Canongate Catholic High School, at St. Barnabas Church in Arden, got back to work in January after our Christmas break. A new year, a new semester. We’re studying the Civil War right now and took a field trip to the Zeb Vance Birthplace in Weaverville. Vance was the Governor of North Carolina during and after the Civil War. We toured the log cabin where he was born, the small museum, and the slave quarters (his family owned about 18 slaves) which brought home the issue of slavery. Afterwards, we took a hike up nearby Rattlesnake Lodge trail, the students leaping like gazelles up the steep hill, leaving your humble writer panting and bringing up the rear. Meanwhile, we’re talking apologetics in theology with one of Dr. Kreeft’s great books, we’re looking at live bacteria under the microscope, we’re conjugating Latin verbs, we’re solving algebra problems, and we’re reading some very interesting 19th century American short stories. Father Porras teaches a class on prayer at Canongate and held Confession for our students and staff in January. It’s also theater season, and we’ve begun rehearsing for a crowd-pleaser Alice in Wonderland. We also occasionally take a break from class to sing folk songs. We just like it.
In short, everything you need to be a functioning Catholic adult in the world students learn here at Canongate. And for the 64% of our students who go on to college* (which is 24% higher than the North Carolina average!) Canongate graduates can read, write, think, and debate. They are conversant with history, literature, theology, the Bible, math, Latin and science. If you’ve ever met one of our students or graduates, they are polite, well-dressed, Church-attending and interesting to talk to. And isn’t that what you want for your children?
We’re accepting applications for the 2026 – 2027 school year. Give us a call!
(828) 712-8924 / b.edwards@canongatecatholic.org
*Colleges where our graduates have gone: Ave Maria University, Belmont Abbey College, Franciscan University at Steubenville, Berea College, Lees-McRae College, The Catholic University of America, Christendom College, Montreat, The University of Dallas, Mars Hill University, Western Carolina University, St. Joseph Seminary, and The College of St. Joseph the Worker, among others.
