Mission & Philosophy

Mount Saint Joseph is a Catholic, college preparatory school for young men sponsored by the Xaverian Brothers. Faithful to the tradition of Xaverian education, Mount Saint Joseph strives to be a community of growth and learning characterized by enduring personal relationships, an emphasis on spiritual formation, a challenging academic program, and a commitment to justice and peace.

As a Xaverian Brothers Sponsored School, we view education in terms of message, community, worship, and service. The students and faculty are inspired to appreciate the faith in their lives, to understand community in a global as well as local sense, to experience personal and communal prayer, and to realize that service to others is basic to the gospel message of Jesus.

We view academic excellence as an achievable goal for all the students as each one learns and grows according to individual talents and differences in learning. We believe that the total education of each student necessitates an active collaboration with parents. 

We encourage the participation of each student in a well-developed program of athletics and extra-curricular activities which complements our educational endeavor. The entire school is committed to the progressive fostering of self-discipline and independence while maintaining the primary importance of providing an environment in which all students can learn to become educated, contributing citizens of the world. 

As the Xaverian and Catholic community of Mount Saint Joseph High School, we recognize the uniqueness of each person and faithfully celebrate the diverse gifts and talents of all members of our community. We open ourselves to the world around us so we may be good and generous stewards who give ourselves as gifts to our world. In the spirit of inclusivity, we continue to serve as partners who assist with furthering the mission of the Catholic Church through academic excellence and the development of the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. Through the hallmarks of our Xaverian traditions and Christian beliefs, we nurture and develop a culture where students and adults know they belong, believe in themselves and in each other, and strive to become whom God intends them to be.

In solidarity and support of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, all members of the Mount Saint Joseph community commit to:

• We believe that those who teach at Mount Saint Joseph are called to understand and live out our role as ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which we proclaim by our attitudes, actions, and manner of relating to others, especially our students.

• We believe in and respect the God-given dignity, talents, and potential of each member of our community, and we welcome and celebrate the diversity which exists therein, recognizing that the diverse backgrounds and stories of our students, families, faculty, and staff and their differences in learning are gifts to the school community and reflective of the universal nature of the Catholic Church.

• We believe in creating a school community of belonging that allows young people to feel welcome, included, and secure, and that challenges them to reach their unique potential so they can make positive contributions to society.

• We believe in providing a variety of programs geared towards the development of the whole person in order to provide our students with opportunities for growth.

• We believe in the development of critical thinking skills that will prepare students to respond to societal changes and trends.

• We believe in educating students in Gospel values and the social teaching of the Catholic Church so that they are capable of making informed judgments about the issues which confront them, particularly those of justice and peace.

• We believe in developing and providing programs that allow students to serve others, in particular the poor and marginalized.

• We believe that we are distinguished by our Xaverian spirituality characterized by the values of humility, trust, zeal, compassion, and simplicity.