latest

MARCH 28, 2012

        The third annual St. Patrick`s dinner was the high point of the third quarter. This year the celebration was on Saturday March 17, prepared by the ladies of the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The home cooked meal of corned beef and cabbage was accompanied by soda bread and cookies. Around 200 people attended, mostly parishioners from the school and from the Society`s chapel in Toronto, but along with quite a few visitors as well. The meal was interspersed with lots of live entertainment. The children played and sang Irish songs, and the Drama club put on a performance, illustrating some of the better known episodes in the life of St. Patrick. This was also accompanied by the silent and live auctions, with well over one hundred items, all being taken. All in all, it was a most welcome break to the Lenten austerity.

There was a great turn out for the annual St Patrick Day Auction.

Fr. Scott is our lively Auctioneer at the St Patrick’s Day Live Auction

          However, it was not the only event to punctuate the winter term. There were also a variety of field trips. The lower grades went to a live reptile show at the New Hamburg library, and also had a series of gymnastic activities in a fully equipped gymnasium. The high school boys took a field trip to the local Kitchener water purification plant, to learn the engineering behind such a fundamental service on which we depend. The middle school (grades 5 – 8) went to the Hamilton Military Museum to view exhibits for the 200th anniversary of the war of 1812, and also of the First World War.

Gymnastic Field trip- The children have an opportunity to try out their gymnastic skills on all of the equipment at the gymnastic gym.

The students have an opportunity to try on military uniforms during a field trip to Dundurn Castle, military museum

          Friday March 16 was the day for our annual spelling bee. Almost all the grade school students and high school boys participated in the contest, done on multiple levels for each two grades. The finals were run in the gym so that everyone could be present, and prizes were awarded to the winners in each division.

          We celebrated the feast of St. Joseph, March 19, with solemnity and joy, for we were able to welcome Father Jacques Emily, former District Superior of Canada, who preached the parish mission on March 19, 20 and 21, starting with a High Mass in honor of St. Joseph. This was the first parish mission held at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and was very well attended, the chapel being full every evening of the mission. Father`s talks on the Passion and the necessity of prayer and penance were greatly appreciated by the parishioners.

          The third annual Science Fair was the next preoccupation. It took place on Sunday March 25, after the High Mass. The best science projects were all presented in the Gymnasium, from all the different levels of students from grade five on and up. The scientists and engineers of the parish were all recruited to take part in the judging. The best in each section received good prizes. For all students these projects were considered important and 25 % of the quarter Science grade was allocated to the Science fair project.

Father Scott and Mr. Zepf award students for the best Science fair projects in 6th grade.

          Then on March 26, we celebrated the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary with a High Mass. This was the occasion for the reception of new members into the Archconfraternity of St. Stephen, as well as the advancement of older members, having passed the necessary written and practical tests. Two new Junior Acolytes, six new Senior Acolytes, and nine new Masters of Ceremonies were received into the Archconfraternity, and made their promise of serving reverently, punctually and intelligently on the altar, for the salvation of their souls. In his homily, Father Scott made the connection between the oblation of the Blessed Virgin as the handmaid of the Lord at the moment of the Incarnation, and the offerings of the altar boys for and during their serving of Holy Mass. This brought the altar boy serving crew, members of the Archconfraternity, to a total of 52.

March 26, Feast of the Annunciation, students who took part in the ceremony for reception and advancement of members of the Archconfraternity of St. Stephen.

previous news