 |
|
Catholic Schools Week (Part 1)
I first heard of Thomas Groome when two religion teachers came back from a summer conference. They were on fire with Groome's pedagogical premise that the real "subject" of any teacher is the student in front of them regardless of the "subject material" being taught. I heard of this theology professor a few years later when an excited college sophomore told me she had a brilliant professor-my daughter was that girl when studying at Boston College. I thought of Thomas Groome the other day when we were planning the many activities of Catholic Schools Week which starts on Sunday. Professor Groome wrote an article for St. Anthony Messenger Press on the Nine Things That Make Us Catholic that I think help define not only what a Catholic school should do but why we do it. There are other distinguishing characteristics of what makes us Catholic but I think Groome captured fundamentally what makes a school Catholic. I will touch on four this week and offer my understanding of his others as part of next week's Blarney.
- Positive understanding of the person. We believe and should act from the truth that all people reflect the image and likeness of God. This belief is summarized beautifully by the prayer of an early Christian martyr: the glory of God is the human person fully alive. We should care for the dignity and well-being of every student in front of us as our first concern.
- Committed to community. We are a school community, a parish family, because we believe that God created us to be the body of Christ for the life of the world.
As Deacon Bill has said many times, we are the Church, and who is invited into that community and how well we take care of each other are the signs of our strength.
- Sacramental outlook. We understand that Jesus is God's greatest sacrament to the world and as a school when we celebrate the sacraments the Holy Spirit is spreading the grace of Christ in our everyday life. A Catholic school should work from the sacramental belief that God is active in all that we do and Jesus is our model of how we should live that life.
- Catholics cherish Scripture and Tradition. A Catholic school uses scripture as a "fountain of divine revelation". By teaching from the Bible, hearing the word of God proclaimed and explained by our ordained ministers and teachers, by being guided by our Archbishop, we learn to deepen our understanding of what it means to be a young Christian/Catholic in our world today.
Continued next week for the rest of the story ....but before you go;
Please find in this edition of the Blarney Stone all of next week's activities. From roller skating parties to Science on Wheels there will be events for all ages. Students will read their Catholic School essays at Mass and we will host our Academic Awards Assembly recognizing the outstanding contributions of our student body. I might add, don't miss our faculty team versus the 8th graders in basketball-I promise a win or at least me not pulling my calf muscle! It should be a fun week for all of us at St. Patrick Catholic School. Peace,Chris
|
|
Upcoming Events
January 28: Primary Mass, 8:45 AM
January 31- Feb. 6: Catholic Schools Week
January 31: Wear your school sweatshirt to Mass
February 2: Faculty/Student Basketball, 1:30 PM; Student Skate Night at Pattison's West, 6-8 PM
February 3: Welcome Wednesday for Prospective Families 9-11 AM; Science on Wheels
February 4: All School Mass, 8:45 AM
February 5: Academic Awards Assembly 10:15 Am in the Gym
|
|
SPPA
Join us for Skate Night at Pattison's West on February 2nd from 6-8 PM. Students skate for free!
34222 Pacific Hwy S., Federal Way.
|
|
Art Studio
Art Studio begins on Feb. 1
If you are a student in Grades 4-8, you are invited to come in and use the Art Room space and supplies as your personal studio on Mondays from 3:10 - 4:10!
This is an opportunity to spend the time you need to develop your skills with a certain medium, or to try out a new one. Bring your ideas and interests or a project you are already working on. It will be the perfect place to share your talents with other students. Mrs. Davidson will be on hand to help individuals with their independent work.
If you have questions please contact Mrs. Davidson at pdavidson@saintpats.org Parent Note: Art Studio is being offered for free! Students may attend Art Studio on a drop-in basis.
|
|
Community Ministry
Question of the Week: "How is Jesus' birth a sign of God's love for us?"
Join us on Thursday, January 28 for a Primary School Division Mass at 8:45 AM.
|
|
CYO
Basketball
Our 4th and 5th grade teams have their last games this weekend. Below is the schedule:
5th grade boys play @ Bellarmine vs. Annie Wright @ 12:00 pm.
5th grade girls play @ Bellarmine vs. All Saints @ 3:00 pm.
4th boys play @ Bellarmine vs. Visitation @ 2:00 pm.
4th girls play @ Bellarmine vs. St. Charles @ 1:00 pm.
