Some months when I sit down to write this column I am at a loss for content. Let’s face it, some months are rather uneventful. Not this April! For one of the shorter months of the year, this April is crammed full of events.
Three of those events involve the cherub choir. Saturday April 13 the second graders of the parish received their First Holy Communion, and the cherubs led the singing. As a side note, I am also the religion teacher for the second graders, and one day last week, I shared memories of my First Communion. I showed them my dress and veil, which we figured out were 56 years old. I had several pictures of myself on that day and the children’s consensus was that I looked different. Well, considering the pictures were of a 7-year-old girl, and I am a 63-year-old grandma, I couldn’t refute their observation.
Remember last December, when I told you about my principal inviting a bishop to celebrate Mass with the school, not taking into account that my class had been scheduled to plan and participate in the processions and readings for that Liturgy? He did it to me again! At a principals’ meeting in August, he volunteered our school to host the Northern Area School Mass on April 16. The Northern Area is that part of the archdiocese that is north of Dayton. During Catholic Schools Week in January, students from Catholic schools in the archdiocese gather for a special Mass that is celebrated in Dayton. Because of the distance and the usual winter weather, most schools in the Northern Area do not send students to the Mass. Every spring a Mass is celebrated in one of the northern parishes for the schools in the north. In all fairness, my principal did ask me in August to have the cherubs sing for that Mass, and I said, “Of course,” because April was sooooo far away, just as December had been. (I have got to stop doing that!). I have to admit that this time that my stress rash isn’t quite so prominent. First of all, my kids are just singing so there is very little chance they will catch the bishop on fire or burn down the church since they will not be carrying any candles, and the same bishop, Bishop Binzer, will be the main celebrant and he is a very nice man. In fact my class are convinced he is coming back just to see them.
The third event will be the Spring Spectacular held on Monday, April 29 at 6:30. We are honoring the men and women who have served or are currently serving in the armed forces. The “aroma” of papier-mache fills the school. Right now Lady Liberty is standing in the hall. Several of the soldiers in the famous Iwo Jima monument are in the cafeteria. The cherubs will be singing service anthems and the fourth through eighth graders led by Tim Nealeigh will sing and play the hand bells. Along with the projects I mentioned, there will be much more artwork on display. The public is invited and the admission is free.
There are several field trips on the calendar. On April 4 the fifth through eighth graders attended Manufacturing Day hosted by Sidney Lehman High School. The students participated in STEM activities designed to spark interest in science, technology, engineering and math careers. The preschoolers and kindergarteners visited the Greenville Public Library on April 8 and 9. On April 26 the kindergarten through fourth grades will travel to Victoria Theater to see a production featuring the “Magic School Bus.”
On April 3 representatives from the Glen Mary Missioners came to speak to the seventh and eighth graders about religious vocations. They shared stories about their ministry and life with the students. On April 24, members of the DAR will present “The Spy Who Saved George Washington” to the third through eighth graders. On Friday afternoon, April 26, the students will enjoy a showing of the movie “The Incredibles 2,” which had originally planned for Catholic Schools Week, but had to be rescheduled due to the weather.
This week the students will participate in several activities to commemorate Holy Week. On Monday we will have the Washing of the Feet, commemorating Jesus’ washing the feet of His apostles. Teachers will wash the feet of their students. On Wednesday, the eighth grade students will lead a Bread Breaking ceremony for the younger students, and on Thursday the students will participate in the Veneration of the Cross. School will not be in session on Good Friday through the Monday after Easter.
On behalf of the staff and students of St. Mary’s School, I would like to wish you a blessed and happy Easter.
