Our Lady Seat of Wisdom College (SWC) has bestowed many blessings on Patrick Craine ever since he came to Barry’s Bay, Ont., in 2005 as a fresh-faced 19-year-old seeking a certificate in Christian Humanities.

Craine, named on April 3 as the fifth president of the Catholic liberal arts institute in eastern Ontario, was renewing his relationship with God, so he left his philosophy studies at Dalhousie University in Halifax to attain an authentic faith-filled educational experience.

“I arrived with a yearning to study the faith at a deeper level, not just on the side with books,” said Craine, who will officially begin his presidential tenure on July 1. “I wanted to receive a deep formation, and I found it here. It laid the foundation for the rest of my life.”

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Craine’s future wife Jenna, whom he met while participating in evangelistic missionary work in downtown Halifax during the summer of 2004, praised the spiritual and intellectual edification she was receiving at Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy (the institutional name was changed to college in 2017).

In 2007-08, his final year of studies, the Kingston, Ont., product served as Dean of Students. During that time, he proposed to Jenna at the Marian Grotto adjacent to the college campus.

The Craines' marriage is one of over 80 that have stemmed from SWC over the past 25 years. The couple is blessed with six children.

Craine first returned to SWC to serve as director of enrolment and communications from 2021 to 2022 and contributed towards a 35-per-cent rise in first-year registration. He then became a sessional philosophy and theology instructor while pursuing a PhD in theology and a doctorate in sacred theology at Ottawa’s Dominican University College.

In February, Craine began learning the ropes of the college presidency under the tutelage of outgoing president Dr. Christine Schintgen. He will be tasked with more responsibilities in May and June before fully taking over on Canada Day.

Dr. Keith Cassidy, chair of the SWC board of directors, hailed the “energy, enthusiasm, intelligence and deep commitment to our mission” exhibited by the incoming leader.

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Schintgen effusively praised her successor, lauding Craine as a “faithful Catholic, expert communicator, seasoned manager, collaborative team-builder, prudent decision-maker… and the list goes on.”

During Schintgen’s two years as interim president and three years as president, the college did realize a key long-sought goal. In 2024, SWC secured permission from Ontario’s Ministry of Colleges and Universities to grant a four-year Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical and Early Christian Studies, History and Literature.

Schintgen, who began her teaching career at Our Lady Seat of Wisdom in 2003, the same year Jenna Craine commenced her studies, recently oversaw the successful renewal of the college’s three-year bachelor’s degree for another seven years. The school was also authorized to rename the Bachelor of Catholic Studies as the Bachelor of Arts in Christian Humanities.

Craine seeks to build on Schintgen’s momentum. He said what his predecessor put into motion is impressive and made possible by how she steered the school during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“That was very, very challenging,” said Craine. “We were having to deal with students working remotely and sorting out how we're going to work within the government regulations while keeping our doors open and the mission going. I know that was a big cross for her and she managed it very well.”

Now with wind in SWC’s sails, Craine wants to grow the student body from its current crop of approximately 130 students.

“(There is a) need for us to get the word out and make sure that everybody knows what we're doing and the education we're offering in terms of attracting new students and reaching out to supporters,” said Craine. “I would say that's a big priority for me. I think we've got our academic programs. There's still some potential for the new programs, but for the most part, we've got our degrees in place. Now it's a big job is to kind of make sure that people know about what we're doing here.”

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Perhaps one initiative that will help on that front is the two week-long camps SWC is hosting during the summer for prospective pupils. The Veritas Summer Program (June 29-July 5 and July 20-26) invites Grade 11 and 12 students and recent high school graduates to participate in faculty-led lectures and Socratic seminars in the morning and enjoy fun outdoor activities like swimming, canoeing and hiking in the afternoon. There will also be daily opportunities for Mass, confession and Eucharistic Adoration.

Craine said he and his colleagues “are really excited about” the potential fruits of the Veritas Summer Program. He also expressed enthusiasm that classroom instruction will remain a core responsibility in 2025-26. He plans to continue teaching the Introduction to Biblical Literature course.