From the desk of Sister Stella
PWC President
Parish News
PWC Function
Traffic Duty Assignments
Weekly Readings/Reflections
Playground Volunteer
Ski Club Information

"Turn away from sin and believe in the Gospel."

From the desk of Sister Stella Maria, Principal:

It is my prayer and wish that from the following three Lenten resources you will be inspired by one or all of them to have a great Faith journey through Lent.

Wednesday o February Ash Wednesday Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Today we begin the season of Lent, a time of preparation for our joyful celebration of Easter. As you contemplate the next forty days, how do you feel? A little gloomy perhaps, or daunted at the idea of spending time in repentance and giving up things you like? If that is how you feel, try looking at it from a far more positive angle as an opportunity to reflect on our lives and come closer to God. You will soon feel far more joyful.

Repentance is the key word on Ash Wednesday: the ashes placed on our foreheads signify our sorrow for our sins, and the priest tells us to turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel. Many see repentance as a rather forbidding and negative idea. Instead of all this focusing on sin, why not rejoice in what is good about ourselves? This is a misleading way to think. Admitting our sin is not morbid: it is simply accepting the truth about ourselves. When we see our sins and know we need forgiveness and healing, we turn to Christ and he helps us. It is repentance that leads to new life and the joy of knowing that our sins are forgiven. This Lent let us take some time to examine our lives, and repent more deeply of the areas of sin that trouble us most.

Lent is widely associated with giving up things like chocolate and cigarettes. There may be merit in this, but we can find deeper forms of renunciation. As we say in the words of the baptismal rite, we can renounce Satan and all his works, all evil powers and sinful desires. We can resolve to combat these things in our lives, with the help of God’s grace. We can decide that we will not allow our thinking and lifestyle to be dominated by the ways of this world. Let us follow Jesus’ advice to go into our room, shut the door and spend time with him in prayer. As we do this, we will find the power to resist our sins, and to reach out to others in love and service.

‘Lord Jesus, be with us as we start this Lenten season. Help us to truly turn away from sin and be faithful to you, so that we may celebrate Easter with joy in the new life and forgiveness that you bring us.’

From BIBLE ALIVE Lent 2005 (Bible Alive Graphic House, 124 City Road, Stoke on Trent ST42PH)

February 9 Ash Wednesday

   Receiving blessed ashes is a stark, humble admission that I am a sinner in need of continual conversion, but also a sinner whom God loves very much. Wearing the ashes on my forehead today is a sign that I want to renew my heart and let go of anything that keeps me from the goodness that flows steadily for me from the heart of God.

   Jesus in today’s gospel, reminds us of what leads a disciple to newness of heart: prayer, which refreshes our relationship with God: fasting, which revives and strengthens our will to be better disposed to hear God’s voice: alms giving, which promotes detachment, directing our focus outward to share with others in need.

   Receiving ashes is an exercise we celebrate together in a communal spirit of penance. Ashes are not a negation of life, but a hope-filled sign of our desire for grater freedom and fulfillment in our relationship with God and one another as a family or community. Called to love one another, to forgive and be reconciled, we pray to be set free from all that prevents us from living fully again.

   Beginning Lent with the sign of ashes helps us to surrender ourselves to God in the profound hope of sharing one day in the fullness of God’s reign. It is this hope we celebrate with such faith and confidence in the joy of Easter.

Michael Traher, Scarborough, ON

From Living with Christ (complete edition February 2005 vol. 29. No2)Novisalis. P.O. Box 990,Delorminer STN. Montreal, OC. Canada, H2H2T1

Ash Wednesday

THE PRAYER OF RECEPTIVITY

Return to me with your heart.

Today I receive ashes on my forehead. I receive the humble reminder that I am of the earth, that my body is mortal. I have ashes placed on my forehead-they are given to me and I receive them. This simple gesture of receiving is symbolic of the deeper receptivity that I need in order to return to God. God is constantly offering me the grace to change my ways-if only I am open to receive God’s power to do so. This first day of Lent, I open my entire being to the presence of God. I long for the gifts of spiritual growth, which will be offered to me.

