Lunch Help Needed: Mrs. Mailloux is taking some time off in April and we are looking for some extra help preparing lunches. The days that we need help are April 15, 20, 21 and 22. If you are able to help on one (or all!) of these days, please let me know.
Third Marking Period: Today is the end of the 3rd Marking Period. Report cards will go home Tuesday, April 6. We have 9 weeks of the school year left! We are very thankful that we were able to spend this school year in person.
Open House: Our All School (PreK- 8th grade) Open House and registration for new families will be held on Tuesday, April 20st from 5pm to 6:30pm. If you know of anyone with children who may be interested in St. Mary School, please encourage them to attend. Holy Week: The week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, Holy Week, is the most sacred time of year. During this special time, we enter into the passion of Christ — his crucifixion, death and resurrection — through liturgical celebration and personal conversion. While the season of Lent is a very important time in the Church, it is helpful to remember that our Lenten practices (prayer, fasting and almsgiving) are meant as preparation for the three days of the Triduum. What Is the Triduum? The three days of the Triduum are counted as the Hebrews counted their days, from dusk to dusk. Lent officially ends and the Triduum begins at dusk on Holy Thursday and continues through dusk on Easter Sunday. Because we cannot separate Jesus’ death from his resurrection, the Church teaches that the Triduum is really one celebration that lasts for three days. However, in the liturgy, each day has its unique qualities and different focuses. Holy Thursday: The evening Mass on Holy Thursday begins the Sacred Triduum. On this night we remember the Last Supper and celebrate the institution of the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Holy Orders. At the end of the liturgy, the sanctuary is stripped clean in preparation for the most somber of feasts, Good Friday. Good Friday Good Friday is a somber remembrance of Jesus’ crucifixion and death on the cross. It is a day of fasting and penance and a time to examine all of the places in our lives where we fail to follow Christ and fall into sin. Good Friday is not merely a commemoration of a historical event; rather, Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross, along with his glorious resurrection, comprise the heart of the Christian faith. Good Friday is not a Mass; holy Communion that is distributed had been consecrated on Holy Thursday and kept in the tabernacle for adoration. Easter Vigil: The Easter Vigil is the restoration of the early Church’s tradition as the great celebration of adult baptism and confirmation. It is the high point in the liturgical year. The vigil begins in darkness (usually outside) and the long procession of candlelight that enlivens the church reminds us that Jesus is the light of the world who has conquered all darkness and death. The Paschal candle that is lit at the Easter Vigil will remain in the church throughout the year as a sign of Christ’s death and resurrection. Easter Sunday: Celebrate the risen Lord at Mass with the singing of the Gloria and alleluias, the renewal of baptismal vows, a sprinkling with Easter water and receiving the Eucharist. The time you spend on your Holy Week preparations will make Easter Sunday more meaningful for the whole family!
