MADISON — Aligned with the creative use of resources encouraged by the diocesan “Into the Deep” initiative and in a spirit of Christian collaboration, St. Ambrose Academy (SAA) and the Diocese of Madison recently entered into a long-term lease agreement to bring the independent sixth to 12th grade Catholic school into the Holy Name Heights facility in Madison as an anchor tenant at market rate.
SAA will move into the space formerly occupied by Catholic Charities, which has relocated to a smaller space in the building better suited for its operations.
This month, the City of Madison approved the educational use of the facility and issued a building permit for the alterations necessary for a safe, suitable school space; SAA will be significantly investing in the facility over the next 18 months to achieve this space.
Speaking on behalf of Catholic Charities-Diocese of Madison, the diocese, and SAA, Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison commented, “We all win together.”
He called the move “strategic stewardship.”
An historic spot
Holy Name Heights is an iconic property, a beacon on a hill that first opened as a residential high school seminary — Holy Name Seminary — in 1964. Several generations of young men completed their formation there before the seminary closed in 1995.
James Carrano was a Holy Name student in 1995.
He appreciated the strong academics, the leadership and direction of the priests, and the Catholic formation provided by the school.
“The spiritual foundation was well-woven into the day,” he said.
After Carrano’s time, Holy Name Heights became a retreat and conference center and now houses the diocesan offices, Catholic Charities, Blue Plate Catering, and 53 residential apartments, which have been managed by Gorman & Company since 2015.
Now, nearly 30 years later, Carrano is excited that SAA will be the newest addition to this unique space just in time for his own three children, SAA students, to pray in the very same oratory where he spent hours in prayer as a student.
Carrano’s oldest daughter Elizabeth (class of 2025) is part of the first SAA class that will graduate from the school in its new, long-term home, a home so near to Bishop Hying.
“Bishop Hying has encouraged me through his talks and homilies but also just through the way he lives his life for Christ with such joy,” Elizabeth said.
“I am so thankful to be able to be closer to him!”
Once again, historic Holy Name Heights will be welcoming students onto its beautiful campus, but this time in an innovative multi-use facility.
New opportunities
SAA Board President Rick Mills signed the long-term lease with the Diocese of Madison on January 5.
“After nearly 14 months of discussion and discernment with the diocese, making Holy Name Heights the new home for St. Ambrose Academy is so exciting!” Mills commented.
“Twenty years after our founding, we now have a long-term home for our school.”
Mills’s three children graduated from SAA when the school was located at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Madison.
“I am very pleased that SAA is moving into Holy Name Heights,” said Bishop Hying.
“SAA will make fuller use of our chapel, gymnasium, and playing fields, all of which currently sit idle the vast majority of the time.”
In addition to these new amenities for SAA, the school will also fund the renovation of the old swimming pool area into a multi-purpose room for school and select diocesan use.
“As a basketball player, having a gym in our building affects me significantly,” said SAA junior Simon Draves.
“I think all the students will benefit from and appreciate having a gym right in the building; this is a gift St. Ambrose has never had before.”
Although the SAA boys’ basketball teams already have been practicing at Holy Name Heights over the years, they will now be able to walk to practice without setting foot outside. Basketball games will continue to be held off-site.
Classmate Peter Karlen added, “Holy Name Heights gives the school the space to grow, not only in enrollment but also in student life and academics.”
For him, it is fun to imagine using the athletic fields for gym class, holding an assembly in the multi-purpose room, and carrying out science experiments in dedicated lab classrooms. Expanded space will mean expanded programming for the school.
A shared mission
Bringing students back into Holy Name Heights is an exciting opportunity to enrich all involved in line with Bishop Hying’s “Go Make Disciples” initiative to equip missionary disciples.
Go Make Disciples aims to inspire Catholics to live the Gospel call of preaching the good news of Jesus Christ in their families, parishes, and everywhere.
Bishop Hying and the diocesan offices are at the center of the Go Make Disciples initiative, but now a growing community of young men and women will be in the mix, too, contributing to and benefiting from the bishop’s vision.
“Our world needs more students like the ones who graduate from St. Ambrose who can go out into the world and live their Catholic faith boldly,” said SAA supporter Debbie Schwartz, a parishioner at Christ the King Parish in McFarland.
“What a place our world would be with more people who have the ability to proclaim the Good News!”
For Diocese of Madison Chief of Staff Michael Wick, optimizing the space at Holy Name Heights is mutually beneficial.
“We seek to be good stewards of space and to support one another’s efforts to form missionary disciples,” Wick said.
With a little ingenuity and a lot of collaboration, there are exciting things ahead for iconic Holy Name Heights.
Msgr. James Bartylla, the vicar general of the Diocese of Madison, noted, “The diocese worked hard to create a beautiful pastoral setting for our residential tenants at Holy Name Heights that provides a unique living opportunity on the west side of Madison. Our goal is to maintain this private and picturesque atmosphere for our residential tenants as well as for our Church staff who work daily at the diocesan offices at Holy Name Heights, while also expanding the building’s opportunity to further the Church’s mission and legacy through St. Ambrose Academy’s contribution for future generations.”
To find out more about SAA’s renovation project at Holy Name Heights, visit ambroseacademy.org/campaign