Catholic School CompassTrue north for Catholic families.
Aerial view of St. Anselm's Abbey School
Aerial imagery: U.S. Geological Survey (public domain). USGS

Catholic high school

St. Anselm's Abbey School

  • LocationWashington, DC
  • Type and sizeDiocesan school · Grades 6–12 · 224 students

All-male

Official website

St. Anselm's Abbey School is an all-boys Catholic school for grades 6 to 12 in Northeast Washington, D.C., in the Archdiocese of Washington, founded in 1942 and run alongside the Benedictine monks of St. Anselm's Abbey on a shared campus. The school lists a daily Mass during the school year in the Abbey Church, weekly Confession in the school chapel, weekly Form Masses, a priest chaplain, and a retreat program with a three-night Kairos retreat for juniors, along with a Tuesday service program for juniors and seniors.

Mass, confession, and adoration

Confirm with the parish

Mass 4

  • Monday–Friday7:30 AMAbbey Church · Weekday Mass during the school year, as published on the Christian Life page. Not dated.
  • Sunday9:00 AMAbbey Church
  • Wednesday3:00 PMAbbey Church · Form Masses, on a rotating schedule by Form.
  • Friday8:10 AMAbbey Church or Lower Building Mezzanine · Monthly parent Mass and discussion on First Fridays, with some exceptions; check the school calendar.

Confession 1

  • Monday11:40 AMSchool Chapel · Published as 11:40 am to 1:15 pm, or by appointment with any priest.

Times come only from official parish, chaplaincy, or school pages, and can change with the season. Last verified Oct. 13, 2026.

Sources for these times (1)
  1. Christian Life at the Abbey - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/student-life/christian-life · verified Oct. 13, 2026
    “Weekday Mass: 7:30 am daily during the school year”
    A weekday Mass is held daily at 7:30 a.m. in the Abbey Church during the school year.
    “Sunday Mass: 9:00 am”
    A Sunday Mass is held at 9:00 a.m. in the Abbey Church.
    “Form Masses Abbey Church Wednesdays: 3:00 p.m. (Rotating Schedule)”
    Form Masses are held in the Abbey Church on Wednesdays at 3:00 p.m. on a rotating schedule.
    “Mondays: 11:40 am - 1:15 pm or by appointment with any priest”
    The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered on Mondays in the School Chapel, or by appointment with any priest.
    “First Fridays (With some exception; check school calendar): 8:10 am”
    A monthly parent Mass and discussion is held on First Fridays at 8:10 a.m.

Catholic churches nearby

Map of St. Anselm's Abbey School, its Catholic center and nearby Catholic churches0.5 mi1 mi2 miConvent Carmelite Sisters: 0.6 mi1Franciscan Monastery and Memorial: 0.7 mi2Saint Vincent de Paul Chapel: 1.0 mi3Marian Scholasticate: 1.1 mi4Saint Anthonys Catholic Church: 1.1 mi5Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family: 1.2 mi6St. Anselm's Abbey School (campus)N0.5 mi
CampusCatholic church (numbered below)Open a street map ›
  1. Convent Carmelite Sisters — 0.6 mi
  2. Franciscan Monastery and Memorial — 0.7 mi · 1400 Quincy Street Northeast
  3. Saint Vincent de Paul Chapel — 1.0 mi
  4. Marian Scholasticate — 1.1 mi · 3885 Harewood Road Northeast
  5. Saint Anthonys Catholic Church — 1.1 mi · 1029 Monroe Street Northeast
  6. Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family — 1.2 mi · 4250 Harewood Road Northeast, Washington

Within 3 miles, as mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors. The map may be incomplete. Confirm with the parish or diocese.

Faith scorecard

Each line is one thing we looked for. A check means yes, a half means partly, a dash means no. “Not enough information” means official sources did not say.

ASacramental life: Strong (grade A): 85 to 100 points out of 100 on what official sources document. Grades need sources for at least 60% of the checklist.

Sacramental life

100 of 100 points on what we could document.

