Advent

Advent marks that time during which we prepare ourselves spiritually for the the gift of the Christ who is to come. It is the time for us to reflect and pay attention to the what the birth of Jesus means to each one of us. Lighting the Advent candles in the wreath offers us an opportunity to take time from our hectic schedules, to gather our family together, to ponder on the awesomeness of the Birth of Our Lord, to slow down and pray, to find God. You are invited to make your Advent wreath in Egan Hall after the 10:30 Mass on Sunday.

On Monday, the children will go directly to church from the playground at 8:15.  At 8:20, we will begin our short Advent prayer service, which we will attend on the next three Mondays. Please try to get your child to school by 8:15. If you are late arriving, bring your child to church and stay at the back until the end of the service. It will last about 10 minutes. Make sure that your child is with the teacher before your leave. During the rest of the week, classes will meet in departments for morning prayer.  Together, we will make a meaningful journey through Advent. Next week also, Fr. Crispin will hear the confessions of those students in grades two – eight who have already gone through First Penance and they will receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

In other class news, the first grade is learning about Christmas traditions in other countries.  Middle school student groups are preparing to present a song and choreography to Christmas music for music class.  Mrs. Castillo arranged for Book-it Theatre to come and present the play, Ada’s Violin, for the primary and intermediate grades.  Inspired by this true story, her third grade created their own musical instruments from recycled objects.  Check out the class webpage.  And come see the new furniture in the classrooms!

Thank you to all of you who donated to the Fund-a-Need at the last auction!  Today we take delivery of the furniture you helped purchase.  Stand-up desks, tables, and chairs on wheels will help create flexible learning spaces and allow for more collaboration in the middle school.  The intermediate and the primary grades will have stools that allow students more freedom of movement. The stools rock and wiggle with their bodies!

See you at the play tonight, at Mass and at the Advent Wreath-making on Sunday!

God bless,

Bernadette O’Leary