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FEBRUARY 16, 2013

         Frequent falls of snow made the months of January and February enjoyable for the boys, with plenty of opportunities to go cross-country skiing, sledding, ice-skating on lakes and at the local Wilmot Recreation Centre, interspersed with building and defending snow and ice forts at the school, and swimming at the local indoor heated swimming pool (February 15). The availability of having our own school bus has made these Friday and Saturday afternoon trips a regular event. Meanwhile the Scouts worked indoors on crafting their own designs so as to make their own leather belts.

          The return from Christmas break was on Sunday January 6, feast of the Epiphany, in readiness for class the next day. However, the second quarter came to a rapid end, since there remained only two weeks of school. For the high schoolers, the final week of the second quarter, starting on January 14, was the week of end of semester examinations, morning and afternoon every day. At the end of it the week, everybody was exhausted, and enjoyed an afternoon of skating at the Wilmot Recreation Centre on Friday January 17, the boys playing hockey, while the other students and parishioners skated to the sound of classical music.

          The third quarter started immediately on January 21, and by the end of the week the faculty had completed the difficult task of grading exam papers and writing up the report cards, which the Principal handed out to each student individually, along with his comments.

          The weekend of February 1 & 2 was a busy one for the boys in grades 7 – 12 who make up the Our Lady of Mount Carmel basketball team, the Templars. After some intense preparation, directed by Mr. Thomas Zepf and Mr. Lord Arendoque, they were ready to enter into their first inter-school competition. Although our school is very small in comparison with the others in the competition, the Templars performed very respectively, winning two of the four games.

          Liturgically, the two highlights of this time were the feast of Candlemas and Ash Wednesday. Both were High Masses, and sung by the schola of high school boys, who sing the Mass also every Sunday, under the capable guidance of Mr. Alex Barbas. For Candlemas, on Saturday February 2, parishioners brought a great number and variety of candles to be blessed, that wherever they burn the light of the Faith might shine forth and expel the confusion and temptations of the power of darkness and disbelief. On Ash Wednesday, February 13, the whole school assisted at the High Mass, and received the ashes with the devotion necessary for such a powerful sacramental and symbol of penance. Other field trips took place also. Some of the grade schoolers attended a safety workshop at the main Waterloo police station, and the high school boys had a tour of the University of Waterloo on February 6, to help them to reflect on their choice of a career and higher studies.

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