Will You Support our Mission?

“God has created me to do some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do His work.”

― St. John Henry Cardinal Newman

 Dear Friends,
The above words from the patron saint of Cardinal Newman Academy come to mind when I think of my own call to lead the Newman team. I’m certainly not alone: Every teacher and board member follows the same shared vision for this independent faithful Catholic liberal arts high school. This is your invitation to join us by contributing to our Christmas campaign.

These four sophomores convey the spirit of our school!

         At Cardinal Newman Academy we help every student discover his or her own role in God’s Kingdom. Our traditional Catholic liberal arts curriculum provides the knowledge, skills and values needed for the formation of Christian citizens well equipped to face the challenges of the modern world.

Newman’s reference to a personal mission endowed by God might seem quaintly old-fashioned in today’s world, where there is so much to distract our youth from leading purposeful lives. Our vulnerable children and teens are prey to marketers of sensational entertainment, the mindless addictions of electronic gadgets and games, and widespread misdirection on matters of sex, gender and the value of life. For far too many young people, the will of God for them is an abstract and distant fiction.

Cardinal Newman Academy offers a different reality: a faithful alternative that helps our students discover their gifts and a direction toward wisdom and human flourishing. Ours is a joyful, caring community where boys and girls study and pray together as they become the young men and women God intended them to be. At our school the traditional virtues are still alive and well!

  But we need help from everyone willing to step up and become part of the solution to the challenges facing the education of our teens. These are the years when every young person is at risk of falling prey to the many distractions of this world, and needs the direction and peace that only God and His Church can truly offer them. For this reason, we are committed to making Cardinal Newman Academy affordable for all. That is why we have the lowest tuition rate of all Catholic high schools in the Richmond region. But, like every other private school, we rely on the support of generous donors. Please prayerfully consider your own commitment to this important mission, then click on the link below to make your secure donation to Cardinal Newman Academy.

Click Here to Donate

If you are unable to help financially, then please pray for us!

Martin Ahrens
Head of School

Recruitment is Still Open for 2024-25

Recruitment is Still Open for 2024-25

Parents of children currently in Eighth Grade, seeking a faithful, supportive Catholic High School for 2024 are invited to come tour the school and meet with our teachers and students

Cardinal Newman Academy offers:

  • a supportive and joyful community

  • faithful Catholic theology

  • rigorous academics

  • service opportunities

  • athletic teams

  • fine arts

  • daily Mass on site

All this is offered with a very low Student:Teacher ratio and affordable Tuition

We are now accepting applications for our 2024-25 Ninth Grade class and space is limited!

Contact us at info@cardinalnewmanacademy.org to learn more and schedule a visit

Cardinal Newman Academy
11000 Smoketree Drive, North Chesterfield

Deacon Christopher Weyer to Teach Moral Theology at Cardinal Newman Academy

Deacon Christopher Weyer to Teach Moral Theology at Cardinal Newman Academy

We are pleased to announce that Deacon Christopher Weyer has joined Cardinal Newman Academy as an Adjunct Faculty member for the 2023-24 academic year. Rev. Weyer is a Transitional Deacon in the Richmond Diocese, currently stationed at St. Bridget Parish. He grew up in an Air Force family, living in Arkansas, Virginia, and Colorado before heading off to Virginia Tech to study Engineering. It was there that he discerned a Vocation to the Priesthood and left to finish his college studies in Philosophy and begin formation for the Priesthood at St. John Paul II Seminary, completing his studies with a Ph.B. in 2018. He completed his formation for the Priesthood at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in the Spring of 2023 and he will be teaching Moral Theology for 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students this Fall.

Cardinal Newman Academy Appoints Dr. Eileen Lapington as Vice-Principal

Cardinal Newman Academy Appoints Dr. Eileen Lapington as Vice-Principal

We are pleased to announce that Dr Eileen Lapington has been appointed a full-time faculty member and Vice-Principal at Cardinal Newman this school year. Dr. Lapington is no stranger to Newman students and parents; since the school opened its doors in 2017, Dr Lapington has taught Latin and History classes, has been a cheerleader and photographer at sporting events, and is a steady presence around campus. Dr Lapington has a PhD in European History from Brown University and a passion for Catholic education. She is the product of a small Catholic high school, and she knows personally the impact of a joyfully and authentically Catholic education. “I desperately want to share the gift of Catholic education with every student,” Dr Lapington says, “so that every student leaves Cardinal Newman prepared to live their faith, and in doing so joyfully, to be an evangelist to all they meet.”

Cardinal Newman Academy Appoints Dr. Martin Ahrens as Head of School

Cardinal Newman Academy Appoints Dr. Martin Ahrens as Head of School

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Martin Ahrens has joined our community as Head of School. Dr. Ahrens has many years of experience in a variety of roles, including marketing and fund-raising, teaching at the college level, counseling both teens and adults as a life coach, and professional writing. He is an active member of St. Bridget Parish, including regular service as a Mass lector, volunteering with St. Vincent de Paul, membership in the Knights of Columbus, ongoing formation as a Third Order Carmelite, and consecration of his life to Jesus through Mary. Dr. Ahrens most recently worked as the Director of Marketing and Development for a Catholic retreat house. He earned his PhD from McGill University in Environmental Biology. As an undergraduate, he double majored in Biology and Philosophy with a minor in Mathematics. Dr. Ahrens is joining Cardinal Newman Academy in response to the apostolic call to help young people discover the joyful rewards of a life rooted in classic virtues, rigorous academics and the Catholic faith.