Prayer

Quiet your mind and body. Open your hands, palms up, on your lap. Be intent upon being open and receptive to God. Let yourself be as open as possible to the power of God.

(From with all my heart. FORTY WAYS TO PRAY LENT By Joyce Rupp published by Creative Communications for the Parish, 1564 Fencorp Drive, Fenton, Mo 63026copyright 1995)

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PWC President

Dear SPA Families:

This Saturday, February 12th, the PWC will honor all its past presidents during a luncheon at the Jonathan Beach Club. We look forward to hearing stories about their presidencies and finding out about their current activities.

Remember that Monday, February 14th is a late day. Coach’s Program will be in effect at 7:45AM. In addition, all traffic volunteers remember to focus on the job at hand and keep socializing with fellow volunteers to a minimum. This is especially critical at the Selby drive positions where children and others cross the driveway.

Hope you all have had a terrific week!

Debbie Buderwitz
PWC President

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Parish News

Reconciliation Reconnaissance

        This Saturday our parish 2nd Graders celebrated their first Reconciliation with their parents (some still call it Confession). It was a joy filled celebration because it calls to mind the connection between sin and God’s mercy.

        You may ask, why a 2nd grader would need to confess, aren’t they too young? Or why does anyone need to confess sin, God hears you and forgives you, right?

        What the Church teaches is that only serious (mortal) sin must be absolved in sacramental reconciliation. Everyday sin, can be absolved at mass.

        I think the reason kids are asked to come to Reconciliation before Eucharist is to introduce them to the gift of God’s love and the gift of community. To be in the habit of examining our lives and asking God to help us see what we do right and what we do wrong is a really good thing.

         To know that we aren’t alone is also a really good thing. Yes, Jesus comes to be with us in Eucharist, but by having a priest act as the ears and voice of the community (which is the body of Christ made real) a person can have instant feedback on their issues, and they don’t have to stand in front of the whole community to say what they’ve done wrong. That could be really scary!

        Next week we start Lent, the season of Penance, the season when we work at being reconciled with God by doing good things for others and ourselves. It is also when we give ourselves extra time to connect with God in our lives.

        I said the 2nd graders are getting ready for their first communions. Just like our catechumens and candidates they know the Jesus loves us, but that love is intimately connected with how we love others. You can’t love God without loving others, and you can’t love others without loving God—it’s that simple.

        So maybe it’s time for us adults to think more about reconciliation! Getting back to that real spirit of love. All of us! I know as a priest, I need it too. When I’m feeling cut off from God, or others, I have to do something to reconnect and refresh myself in the mystery of God’s love—even if I haven’t noticed any really serious sin.

        If you have not been to Reconciliation (Confession) in a while, why not set a date? Worried how it looks nowadays—here’s a quick guide.

Quick Guide to Individual Reconciliation/Confession + Priest & Person Greet each other + Both make Sign of the Cross + How long has it been? + Confessing what you’re aware of + Priest reflects back to you + Prayer of Sorrow by person + Absolution by priest + Blessing and Sending by both

I do hope you’ll rediscover the joys of reconciliation. Have a great Lent!
Fr. Brad Schoeberle, CSP

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PWC Funtion News

PWC NOMINATING COMMITTEE and BOARD NOMINATIONS

Sign up NOW to serve on the PWC Nominating Committee as a member of the SPA Community at large. Additionally, nominations for all PWC Board positions for next school year are currently being accepted and we encourage you to self-nominate and/or exercise your right to nominate others. Please fill out the form sent home with your child, obtain the form from the round file by the Main Office, or find it attached to the Epistle from February 2nd. The Nominating Committee will meet on Monday, March 14th at 1:30 p.m. All Nominating Committee and Nomination forms must be received at school no later than the morning of March 4th. If you have any questions, please contact Joanne Drake, PWC Parliamentarian.

