So when actually was the 100th day of school? The snow days have resulted in the primary classes celebrating the 100th day of school at different times this year due to their various schedules! It sure is an interesting school year and it is hard to believe that Lent begins next week.
We will have Ash Wednesday Mass at 9am on Wednesday, March 6. Students should wear formal dress uniform. During Mass, the children will be invited to come to the altar and Fr. Crispin will make the sign of the cross in ashes on their foreheads. The ashes symbolize the dust from which God made us. The ashes also remind us that if we have tarnished our relationship with God, Lent is a time for us to ask for forgiveness and to return to Jesus. These forty days give us an opportunity, an excuse even, to focus on ‘mending fences’ in our faith, our habits, our relationships. We will be talking to the children about prayer, fasting and giving alms. Think about what you can do as a family in each of these areas.
The 7th-grade students spent a day volunteering at St. Vincent de Paul this week. They box food items, stack shelves and serve their neighbors. They meet and greet folks who are not as well off as they are and they learn values that can’t be taught in the classroom. Mrs. Halley told me a wonderful story about one of our students, Carina. While on the long bus journey, a lady came and sat next to her. The lady took out her phone, turned on Google translate and asked if the students were skipping school. Thus began a conversation that lasted the entire bus ride with Carina and the lady exchanging the phone. Carina was gracious with her time and gave her attention to the lady.
The Bingo was great fun last week. Thank you to the Bingo, Brews and Bites team! I can’t wait for the auction event! The auction items are coming in and I am already planning for the online bidding. Thank you also, parents, for all you do for St. John, your children, and our community.
Beannacht,
Bernadette O’Leary
