videos of the proposed site of the college, as spoken of in our December, 2019 Update.  As shown, the first is of the existing campus and the second is of our Phase 1 vision, at which time we will move towards the opening of the college.

 

Please continue to visit our website and help us with a generous donation to our quest.  Help us by making our quest yours.

 

Tim Bratt - Managing Board Member 

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15 March 2020

 

Dear Viewers,

Our update this month features (on our Recognitions page) a biography of Dr. Andrew Tadie, of Seattle University.  Dr. Tadie was one of our first curriculum contributors, drafting the  Catholic Culture and Literary Art  study program for the Proposed Academic and Informational Bulletin, which can also be viewed on our website's Academics page.  

 

As stated in several of our past updates, the Proposed Academic and Informational Bulletin is undergoing a revision.  As of this update, it is expected to be completed by mid to late April.  At that time, there will be two new study-programs to view:  Justice and Jurisprudence (pre-law) and Visual Art and Design.  If you would be interested in obtaining a hard-copy of our revised bulletin, send us an email and, for a nominal fee, we'd be happy to send a copy to you.

 

Our next quarterly newsletter/donor appeal will be sent out at the end of May.  At that time, we are expecting to be mailing over 1000 copies nationwide.  Pray for us in this endeavor and send us a generous donation/gift according to the merit that you find attached to our quest.

 

Graciously yours,

 

Tim Bratt - Managing Board Member

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12 April 2020

 

Dear Viewers,

 

Blessed Easter in the year of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, 2020!  The Easter Season begins, appropriately enough, with two items to announce:

 

First,our Recognitions page features a biography of Mr. Henry Wingate, a highly respected and talented professional artist who resides in the state of Virginia.  Mr. Wingate graciously accepted a request to draft our highly-prized Visual Art and Design curriculum and we are honored to unveil it on our Academics page.

 

Second, our revised Proposed Academic and Informational Bulletin, spoken about for the past several months, is now featured for viewing on the Academics page.  Two curricula have been added;  Justice and Jurisprudence (pre-law), and Visual Art and Design.  Please peruse the contents of both, which I'm sure will impress upon you the scholastic acumen of their authors and the reason we are so honored by their contributions.

 

Preparations are already underway, as spoken of last month, for the mailing of our 3rd quarter newsletter.  With over one-thousand readers on our mailing list, it is necessary to organize early for such an endeavor.  Perhaps as you read this, you'll find yourself getting excited yourselves, perhaps to the extent that the merit you find attached to our quest may move you to donate to our cause.  If so, please do.  Begin this beautiful Season of Easter by helping us move forward on this journey to open the doors of the College of St. Athanasius!

 

God's blessings on all of you,

 

Tim Bratt - Managing Board Member 

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17 May 2020

 

Dear Viewers,

 

St. Augustine said, "pray as if everything depended on God, and work as if everything depended on you", and so we continue with our labor at the St. Athanasius Educational Foundation.  Due to the continued generosity of our benefactors, we will be reaching out to over 1000 recipients of our newsletter/donor mailings for our 3rd Quarter at the end of this month.

 

We also are continuing to move forward with the development of the last 4 programs of study for the proposed college, those being:  Biology (pre-med), Philosophy of Education (teaching), Agriculture, and Culinary Arts and Horticultural Studies.  

 

Finally, our Recognitions page features a biography on one of our gifted advisors over the last several years, Chuck Oehler.  Chuck has often been our "go-to" man in navigating our course, assisting us where some questions of direction seem to have no answers.  His energy is both contagious and inexhaustible. 

 

Please keep up with us by visiting our website often.  Pray for us and donate generously to our quest.  Every contribution, large or small, energizes us in our labors.

 

God Bless all of you,

Tim Bratt - Managing Board Member

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16 June 2020

 

Dear Viewers,

 

We pray that, at this time of angst we are experiencing in the temporal realm, we seek solace for our discomfort by offering up sacrifice and prayers to our Lord and all the Heavenly kin in reparation for all that continues to pierce His Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of His Mother, Mary.

 

We continue to work as if everything depends on us.  We have connected with two scholars, inquiring of their interest in formulating two more of our intended curricula for the college, those being  Biology (pre-med) and Philosophy of Education (teaching).  We hope to know of their decisions by the end of the month.

 

This month we feature a short biography of Wyatt Bratt, who has worked with us in developing a site plan for the college, the results of which have been featured at the bottom of our update page, as shown, once again, below.  His 3-D renderings allow you to see how we intend to rehabilitate the existing campus once it becomes acquired.