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Traffic Duty Assignments

For the month of February Third Grade Parents

Thank you to fourth grade parents for completing your traffic duty in January! I especially want to thank those parents who "hopped" out of their cars when they noticed that extra help was needed – going the extra mile to insure the safety of our SPA children and the neighbors! Thank, as well, to Janet Feeley and Amber Stormberg for organizing traffic for the month.

Parents completing their traffic duty assignments often develop a new awareness of the traffic guidelines as they maneuver between cars opening doors, directing cars up the driveway and maintaining safety on the Selby and Ohio sidewalks for pedestrians. They become acutely aware of those who are skirting the rules, so to speak, intentionally and unintentionally because they are dropping off for the first time or because they drop off only occasionally. They often notice how "unintentional" rule breaking can lead to an unsafe situation for the children. These are the no-nos that we really want St. Paul parents and those who occasionally drop off your children to pay close attention to:

   1. Never take a left on Selby into the driveway!
   2. Never take a left coming out of the driveway near the Church in the       morning!This really slows down traffic behind you and on Ohio.
   3. Don’t drop off across the street on Selby expecting your children to then decide       what to do (they try to cross Selby in the middle of the street!)
   4. Let the adults on Selby open the car doors and help the children to offload vs.       telling them to hop out of the car while you wait for the cars in front of you to       finish drop-off as this causes congestion on Selby during the final few minutes of       drop off.
   5. If you are directed up the driveway on Selby, go up the drive. If you are directed       to the curb follow those directions. Don’t be ad-hoc and "do your own thing."       Individuality is great; it doesn’t work with a coordinated traffic program.
   6. Choose to be late rather than put your own children and other children and adults       in danger.
   7. If for any reason you have a question about drop off or pick up call Mary Ann       McQueen (number in directory) or ask your room parents. We are all happy to       clarify any question that you might have!!!!!!!

It is very congested on Ohio and Selby after 8:40 a.m. each day and this makes for a tense environment. Try to arrive a little earlier – even two or three minutes makes a huge difference at that time. Try it and see. You will breathe easier, your children will be more relaxed and at that moment you will find yourself saying what David Reed might say, "It is all good!"

Substitutes: Diane Pineschi (Fridays), Shalloe (Fridays), Ossanlo, Silver (Wednesdays), Leilani Figalan, and Miguel Ferrer

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Weekly Readings/Reflections

February 13, 2005
First Sunday of Lent
Psalm: Sunday 10

Reading I
Gn 2:7-9; 3:1-7

The LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground
and blew into his nostrils the breath of life,
and so man became a living being.

Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east,
and placed there the man whom he had formed.
Out of the ground the LORD God made various trees grow
that were delightful to look at and good for food,
with the tree of life in the middle of the garden
and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals
that the LORD God had made.
The serpent asked the woman,
"Did God really tell you not to eat
from any of the trees in the garden?"
The woman answered the serpent:
"We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;
it is only about the fruit of the tree
in the middle of the garden that God said,
'You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.'"
But the serpent said to the woman:
"You certainly will not die!
No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it
your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods
who know what is good and what is evil."
The woman saw that the tree was good for food,
pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom.
So she took some of its fruit and ate it;
and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her,
and he ate it.

Then the eyes of both of them were opened,
and they realized that they were naked;
so they sewed fig leaves together
and made loincloths for themselves.

Reading II
Rom 5:12-19 or 5: 12, 17-19

Brothers and sisters:
Through one man sin entered the world,
and through sin, death,
and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned --
for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world,
though sin is not accounted when there is no law.
But death reigned from Adam to Moses,
even over those who did not sin
after the pattern of the trespass of Adam,
who is the type of the one who was to come.

But the gift is not like the transgression.
For if by the transgression of the one, the many died,
how much more did the grace of God
and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ
overflow for the many.
And the gift is not like the result of the one who sinned.
For after one sin there was the judgment that brought condemnation;
but the gift, after many transgressions, brought acquittal.
For if, by the transgression of the one,
death came to reign through that one,
how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace
and of the gift of justification
come to reign in life through the one Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, just as through one transgression
condemnation came upon all,
so, through one righteous act,
acquittal and life came to all.
For just as through the disobedience of the one man
the many were made sinners,
so, through the obedience of the one,
the many will be made righteous.

