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NOVEMBER 12, 2008
Guy Fawkes day, Wednesday November 5,
was an important one at Our Lady of Mount Carmel. For on
that day the contractors from Columbia began the work for
the interior construction of the chapel. They began by removing
all the ceiling tiles, and old wiring and light fixtures,
and followed up by redoing all the electrical wiring as
befits a chapel. The next step is the framing of the interior
walls for the insulation (on the exterior walls) and dry
wall, as well as repairs to the walls. This is presently
in progress.
Also on Guy Fawkes day the priests and
boarders celebrated with a bonfire in the evening, on which
they roasted hotdogs and marshmellows, after burning piles
of wood and trash that had been piled up into the future
chapel. After this little celebration came the letting off
of some good fun twisters into the air, and then some improvised
skits by the boys, to the amusement of all. It was the last
chance, since within a couple of days it had turned too
cold.
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Father Scott, Father May, Mr. Ratusz the high school
teacher and Mr. Tonogai in the light of the bonfire. |
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The
bonfire on the school playground is burning well! |
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The boarders putting on their skits in the dark around
the fire. |
Meanwhile Father May has been working
on his projects: the construction of an altar platform,
and of a second bunk bed, and of a ledge for the dining
room, and the trim and paint for the teacher’s staff
room. So many projects and so few hands, yet he does a great
job.
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Father May and student George Kirk work together on
one of Father's many projects:
the sawing of a bench top for the upstairs dining
room. |
Sunday was the chance for a little break.
The boarders took a hike and excursion to Lake Conestogo,
walking in light snow and sleet on the trails around the
lake. They were astonished on the half drive home to see
no less than 100 horse drawn carriages of all kinds, shapes
and sizes, the Amish being out on the roads traveling in
every direction on Sunday afternoon, regardless of the wind
and snow.
The week starting November 10 was exam
week, being the last week of the Quarter. Whilst the faculty
worked on grading papers and fine tuning the first report
cards just as they wanted them, the students worked on preparing
their tests. Remembrance day, November 11, was celebrated
by a lament played by 9th grade student, Marcus Tonogai,
on the bagpipes, followed by a decade of the Rosary in the
(temporary) chapel for the repose of the souls of fallen
soldiers from both sides of the conflicts during the two
world wars in particular.
On November 11 also the uniforms, long
awaited from Calgary, Alberta, finally arrived. However,
there were not a few errors in the preparation of the order,
and many items had to be returned, as well as back orders
that still remain to be fulfilled. These little difficulties
were a trial on everybody’s patience, but it was resolved
that by the following Monday all the students would finally
be in school uniform, as much as possible at any rate, for
the beginning of the Second Quarter.
On November 12 the first school fundraiser
was launched. It is a chocolate drive, to help fund the
work in process in the chapel. Each family in the school
is to sell five boxes of 30 chocolate bars, and the parishioners
are likewise to be asked to help out, under the supervision
of Toronto parishioners, John and Melanie Tan. All hands
are on deck to sell these chocolate bars, and volunteers
are requested. If all 100 boxes are sold the school will
make a profit of more than $4,000.
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The
large altar and tabernacle that had been stored in
the chapel,
now moved into the school hallway during remodeling
of the chapel. |
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An
interior view of the chapel as it looked on November
12, looking towards the front.
The framing with metal studs on the exterior wall
can be clearly seen on the left.
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Looking towards the back of the new chapel,
with metal studs being erected as framing on the exterior
wall. Supplies are stacked up in the middle of the
chapel. |
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Looking
from the back towards the front
of the new chapel during the remodeling process. |