 

Please continue to pray for us and support our quest by a generous donation.  The energy that your support generates continues to move us closer to our goal of opening the doors of the College of St. Athanasius!

 

God bless,

Tim Bratt - Managing Board Member 

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12 August 2020

 

Dear Viewers,

 

This month we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary; the first, a startling revelation made to 3 of the Apostles of His Divinity and the second, a revealing of the love of the Son for His Mother by assuming her, body and soul, into Heaven, to be united forever with Him (and all the Angels and Saints).  May this knowledge strengthen us to continue to work in this endeavor as if everything depends on us and to pray as if everything depends on our Creator.  Being dutiful in our labor will give pleasure to our Lord.

 

We are pleased to announce this month that the drafting of our Biology curriculum is underway.  Professors David Ronderos and James Peliska have agreed to lend to us their talents in this pursuit and anticipate having this program of study completed by January.  Their biographies will be displayed on our Recognitions page as soon as they become available.  We are excited to have them join us in our quest to open the doors of the College of St. Athanasius!

 

Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we prepare to send out our 4th Quarter Newsletter/Donor Appeal at the end of this month.  We will be sending out, once again, over 1000 mailings.  We pray that the recipients of these mailings (and you who are reading this update) be generous in your donations to our apostolate.

 

God bless you in your discernment,

Tim Bratt - Managing Board Member

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13 September 2020

 

Dear Viewers,

 

As promised in last month's update, we include on our Recognitions Page the biographies of Mr. David Ronderos and Mr. James Peliska who are drafting the proposed Biology (pre-med) curriculum for the college.  They anticipate having the curriculum finished by the end of the year.  Please take the time to read them and acquaint yourselves with two more stellar contributors to our quest.  We consider ourselves greatly blessed by their contribution.

 

Third Quarter Newsletters/Donor Requests were mailed on August 31.  In the two years that we have been campaigning for the necessary funds needed for the start-up of the College of St. Athanasius, our quest continues to be aimed at expanding our outreach, increasing the number of recipients of our mailings in order to effectively target a broad number of donors.  We intend to keep up this strategy in the near future as the results are showing progress.  Our average quarterly donations have nearly reached $1000.  With over 1000 newsletter recipients donating only $20, our quarterly receipts would be at $20,000!  The math shows that our potential growth is yet to be tapped, and by the grace of God, we are moving closer to a "tipping-point" in our efforts!

 

Please keep us in your prayers and give generously to our apostolate as we continue to stay on task, pursuing "A College in the Making".

 

Sincerely,

Tim Bratt - Managing Board Member

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15 November 2020

 

Dear Viewers,

 

During the month of November we dedicate our thoughts and prayers to the souls of the faithful departed, who have gone to their rest in the hope of rising again, as well as to the Saints blissfully residing in Heaven above.  Pray for us, all ye Angels and Saints, that our intention to open the doors of the College of St. Athanasius may be pleasing to our Heavenly Father!

 

We prepare this month to again mail over 1000 newsletter/donor appeals to our friends, faithful benefactors and solicitees.  Your financial support is critical to our success and is greatly appreciated!  Because the Season of Advent is on the horizon and is a season of profound Hope and anticipation, we fervently pray and ask that you who've yet to join our cause, send us a tax deductible donation and even consider making a quarterly contribution for the sustaining of our work.  Just click on the Donation button to send us a gift or send a check in the mail to:  St. Athanasius Educational Foundation, 611 Bradshaw St., Dixon, IL 61021.

 

The Biology (pre-med) Curriculum being drafted by David Ronderos and James Peliska is scheduled to be completed by the end of this calendar year.  Read about the authors on our Recognitions page.  We are honored to have them lend their talent to our efforts!

 

May this approaching Season of Advent strengthen your resolve to join us in the re-edification of a Christendom here in the midwest.

 

Timothy Bratt - Managing Board Member

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20 January 2021

 

Dear Friends, Benefactors and Viewers,

 

Our First Quarter for the new Liturgical year, kicked off as usual at the beginning of Advent, has been our best quarter since beginning our donor campaign!  Thank you to all who support our work with your generous donations, gifts and grants.  Praise God for your support.

 

The new calendar year finds us with our sleeves rolled up, working to bring about the completion of a biology curriculum, which has been moved ahead to the end of January.  Also in the works is the search for curriculum writers for an Agriculture and a Philosophy of Education program, which has led us to two promising contacts in the academic sphere to begin that task.  Pray for us in this endeavor.