Gospel
Mt 4:1-11

At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert
to be tempted by the devil.
He fasted for forty days and forty nights,
and afterwards he was hungry.
The tempter approached and said to him,
"If you are the Son of God,
command that these stones become loaves of bread."
He said in reply,
"It is written:
One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth
from the mouth of God."

Then the devil took him to the holy city,
and made him stand on the parapet of the temple,
and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.
For it is written:
He will command his angels concerning you
and with their hands they will support you,
lest you dash your foot against a stone."
Jesus answered him,
"Again it is written,
You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test."
Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain,
and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence,
and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you,
if you will prostrate yourself and worship me."
At this, Jesus said to him,
"Get away, Satan!
It is written:
The Lord, your God, shall you worship
and him alone shall you serve."

Then the devil left him and, behold,
angels came and ministered to him.

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Playgound Volunteer

PLAYGROUND VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

Help our coaches supervise our children during lunchtime recess! We need two parents each day. Each grade is responsible for two months per year. Parents commit for one day, i.e. Mondays, for that particular month. Questions? Contact Kathleen Felesina

.SHIFT IS FROM 12:00-12:30.
THIRD Grade- JFEBRUARY

SHIFT IS FROM 10:00-12:30
SEVENTH Greade - February

Help our coaches supervise our children during lunchtime recess! Our PLAYGROUND VOLUNTEER PROGRAM needs two parents each day from 11:15-12:00. Questions, contact Kathleen Felesina in the school directory.

Kindergarten- Year Round
11:15-10:00

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
1.	Lewis,N.	Gaines	O'Malley,K.	Burke, K.	Burke/ Harrigan( alternating week)
2	Kilroy	Gemperle	Seigle/ Weed (alternating week)	Fox / Gaffney/ Carroll (allertnating week)
Sub	Aguero	Lightbourn	Burger / Harrigan	Murphy / Harrigan / Borkovich/ Weed	Millikan

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Ski Club Information

Ski Club News

Our Bake Sale was a big hit! We raised a record $747. Special thanks to the parent volunteers and to our hungry students!

Our ski trip is all set, and is fast approaching. Snow conditions in Mammoth are terrific. A couple of important reminders:

1. Please do not take your children out of school early on Friday, March 4. The growth and continued success of our yearly ski trip depends upon all parents following this rule. As with each prior year Sister Stella has been provided a roster of attendees on our ski trip. Missing school or leaving early on Friday, March 4 is not an excused absence. The school specifically arranges their faculty in service day on a Monday or Friday in February or March to be able to provide a 3 day weekend for the ski trip. Please do not risk the whole ski trip for everyone by inappropriately pulling your children out of school.

2. By now you should have received an attendance roster and bus list via e-mail. If you are going on the bus please verify your name and the number of spaces allocated to you per the bus list that is at the end of the roster. If your family name is not on that roster you will not be allowed on the bus. The bus is completely full (with a waiting list) – therefore there can be no last minute additions for "just one more person". If you have a bus cancellation please let me know immediately. We have four families (including several mothers traveling by themselves with young children) who would really like to be able to travel on the bus. Also, please inform me of any roster changes or changes in attendance in your group or family. We are having badges prepared and will have name lists that we will be checking at the door for our private lunch rooms, for our dinner Sunday evening, and for the Ski Race Sunday afternoon.

3. If your child or a member of your family is having a birthday on or near the dates of our ski trip please let me know. We will have a birthday cake and will call all of the birthday kids (and adults) up for recognition and a "Happy Birthday" at our Sunday evening dinner.

We now have 64 families totaling 253 people attending our Ski Trip. I believe it will be our best trip ever. Thanks for your continued help and support.

John Plueger

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