  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    All-school or class Masses during the school yearWeekly (Form Masses are held in the Abbey Church on Wednesdays at 3:00 p.m. on a rotating schedule; a class Mass is listed each week.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Christian Life at the Abbey - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/student-life/christian-life · verified Oct. 13, 2026
      “Form Masses Abbey Church Wednesdays: 3:00 p.m. (Rotating Schedule)”
      Form Masses are held in the Abbey Church on Wednesdays at 3:00 p.m. on a rotating schedule.
  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Daily Mass available to students on campusYes (The Christian Life page lists a weekday Mass at 7:30 a.m. daily during the school year in the Abbey Church, which shares the campus.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Christian Life at the Abbey - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/student-life/christian-life · verified Oct. 13, 2026
      “Weekday Mass: 7:30 am daily during the school year”
      A weekday Mass is held daily at 7:30 a.m. in the Abbey Church during the school year.
  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Confession offered to students during the school yearMonthly or more often (Sacrament of Reconciliation is listed for Mondays from 11:40 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. in the School Chapel, or by appointment with any priest.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Christian Life at the Abbey - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/student-life/christian-life · verified Oct. 13, 2026
      “Mondays: 11:40 am - 1:15 pm or by appointment with any priest”
      The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered on Mondays in the School Chapel, or by appointment with any priest.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Eucharistic adoration offeredNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Priest chaplain serving the schoolYes (Fr. Samuel Springuel is listed as the school's Chaplain. Fr. Ignacio Gonzalez is listed as Campus Minister.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Contact Us - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/about/contact-us · verified Oct. 13, 2026
      “Fr. Samuel Springuel 98 Chaplain, Teacher 202-281-1651”
      Fr. Samuel Springuel is the school's Chaplain; the listed phone number is 202-281-1651.
      “Fr. Ignacio González Campus Minister, Teacher”
      Fr. Ignacio González is listed as Campus Minister.
N/ATheology and curriculum: Not enough information. Official sources do not cover enough of this to grade it yet.

Theology and curriculum

Not enough information: official sources cover less than 60% of this area.

  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Years of theology or religion requiredNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Theology courses follow the USCCB Curriculum FrameworkNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Philosophy, apologetics, or ethics course offeredYes (Fundamentals of Christian Ethics is required in Form V, and Philosophy of Religion is an elective.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Upper School Curriculum - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/academics/upper-school · verified Oct. 13, 2026
      “Fundamentals of Christian Ethics (Req. in Form V)”
      Fundamentals of Christian Ethics is required in Form V (grade 11).
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Faith integrated across the curriculum (stated in the program of studies or mission)Not enough information: not found in official sources.
ACampus culture: Strong (grade A): 85 to 100 points out of 100 on what official sources document. Grades need sources for at least 60% of the checklist.

Campus culture

88 of 100 points on what we could document.

  • Partly: the school meets some of this item and earns part of the points.
    RetreatsRetreats for some grades (A day-long class retreat is listed for Forms I and III (grades 7 and 9), and a three-night Kairos retreat for Form V (grade 11).)
    Sources (1)
    1. Christian Life at the Abbey - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/student-life/christian-life · verified Oct. 13, 2026
      “In the fall, Forms I and III (grades 7 and 9) each participate in a day-long class retreat.”
      Forms I and III (grades 7 and 9) take a day-long class retreat each fall.
      “Form V students on an extended three-night retreat known as Kairos”
      Form V students (grade 11) take part in an extended three-night Kairos retreat.
  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Campus ministry staffTwo or more (Three professional ministry roles are listed: the Chaplain, the Campus Minister, and the coordinator of Campus Ministry and Service.)
    Sources (2)
    1. Contact Us - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/about/contact-us · verified Oct. 13, 2026
      “Fr. Samuel Springuel 98 Chaplain, Teacher 202-281-1651”
      Fr. Samuel Springuel is the school's Chaplain; the listed phone number is 202-281-1651.
      “Fr. Ignacio González Campus Minister, Teacher”
      Fr. Ignacio González is listed as Campus Minister.
    2. Community Service - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/student-life/community-service · verified Oct. 13, 2026
      “the coordinator of Campus Ministry and Service, David McCabe”
      David McCabe is the coordinator of Campus Ministry and Service.
  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Faith-based student groups or clubsTwo or more (The Rosary Club and Christian Service are listed among student-led clubs.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Clubs and Activities - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/student-life/clubs-and-activities · verified Oct. 13, 2026
      “Christian Service”
      Christian Service is listed among the school's student- and faculty-led clubs and activities.
      “Rosary Club Sentence Diagramming Club”
      The Rosary Club is listed among the school's student- and faculty-led clubs and activities.
  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Daily prayer and liturgical life built into the school dayYes (Midday Prayer is listed daily at 12:05 p.m. in the Abbey Church, alongside daily weekday Mass during the school year and Form Masses.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Christian Life at the Abbey - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/student-life/christian-life · verified Oct. 13, 2026
      “Midday Prayer: 12:05 pm daily”
      Midday Prayer is held daily at 12:05 p.m. in the Abbey Church.
      “Weekday Mass: 7:30 am daily during the school year”
      A weekday Mass is held daily at 7:30 a.m. in the Abbey Church during the school year.
      “Form Masses Abbey Church Wednesdays: 3:00 p.m. (Rotating Schedule)”
      Form Masses are held in the Abbey Church on Wednesdays at 3:00 p.m. on a rotating schedule.
N/AService and Catholic social teaching: Not enough information. Official sources do not cover enough of this to grade it yet.