 

Once again, we are preparing to move ahead with Phase 2 and Phase 3 Flyover plans (like those depicted below) to allow everyone to see what the campus of the College of St. Athanasius will look like from its inception to its completion.  We expect preparations with these to begin in February.  Stay tuned.

 

Once again, your support is critical to our continued work and ultimate success.  Please peruse our website to learn more of our work and how you can make a donation, gift or grant to our foundation.  We pray that what you find will merit your financial support and continued prayers.

 

Sincerely,

Tim Bratt - Managing Board Member

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1 March 2021

 

Dear Friends, Benefactors and Viewers,

 

We now find ourselves immersed in the holy season of Lent.  At this time, our own desert journey bespeaks of an aridity that reminds us of first, our state in life amidst the sufferings that are to be endured and, second, of what awaits us; eternal happiness in heavenly bliss at the end of our life's penitential passage.  Let us do our appropriate penance and prayer, while giving alms liberally, wherever we are shown of their need.

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At this time we also move ahead by increments at our foundation; first, by announcing that a Biology curriculum has been completed and will be ready for viewing on our Academics page, hopefully by the end of the month.  Thanks again to James Peliska and David Ronderos for their valuable contribution!  Secondly, work on the Phase 2 Flyover of our proposed campus is set to begin by the middle of this month with a tentative completion date set at Easter.  It will be unveiled along-side of the two videos depicted at the end of this page.  Thirdly, we are hopeful that an Agriculture curriculum may soon be in the works and ask for your prayers in this particular endeavor.

 

Again, your donations, gifts and grants are making a difference in our progress and energize us immensely.  Valuable traction in our efforts is being gained monthly.  Please continue in your generosity.  To you who are first-time readers visiting our website, take the time to look closer at our work and if you find it meritorious of your support, join all of us by contributing generously to our quest!  May this time of Lenten reflection aid you in your decision.

 

Sincerely,

Tim Bratt - Managing Board Member

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29 April 2021

 

Dear Friends, Benefactors and Viewers,

 

The months of March and April saw a flurry of activity in the careful planning associated with the start-up of a project of the magnitude connected to our foundation.  Two of our last three areas of study will begin to be drafted this month, those being the Culinary Arts and Horticultural Studies degree and the Agriculture degree programs.  The co-authors of the first degree program will be Nora Bratt and Matthew Adas (one of our board of directors) and the author of the second will be Daniel Kerr.  Their biographies will be forthcoming in the next few weeks.

 

We will  be advertising our foundation in Inside the Vatican magazine in their July-August issue and are working on doing likewise in two other periodicals within the same time frame.  Advertising will enlarge the exposure of our apostolate and  continue the growth of our vital revenue stream.  A revised edition of our Proposed Academic and Informational Bulletin is still being worked on with the addition of our Biology curriculum and our Phase II Flyover video, though not yet available, is being worked on as time allows, so please stay tuned for further developments.

 

May is the month of Mary, the Mother of God.  Her intercessory prayer is a powerful lever of influence with her Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.  Please pray for her continued influence in our apostolate's success in opening the doors of The College of St. Athanasius and  pray and work and contribute generously to this, our quest.  To all of our benefactors, Thank-you!  

 

Sincerely,

Timothy Bratt - Managing Board Member

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8 June 2021

 

Dear Friends, Benefactors and Viewers,

 

June is the Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  When we reflect upon our own physical well-being, we think of our blood as the life-giving source supplying our body's cells with all that maintains their proper functioning.  Our cells, in one sense, might be thought of as the population of a particular group of people; as those associated with that group die, one by one, the group diminishes in size until it ceases to exist, unless replaced by the reproduction of its members.  And so it goes within our own bodies; as those cells in our body die, one by one, so does our body, unless new cells are reproduced through the life-giving supply of blood coursing through our veins.  So it is with grace, supplied from the Sacred Heart of our Savior; only with Him, we are dealing with our supernatural life and its continual growth through-out our time on Earth.  We can, quite literally, "grow" ourselves into Heaven by not cutting off the grace-supply of our Savior, living virtuously, joyfully and dutifully, working arduously, praying frequently.

