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FEBRUARY 11, 2010

The project of the Nativity sets was prepared before Christmas

The last day of school before Christmas, Friday December 18, was the school’s annual down hill ski trip. We were scheduled to go to a local slope in Kitchener, but we received a call canceling on the afternoon of the 17th, despite the adequate supply of snow. Great panic ensued amongst the students, looking forward to their ski trip. A few calls, however, and Glen Eden ski slopes in Milton were booked. The trip by the entire school was very successful, with excellent instruction for beginners, and good slopes for those more advanced. The trip was immediately followed by the hasty Christmas departure by all the boarders.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel on the Glen Eden ski slopes

The two week Christmas break was very quiet here at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, although a little cold. The project of installing radiators in the three unheated classrooms could not be initiated, due to discussions on cost and availability of parts. Electric heaters have had to be used until February.

Return to school was for Monday January 4. It was soon followed by a day off, the feast of the Epiphany. After the High Mass for this important feast day, celebrated by the District Superior, Father Jurgen Wegner, the parish retired to the gymnasium for a pot luck lunch and for the first ever talent quest for Our Lady of Mount Carmel. A variety of performers, included beginners on musical instruments, to advanced violinists, to  group singing by the children, and even recitation of poetry by heart. However, the winners were undoubtedly the brother and sister team, who played four instruments in various combinations between the 10wo of them: tin whistle, bagpipes, snare drum and violin.

FIfth & Sixth graders, assisted by three seventh and eighth grade girls sing songs learned at school during the talent quest.		The winning performance at the talent quest

Violin and piano trio by three sisters at the Talent Quest on the feast of the Epiphany		Kindergarteners - Second Graders singing Christmas carols

January was a hard working month, with the end of the second quarter falling right at the end of the month, Friday January 29, and the weeks before being filled with tests. Two new boarders joined, one in third grade, and one in seventh grade.

However, on Friday January 22, two groups of boys sent off for Wildwood Park near St. Mary’s, Ontario, where together with the priests and their teachers, they received two hours of instruction on cross country skiing, all enjoying greatly this healthy exercise. On Sunday January 24, the boarders, accompanied by Father Scott, and some of the parishioners were able to visit the magnificent church of St. Mary’s - Seven Sorrows of Our Lady - in Kitchener. There were there able to admire the traditional altar, stained glass and magnificent paintings of the seven sorrows on the ceiling, and hear about the history of the parish. They there recited the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady, and afterwards sang Vespers.

Wake-up time at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy

The last day of the quarter was also the time for a celebration - the second annual afternoon ice skating and ice hockey event. For two hours the rink at the nearby Wilmot Recreation Centre was filled by well over a hundred parishioners and students - the boys at one end dashing after a hockey puck, and the children and girls practicing various skating manoeuvres at the other. It was a great relaxation to end the quarter.

He shoots - he scores! A lively hockey game takes place on the OLMCA skating rink.		The ice skating and hockey rink the boys made themselves.

Father Scott was absent for the first three days of the third quarter, visiting Kansas City for the tenth anniversary of the foundation of the Franciscan Sisters of Christ the King. The following week it was Father May’s turn to be absent, to assist at the Priests’ Meeting in Winona. However, the studies and prayers continued apace. It was gratifying to learn at the beginning of February that a record number of treasure sheets had been collected by the Eucharistic Crusaders during the month of January - twenty-two.

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