Service and Catholic social teaching

Not enough information: official sources cover less than 60% of this area.

  • Partly: the school meets some of this item and earns part of the points.
    Required service hoursFewer than 40 hours (The Tuesday service program is held during the school day for all juniors and seniors. The school says it does not require a defined number of service hours.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Community Service - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/student-life/community-service · verified Oct. 13, 2026
      “Every Tuesday morning, all juniors and seniors leave campus to serve those in need in our own community.”
      All juniors and seniors serve in the local community every Tuesday morning as part of the school's service program.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Catholic social teaching taught in theology coursesNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Pro-life engagement (club, March for Life, or similar)Not enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Justice and solidarity programs (immersions, service trips, justice clubs)Yes (Juniors and seniors serve in the community every Tuesday, and Upper School students take part in the Appalachia Service Project each summer.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Community Service - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/student-life/community-service · verified Oct. 13, 2026
      “Every Tuesday morning, all juniors and seniors leave campus to serve those in need in our own community.”
      All juniors and seniors serve in the local community every Tuesday morning as part of the school's service program.
      “Each summer, a group of Upper School students travels to the Appalachia Mountain area”
      A group of Upper School students travels each summer to the Appalachia Service Project.

Grades come from the documented indicators under the published rubric. “Not enough information” does not mean the school lacks it.

Strengths

  • A weekday Mass is listed daily during the school year, and the school lists weekly Confession and weekly Form Masses.
    Sources (1)
    1. Christian Life at the Abbey - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/student-life/christian-life · verified Oct. 13, 2026
      “Weekday Mass: 7:30 am daily during the school year”
      A weekday Mass is held daily at 7:30 a.m. in the Abbey Church during the school year.
      “Mondays: 11:40 am - 1:15 pm or by appointment with any priest”
      The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered on Mondays in the School Chapel, or by appointment with any priest.
      “Form Masses Abbey Church Wednesdays: 3:00 p.m. (Rotating Schedule)”
      Form Masses are held in the Abbey Church on Wednesdays at 3:00 p.m. on a rotating schedule.
  • Retreats are listed for grades 7, 9 and 11, and the school describes its retreat program as a foundation at every grade level.
    Sources (1)
    1. Christian Life at the Abbey - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/student-life/christian-life · verified Oct. 13, 2026
      “In the fall, Forms I and III (grades 7 and 9) each participate in a day-long class retreat.”
      Forms I and III (grades 7 and 9) take a day-long class retreat each fall.
      “Form V students on an extended three-night retreat known as Kairos”
      Form V students (grade 11) take part in an extended three-night Kairos retreat.
  • Students take Fundamentals of Christian Ethics in Form V, and religion is required in all years, supported by Benedictine monks who serve as teachers and chaplains.
    Sources (3)
    1. Upper School Curriculum - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/academics/upper-school · verified Oct. 13, 2026
      “Fundamentals of Christian Ethics (Req. in Form V)”
      Fundamentals of Christian Ethics is required in Form V (grade 11).
    2. Christian Life at the Abbey - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/student-life/christian-life · verified Oct. 13, 2026
      “we require students in all years to take religion classes”
      Religion classes are required of students in all years.
    3. Life at the Abbey - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/student-life/life-at-st-anselms · verified Oct. 13, 2026
      “serving as teachers, administrators, chaplains and advisors”
      The Benedictine monks serve the school as teachers, administrators, chaplains and advisors.

Concerns

None recorded.

Know something we missed? Suggest a correction.