 

Perhaps you might consider, in light of such a reflection, supporting us in our quest to open the doors of The College of St. Athanasius by supplying us with what we need to make it possible.  To date, our many generous benefactors have enabled us to develop curricula and expand our outreach.  Our Proposed Academic and Informational Bulletin has now been revised to include the Biology curriculum announced in an earlier update.  Visit our Academics page to view that addition. The July-August issue (on-line and in paper) of Inside the Vatican magazine https://insidethevatican.com/  is set to run an article about our foundation as well as a 3-issue advertisement through the end of the calendar year.  Mr. Daniel Kerr, headmaster of St. Martin's Academy in Ft. Scott, Kansas, will begin writing our Agriculture curriculum by the end of this month and Wyatt Bratt anticipates having our Phase 2 Campus video "fly-over" completed within that same time-frame.  Two additional curricula are expected to soon be "in the mill", hopefully completed by the end of this Summer.  Much is yet to be done, and we pray that your generosity grants to us the means, immediate or otherwise, of soon making our quest become a reality!  Please visit our website regularly to stay posted about our progress.

 

Sincerely,

Timothy Bratt - Managing Board Director

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20 July 2021

Dear Viewers,

Two updates in one month is a good thing. It means that there’s been an uptick in our progress. This update, as promised, serves as an introduction to three authors of our Great Vocations program. We are honored to have them “on board” to help us round out our nine degree-programs of study. Their names are: Nora C. Bratt, Daniel Kerr, and associates of the Albertus Magnus Institute. You can find their biographies under the Recognitions tab. We are grateful for their support,

Timothy H. Bratt - Board of Directors Manager

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3 July 2021

 

Dear Friends, Benefactors and Viewers,

 

Many reputable secondary and post-secondary institutions have found it propitious to include a great books program in their academic offerings in an effort to preserve the integrity of western civilization.  This movement to restore and re-edify those academic traditions that have been systematically  jettisoned from the annals of our country's education system is paying dividends, especially where the restoration of the liberal arts is concerned.

 

The proposed College of St. Athanasius, in a similar vein, will become the focus for the re-edification of a great vocations movement in  post-secondary education by offering degree programs that are connected to the created nature of man (click on the Academics link to learn more).  The Great Vocations programs offered will be essentially grounded in the crown jewel of all philosophic thought, Catholicism.

 

This month will begin work on the last three curricula proposed for the college, those being:  Culinary Arts and Horticultural Studies, Agriculture, and Philosophy of Education.  The first is being co-authored by Matthew Adas and Nora Bratt, the second authored by Daniel Kerr and the third authored by associates of the Albertus Magnus Institute.  Stay tuned for upcoming biographies of all of these members of the Body of Christ!

 

Lastly, work that has been delayed on our Phase 2 campus fly-over has been resumed and is now expected to be completed by the end of August.  Things are continuing to move forward in our quest to open the doors of the College of St. Athanasius.  Please join us.  Your help is critical to our success!

 

Sincerely,

Timothy H. Bratt - Board of Directors Manager

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14 August 2021

 

Dear Viewers and Cherished Benefactors,

 

In June, we were blessed to be able to advertise our foundation in "Inside the Vatican" magazine, and in the process were given the opportunity to have an article about our quest placed in the July/August edition.  The article may be found on the link provided below, page 40 of the magazine.

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 Inside the Vatican magazine July-August 2021.pdf

 

Also, we are still on schedule to have the Phase 2 Video Flyover of our proposed campus site completed by the end of the month.  We will be working in the coming months on a financial prospectus related to the start-up and general operations of the proposed College of St. Athanasius, including the ways in which we envision lowering costs to prospective students.  Much work lies ahead!  Your support is critical to our success.  Please donate generously.  Please make our quest yours!

 

Sincerely,

Timothy H. Bratt - Board of Directors 

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7 October 2021

 

Dear Viewers, Friends and Benefactors,

 

Today we commemorate the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  The efficacy of bringing our supplications to the Blessed Virgin through praying the Holy Rosary was powerfully manifested on this date in 1571 at the Battle of Lepanto  (Lepanto https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lepanto).  

 

It is in light of this day in the month of the Holy Rosary that we announce the completion of two of our final three curricula:  Culinary Art & Horticultural Studies and Philosophy of Education, the latter of which is provided in outline form here.  We were blessed to have associates of the Albertus Magnus Institute (https://magnusinstitute.org) complete its draft.  We now take the time to insert them into our Proposed Academic and Informational Bulletin which we hope to have completed by the end of this month.

 

Thank you again for your continued prayers and financial support.  Your beneficence is critical to our success and we are grateful for your faith in our work.

