latest
OCTOBER 8, 2011
The Canadian Martyrs’ District Pilgrimage was a blessed time of prayer and recollection for all the boarders, for most of the school, and for many of the parishioners from Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Saturday September 24 happened to be a beautiful sunny Fall day, raincoats and other precautions being dispensed with, as the pilgrims gathered at St. Ignace II, the site of martyrdom of St. John de Brebeuf and St. Gabriel Lalemant. Father Scott preached the introductory talk, and then the four chapters, one per chapel, headed off, lead by Our Lady of Mount Carmel, to the echo of constant prayers and hymns, and followed by Holy Face in St. Catharines, Transfiguration in Toronto and finally Canadian Martyrs from Orillia.
|
The chapter of Our Lady of Mount Carmel heads the pilgrimage,
with the school flag and the Holy Name Society banner
flying high during this procession of Faith.
|
The lunch stop at MacKenzie park gave the pilgrims the opportunity to spend a little social time to talk. Father Wegner gave the talk to begin the second half of the pilgrimage, leading up to the shrine of the Canadian Martyrs. The long climb up to the shrine stifled most of the vocal prayers, but the pilgrims kept praying as the priests vested for the Solemn High Mass, celebrated by Father Damien Fox, the new Prior in Etobicoke on an outdoor altar, assisted by Fathers Wegner and Scott and over 200 faithful. The boys of Our Lady of Mount Carmel were honored to be allowed once more to serve the Mass. Finally all processed back to the shrine to venerate the first class relics of the martyrs in the shrine church, to invoke their protection and to sing a final Salve Regina. Those who were able to do so then retired to the North Simcoe Recreation Centre for a most welcome barbecue supper. The three hour drive home brought to an end a long and exhausting but exhilarating day for God.
|
A view of the celebration of the Solemn High Mass at the outdoor altar
as witnessed by the faithful taking part in it.
|
Meanwhile, the students are settling down to the demanding regime of an education that strives to achieve high levels, adapting a little too slowly to the demands of the teachers for the new school year. Nevertheless, as well as the regular games they play, the boarders look forward to the Saturday evening skits and stories, that fully exercise their creativity. They have also been excited by the school’s purchase of a school bus with 48 seats, which will make it possible for them all to go on regular excursions and activities, especially on weekends. After taking care of some minor maintenance issues, it will soon be ready for the road, under the steady guidance of the boarding supervisor come bus driver, Mr. Bernard Elliott.
The first fundraiser for the school year was the bottle drive, on Saturday September 10, a rather impromptu affair but quite successful all the same. The second is the chocolate drive, that was formally launched on Thursday October 5, each family being asked to sell five boxes, to bring to a total the number of 200 boxes to be sold in the next eight weeks.
|
This school photo, taken in September 2011, shows Father Scott and May,
Sisters Maria Guadalupe and Maria Barbara, the faculty, the high school boys at the back
and the grade school students of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy.
The six high school girls are absent, since their schooling is done at the Wellesley campus.
|
previous
news
