February 7, 2008

• Yesterday we began the Holy Season of Lent.  Lent is a six-week period when the whole church focuses on events in the life of Jesus.  During these weeks we are invited to think about things that Jesus said and did and follow His example as we move toward Good Friday, the day that Jesus died on the cross, and we move from there to Easter Sunday and beyond, when we experience Jesus as our risen savior.  During these 6 weeks we try in a special way to turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel which tells us about Jesus. 
   

• Our school theme for Lent is “We will sow seeds of Love” in order to “grow a heart” like Jesus’ heart.   During this Lenten season we will look at different ways we can do this by:  sacrificing, praying, fasting, serving, forgiving and listening.
   

• We encourage you to keep the Lenten season in your homes and to celebrate it with your faith community.  This first week of Lent we will look at Sacrificing:  a way to share what we  have with people who are less fortunate; to share our good example with others; to share our time, our talents and our prayers with others – even if the “others” are members of our own family.  

 Lenten Fast & Abstinence Regulations

1) Abstinence on all the Fridays of Lent, and on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

• No meat may be eaten on days of abstinence.
• Catholics 14 years and older are bound to abstain from meat. Invalids, pregnant and nursing mothers are exempt.

2) Fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

• Fasting means having only one full meal to maintain one's strength. Two smaller, meatless and penitential meals are permitted according to one's needs, but they should not together equal the one full meal. Eating solid foods between meals is not permitted.

Catholics over 18 but not yet 60 years are bound to fast. Again, invalids, pregnant and nursing mothers are exempt.

• Today you are receiving your Operation Rice Bowl materials and a letter from Sr. Estelle, our Mission Coordinator.  I hope you and your family will consider making a few sacrifices as a way to share what we have with people who are less fortunate.
   

Open House
Please note:  St. Francis Xavier School will have a separate Open House for our PreK – 3 parents on Thursday, February 21^st from 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. since many of our PreK-3 parents are attending a school Field Trip here on February 14^th, the scheduled day for the Open House.

Calendar Reminders:

• Tomorrow, February 8^th, is an 11:15 Dismissal Day so that the teachers may engage in Professional Development at our Faculty Meeting.
   

• Our Winter Break is Monday, February 18 & Tuesday, February 19^th.    
   

• The February Tuition Raffle is due on or before Wednesday, February 20^th.  You can’t win if you don’t participate.  Thank you.
   

• Tuesday, March 4^th is Spring Picture Day.

Congratulations to ….
All of the students who earned 2^nd Quarter Honors at Sacred Heart Private School.  Please see the Honor Roll List in this packet.

New Event
Beginning this month we will recognize all of our students who are involved in Scouting:  Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Eagle Scouts, Girl Scouts, Brownie Scouts, Daisy Scouts, etc.   We will have Scouting Uniform Day on the last Monday of each month.  All of our Scouts may wear their Scout Uniform to school in place of the regular school uniform.