 

Sincerely,

Timothy H. Bratt - Board of Directors Manager

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4 October 2021

 

Dear Viewers and Cherished Benefactors,

 

The month of October is the month of the Holy Rosary, which we recognize and set aside to renew our devotion to its recitation during our pilgrimage here on Earth.  Mary, the Queen of Heaven, being the Mother of our Lord, graciously hears our supplications and advocates for us at the throne of her Son.  May what we ask give her Son, our Lord, pleasure to provide to us!

 

Our last update mentioned the completion of our Phase 2 Campus Flyover, which, unfortunately is not yet ready for viewing, BUT, rest assured, is being worked on.  Some last minute changes have delayed its completion.  Stay tuned for its posting and, as always, displayed for you below is a flyover of the existing campus site and the Phase 1 Campus Flyover.

 

Also, our last update mentioned that a financial prospectus was being put together to inform you of our upcoming plans to unveil two things:  First, a one-year budgetary estimate of operating expenses for the proposed College of St. Athanasius, and Second, a quarter-by-quarter summary of donor-generated revenue over the last three years along with quarter-ending account balances for the same time frame.  This prospectus will be available for viewing by click-on link alongside all of the other click-on headings.  It is often said that timing is everything, and after 36 months of fruitful academic pursuits and campus-site preparation study (among many other things) it is now time to bring our financial goals and needs in better focus before you as our quest continues.

 

In closing this update, please take the time to scroll through our past updates to better acquaint you with our progress over the last 36 months.  As always, your support is appreciated and is critical to our success.  I pray that you who have yet to decide to support us finds our continuing work meritorious of your future benevolence!

 

Sincerely,

Timothy H. Bratt - Board of Directors Manager  

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29 December 2021

 

Dear Friends, Cherished Benefactors and Solicitees,

 

It has been some time since our last update and much has occurred, in somewhat rapid succession, that has contributed to the tardiness of this update.  The most significant is the failing of getting a curriculum completed for our Philosophy of Education program.  Due to complications beyond our control, the Albertus Magnus Insitiute was unable to complete the task of writing the program, so therefore, we now continue our search for a candidate(s) to finish this most vital work.  We are currently looking at two prospective leads in this effort.  On a positive note, our Agriculture and Horticulture and Culinary Arts curricula have been completed and our being entered into our Proposed Academic and Informational Bulletin.  The completion of that process will be announced in a forthcoming update. 

 

We now are in the Christmas Season!!  One of the two most joyful seasons of the Liturgical Year, the Christmas Season allows us to hope, knowing that our Savior Jesus Christ has appeared in the flesh for OUR salvation!  The time of darkness, literally and figuratively speaking, is assured of being eclipsed by this assurance!  What a blessing and grace.  And so the St. Athanasius Educational Foundation continues into the New Year, grateful to all of you who have supported us thus far and hopeful that what we aspire to accomplish will merit an increase in support from all who become acquainted with our labor in the days, weeks and months yet to unfold!

 

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to one and all!

 

Timothy H. Bratt - Board of Directors Manager

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1 March 2022

 

Dear Friends, Cherished Benefactors and Solicitees,

 

It has been two months since our last update.  The wheels of progress have been turning in the interim, albeit slowly.  We are now on the cusp of entering into the most solemn time of Lent, leading upto the joyous feast-day of Easter and Easter-tide!  Perhaps the wheels of progress grind slower at this time of year to remind us of our own crosses that we must bear while working in our own feeble ways to convert the world in our own assigned kingdoms, so to speak.  The darkness imposed on us by the world, the flesh and the devil, while ever-present, must be pushed against constantly while we remain here on earth.  Ground will be gained and ground will be lost, but God's grace will be sufficient for the final victory at the end of time...of which we will be reminded of, once again, when Lent has given way to Easter.

 

And so we mention here that the slow wheels of progress have produced a revised Academic and Informational Bulletin which can be viewed on the Academics page of this site.  It includes two new programs of study, Culinary Arts and Horticultural Studies and Agriculture.  We were honored to have the talents of three individuals come to our aid in their drafting:  our own Board of Directors member, Matthew Adas, along with Nora Bratt of Austinburg, Ohio and Wee-Chef fame, and Mr. Steven Kerr, headmaster of St. Martin's Academy in Fort Scott, KS.  We are also in hot pursuit of a valued author of our last academic program to be penned, Philosophy of Education, which we hope to have procured by the end of this month.  Please stay tuned...

