These words attributed to St. Teresa of Kolkata describe the many acts of kindness that I witness daily at St. John. From the kindergartener who accompanies her friend to get a band-aid, to the second grader who reaches out to a sad buddy, to the student who is putting his quarters in the rice bowl so a child can have a meal, to the seventh and eighth graders who spend the day helping at St. Vincent de Paul, the families who donate to Westside Baby and the food pantry, to the volunteers who brave the cold on the playground and those who give their time in the classrooms. We are blessed with many acts of kindness fulfilled with love and thoughtfulness. Let us keep up the good works and even challenge ourselves to multiply our efforts to act for the common good during the remaining weeks of Lent. You are invited to attend the Stations of the Cross on Friday afternoon at 2:30 and to the Soup Upper on Friday evening.
You are invited to attend Stations of the Cross on Friday afternoon at 2:30, and to the Soup Supper on Friday evening at 6:00.
Thank you to Nancy Alton and Barb Folger for the Screenagers presentation on Tuesday. The middle school students watched the movie in class and some returned with their parents. Many students commented that the movie was accurate in its portrayal of the use of media by teens – and their parents! It is a great reminder to ask ourselves, “How are we modeling for our children our use of our phones and devices?” The fourteen Catholic schools and parishes of the North Seattle region have proposed ‘a day to unplug’ from Holy Thursday night to 6pm on Good Friday. Look out for more information on this opportunity to turn away from our phones, etc. and turn towards each other, or a book, or God, or prayer, etc.
Happy Lent!
Bernadette O’Leary
