Maryknoll Academy of Cateel (MAC), formerly Maryknoll High School of Cateel is the only private and Catholic school in the Municipality of Cateel, Davao Oriental.  It was founded in 1962 by a great man, Fr. William J. Galvin, a Maryknoll Missionary. The school was shaped to some extent by geography and history.  On June 5, 1962, the Director of Private Schools issued Permit No. 242 which opened the section of co-educational freshmen students.  It was accorded a special mission by the Church to promote the Christian faith among its members and an institution that would effectively transmit knowledge to the people of Cateel.  This Catholic school provided a holistic formation of the human person.

The Maryknoll Missionaries held the position as school directors from its start of operation up to School Year 1969-1970. The Maryknoll Sisters, a group of religious women from the United States who devoted a life of service in a foreign country, served as principals. From 1970 to 1978, the administration of the school was entrusted to the lay persons, who further turned over the school to the Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM) Congregation in 1978

In  1987, Twenty Five (25) years  after its foundation,   MAC formally opened the first Kindergarten class.

In the year 2000, the school was formally turned-over by the RVM Congregation to the Diocesan Board of Trustees of the Diocese of Mati.  The Diocesan education vowed the preservation of the religious and cultural identities of the learners where Maryknollers are expected to excel in various fields of studies.  Furthermore, the students were given the chance to develop their talents in writing and formulating their views and opinions through writing in the school’s official publication – The Riverviews. This also paved way for the Grade School Official Publication- Sibol.

In 2007, the High School Building in the High School Campus was completed and used. In that same year, the Teresian Daughters of Mary (TDM) took over the administration of MAC.  However, after one year, it was again turned over to the Diocesan Board of Trustees of the Diocese of Mati.  During this time, the Diocesan Administration gave a lot of new avenues in terms of academic updating and standardization and introduced new operational strategies and techniques to teachers and academic administrators.

On its 50^th year, MAC experienced a calamity when Typhoon Pablo (International Name: Typhoon Bopha) devastated Cateel and its neighboring municipalities and provinces in the evening of December 4, 

2012. The school was left with bitter memories. All school buildings, its facilities and its resources in the Grade School Campus (near the Parish Church) were reduced into rubbles. Sadly, it is never reconstructed until today. The empty lot reminds MAC of its foundation days. The High School Buildings in the High School grounds suffered almost the same fate. It was the greatest tragedy that everyone did not expect to happen.

After the catastrophe, the great man, Fr. William J. Galvin, the school founder, visited Cateel and gave assurance that he will help MAC to carry on its vision and mission for the transformation of the community and the people of Cateel.  With the joint efforts of the School Administration, the Parents Teachers Community Association (PTCA) officers and members and the generosity of the alumni and some benefactors, the school stood up, once again.

In the meantime, the arrival of the volunteers from the Jesuit Volunteers of the Philippines (JVP) and the Miriam Volunteer Mission (MVM) in 2014 helped boost the morale of the school. These young professionals engaged in volunteer work devoted their time for the common good and the care of creation.  A mission that is continued until today.

In 2017, the assistance of the Passionist Sisters of St Paul of the Cross (CP) was sought to help the Diocesan School Director in running the MAC. Their participation in this mission is God’s pure grace.

In 2018, the Nursery/Play School was opened under the guidance of the Passionist Sisters.

At present,  MAC provides complete Basic Education Curriculum. Its Senior High School Department offers Academic Track focusing on Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM), General Academic Strand (GAS) and Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS). As K-12 implementer, it aims to create globally competitive learners with solid academic and integral formation. 

In its  Fifty Eight (58) years of existence, the Maryknoll Academy of Cateel, governed by the Diocese of Mati  continues its mission of molding the minds and hearts of the youth of Cateel and provides a transformative Catholic Education with the hope of producing graduates who will become Beacons of Hope, Excellence-Driven, Service-Oriented, and Truth-Directed individuals. All these under the patronage of the Blessed Mother, the Our Lady of Maryknoll; all for the greater glory of God.