 

Finally, on the horizon and on our radar, two other potential campus sites have been brought to our attention in the last month.  Although it is too soon to speculate, we do plan to look closely at them as soon as our academic pursuits have been completed.  

 

Please keep us in your prayers and please consider, if you've yet to help us via pocket-book, to send a tax-deductible donation, gift or grant to aid us in this most vital quest to open the doors of the Great Vocations College of St. Athanasius!  And thank-you to all of you who graciously continue to support us in our efforts

 

Blessed Lenten and Easter Seasons to all,

Timothy Bratt - Board of Directors Manager

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 May 2022

 

Dear Friends, Cherished Benefactors and Solicitees,

 

SO MUCH has transpired since our last Update that we have decided to provide this to explain it all! (or see the PDF below)  PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY.  What it all amounts to is that content changes will be occurring on our website to reflect the changes forthcoming.  Our Campaign For Action will officially be launched on June 1, the beginning of our 3rd quarter, so the newsletter shown on the provided link is a preview and describes in detail what the campaign entails.  Our picture Gallery and page backdrops will be reworked along with other content upgrades, so please stay tuned!

 

We fervently pray for two provisions; first, that you, our cherished and constant benefactors will continue your financial support and, secondly, that you who have yet to decide to support us will decide in the affirmative that our quest merits your generous support.  All donations, gifts and/or grants of any amount are critical to the success of this campaign (and are tax deductible).  Navigate our website to quickly find out how you can contribute.  We are grateful for your support.

 

Sincerely,

Timothy H. Bratt - Board of Directors Manager

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1 July 2022

 

Dear Benefactors, Friends and Solicitees,

 

Having launched our Campaign For Action (CFA), we are grateful for your support and pray and work fervently for a many-fold increase in the support necessary to achieve our goal of opening the doors of the Great Vocations College of St. Athanasius by the fall of 2025.  To those of you now reading this, please lend to us your vital support by donation, gift or grant, according to your means as well as the merit of our quest!!

 

We have learned that the Jr. High School that has become front and center in our efforts to land a site in the Village of Mt. Morris, IL, will be up for bid between June 28 and August 5 of this year.  Sealed bids will be accepted between those dates and a decision made in August on whether to accept or reject a bid, assuming that one will materialize.  This puts us in an interesting position.  History has shown that similar situations have resulted in bids of only  a handful of dollars being accepted in order to quickly complete the process of exchange to the benefit of all parties!  We estimate that yearly maintenance costs for such a property would range from 225 to 300 thousand dollars.  To those of you of sufficient means, a donation, gift or grant pledge of that amount to our foundation could induce us into making a bid on that property.  Our Gallery page now displays pictures of that property for your perusal.  Please consider coming to our aid and make this a first step in our efforts to land a footprint in Mt. Morris.  Contact us to discuss.

 

To one and all, your support continues to be vital to our success!  

Always grateful for that valued support,

 

Timothy H. Bratt - Board of Directors Manager

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19 August 2022

 

Dear Benefactors, Viewers and Advocates of Orthodox Higher Education,

 

It is fitting that during this month of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that we reflect upon the three transcendentals of Truth, Goodness and Beauty because all three are intimately associated with her distinct being.  Having been endowed with a free will, like us, nonetheless, she immediately and unhesitatingly recognized them for what they were...Graces of incomparable worth, directly connected to the three Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity.  In so doing, the Virgin Mary set a pattern for all of us to follow, especially in times of trial.  By reflecting on her unhesitating action, let us strive to do likewise when discerning our salvific course.

 

On August 6, 2022, the Village of Mt. Morris, IL, graciously hosted an informational dinner for the purpose of introducing our foundation and its work to the community.  Presentations were given after the meal concerning how a proposed college campus would fit in the village boundaries and how a project management pathway would work to keep the assigned tasks on track.  Finally, the featured speaker of the evening, Professor Donald Prudlo of Tulsa University, completed the evening with a talk on the purpose of higher education and the significance of St. Athanasius in being chosen as the primary patron of the proposed college in his name.  We are expecting to have a link to the evening presentations shortly, so invite you to keep our Update page on your radar in the coming days/weeks.  Please stay tuned.  

 

Truth, Goodness and Beauty are the recognizable sign-posts positioned at every cross-road that we approach, and so it is likewise for those approaching the cross-road of higher education.  They can be readily recognized in the proposed education to be offered at The Great Vocations College of St. Athanasius!  Please support our cause generously.

 

Sincerely,

Timothy H. Bratt ​