Campus ministry home

Campus Ministry at St. Anselm's Abbey School

  • Address: 4501 South Dakota Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20017
  • Location: On campus
  • Facilities: chapel

Source: saintanselms.org, verified Oct. 13, 2026, saintanselms.org, verified Oct. 13, 2026, saintanselms.org, verified Oct. 13, 2026

Catholic clubs and student life

7 groups and regular activities · 1 on campus, 2 off campus, 4 location not published

Service 3

  • Tuesday community service programOff campus
    Tuesday mornings
    Juniors and seniors leave campus on Tuesday mornings to serve at local sites, such as tutoring, nursing homes, childcare centers and community gardens.
    saintanselms.org
  • Appalachia Service ProjectOff campus
    Each summer
    A summer service trip for Upper School students to the Appalachia area, coordinated by the Campus Ministry office, to make homes safer, warmer and drier for families.
    saintanselms.org, saintanselms.org
  • Christian Service
    A student-led club listed among the school's clubs and activities.
    saintanselms.org

Liturgy and prayer 1

Clubs and groups 1

  • Rosary Club
    A student-led club listed among the school's clubs and activities.
    saintanselms.org

Retreats 2

  • Fall class retreats (Forms I and III)
    Fall, a day-long class retreat
    A day-long class retreat for Forms I and III (grades 7 and 9), focused heavily on spirituality and faith.
    saintanselms.org
  • Kairos retreat
    An extended three-night retreat for Form V students, led by faculty and Form VI students, that is principally spiritual in nature.
    saintanselms.org

Everything listed is published by the school, its campus ministry, or the parish. Ask the campus minister what’s happening this semester.

Campus ministry

Sources (5)
  1. Community Service - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/student-life/community-service · verified Oct. 13, 2026
    “ASP trips are coordinated by our Campus Ministry office”
    The Appalachia Service Project trips are coordinated by the Campus Ministry office.
    “the coordinator of Campus Ministry and Service, David McCabe”
    David McCabe is the coordinator of Campus Ministry and Service.
  2. Life at the Abbey - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/student-life/life-at-st-anselms · verified Oct. 13, 2026
    “serving as teachers, administrators, chaplains and advisors”
    The Benedictine monks serve the school as teachers, administrators, chaplains and advisors.
  3. Benedictine Education - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/about/benedictine-education · verified Oct. 13, 2026
    “shares a 40-acre campus with the monks of St. Anselm”
    The school shares its campus with the monks of St. Anselm's Abbey, where the Abbey Church is.
    “shares a 40-acre campus with the monks of St. Anselm”
    The school shares its campus with the monks of St. Anselm's Abbey, where the Abbey Church is.
  4. Christian Life at the Abbey - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/student-life/christian-life · verified Oct. 13, 2026
    “Mondays: 11:40 am - 1:15 pm or by appointment with any priest”
    The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered on Mondays in the School Chapel, or by appointment with any priest.
  5. Contact Us - St. Anselm's Abbey Schoolsaintanselms.org/about/contact-us · verified Oct. 13, 2026
    “4501 South Dakota Avenue, NE Washington DC, 20017 202-269-2350”
    The school is at 4501 South Dakota Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20017, with main phone 202-269-2350.

Reach out

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Academic Excellence

FAcademic Excellence: Minimal (grade F): 0 to 100 points out of 100 on what official sources document. Grades need sources for at least 60% of the checklist.
31 of 100
From federal data, on fixed published scales.

Each measure counts for the share shown.

  • Graduates going to four-year colleges 75% of scoreThis measure counts for 75% of the Academic Excellence score.63%
  • Students per teacher 25% of scoreThis measure counts for 25% of the Academic Excellence score.6.2 to 1

Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed. Federal data on private high schools is limited to these two measures.

Source: NCES Private School Survey (2023–24 school year)

School facts

TypeDiocesan school
DioceseArchdiocese of Washington, DC
Grades6–12
Students (all grades)224
Students in grades 9–12138
Coed or single-sexAll-male
Student–teacher ratio6.2 to 1
Graduates going to 4-year colleges63%
SettingCity

Source: NCES Private School Survey 23-24 public-use file (school year 2023–24). The college-going rate and student–teacher ratio feed Academic Excellence; nothing here changes the faith grades.

Local Church

Archdiocese of Washington

His Eminence Cardinal Robert McElroy, Archbishop of Washington

Formal address: “Your Eminence”

Source: adw.org, adw.org, verified Oct. 7, 2026.

About this school’s data

Questions families ask

Is St. Anselm's Abbey School a Catholic high school?
Yes. St. Anselm's Abbey School is a Catholic high school in the Archdiocese of Washington.
Where is Mass celebrated at St. Anselm's Abbey School?
Mass is listed at Abbey Church and Abbey Church or Lower Building Mezzanine. Days and times are on this page; please confirm with the parish or campus ministry before you go.

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