Congratulations to our 6th, 7th and 8th grade teams. They had very successful seasons. Our 6th grade boys coached by John Barta found a way to come together and win a couple of games in the process. Our 8th grade boys also coached by John Barta split into two teams and battled hard all season. Our green team missed the playoffs by one game. Our 8th grade girls coached by Mark Schomogyi and Jake Sterino also had to gather girls to form a team. They found leadership and some basketball skills. Our 6th girls, 7th boys and 7th girls all have earned the right to participate in the Sno-King tournament. Their game schedule will be announced on Monday or Tuesday of this week. Please check with their coaches for more information!
Here are the game summaries from last weekend:
The 6th grade girls finished the regular season undefeated with the 32-13 victory over Annie Wright. The team battled an impressively ramped up Gator defense that never let up. Onward to Seattle this Wednesday for CYO championship playoffs!!! Many thanks to an enthusiastic and dedicated coaching staff, as well as supportive parents. GO SHAMROCKS!
The 5th boys played St. Charles blue on Saturday January 23rd. It was a great game. St. Charles has some of the best players in the league. Our boys worked hard this season to be able to play with them. They learned how to switch defensively, rebound the ball with authority and how to take their shots when they could. Kellen had a great game. He scored 19 points. Matteo and Liam had their usual workman like game. Defensively, Jack, John and Levi played their best games of the year. Luke, Aidan and Jordan are improving at an increasingly great rate. Peter, Triton and Soren controlled the paint. We won the game 39-27.
Volleyball
Sign-ups have been collected. You will be contacted by your son or daughter's coach or the athletic director over the next several days. If you have any questions please contact the athletic director, cyoathletics@saintpats.org.
Practice will start in the next several weeks and games will start toward the end of February.
|
|
Free Throw Competition
Knights of Columbus are hosting their annual Free Throw Competition for Boys and Girls ages 9-14 on Sunday January 31st at the St. Patrick Catholic School Gym. Registration will be from 12:45PM to 1:15PM with competition from 1:30-2:30. Winners at the Council level will advance to District Competition and up to State level. There is no entry fee so bring your shooters touch.
|
|
Tuition Assistance
St. Patrick Catholic School is offering financial aid for the 2016/17 school year. We would like any family in need of assistance to please complete this application.
The application for the school's tuition assistance is due on February 10. If you have any questions about this, please contact Bonnie Viafore in the school office at (253)272-2297 or
|
|
Lost and Found
The following photos are of the unclaimed Lost and Found items from recent months. Please contact the office if you recognize something that belongs to your child. |
|
Yearbook
We need more CYO and any outside sports/activities pictures for the yearbook!
Please send them to our parent volunteer, Mindi Marsh at swampclan@hotmail.com.
|
|
Lacrosse Opportunities
Come Bowl with the Bellarmine Lacrosse Teams! Saturday, January 30th 2016
Tower Lanes 6323 ~ 6th Avenue Tacoma 5 - 8 pm
$25.00 includes shoes, unlimited bowling, and mini golf PLUS - taco bar, soft drinks, and dessert Silent auction, awesome LAX gear, and more!
Fun for the WHOLE family!! Tickets can be purchased in our new online store
|
|
From the Parish
Ceremony of Light
On January 24, 2016 children in Sacramental Preparation for First Communion celebrated something very special: The Ceremony of Light. This ritual affirms the children and their families in their baptismal call as unique and important individuals in our faith community. 53 children at Saint Patrick Catholic Church are preparing for First Holy Communion, on the weekend of April 23 - 24, 2016. We congratulate these children for celebrating the Ceremony of Light and we hold you in prayer as you continue to prepare for your First Holy Communion.
Saint Patrick Catholic Church is sponsoring a series of FREE talks open to the public to get to know Pope Francis. The talks will explore his impact on the American Catholic Church and discuss Laudato Si, the Pope's Encyclical on the environment.
Click here for more information
New E-Newsletter!
The parish has a new e-newsletter, The Cornerstone! Please click below to subscribe.
Youth Group Saint Patrick Youth group meets every other Sunday from 4-5:30 PM in the Parish Center. We have fun, great fellowship, games, food, and grow in our faith. Come every time we meet or whenever you can make it. Bring a friend and join us.
|
|
|
The mission of St. Patrick Catholic School is to nurture in its students an abiding Catholic faith while pursuing academic excellence and modeling honesty, respect, and service as dynamic members of our world community.
|
|
|
St. Patrick Catholic School | 1112 N G Street, Tacoma WA 98403 | 253-272-2297
|
|
|
|
|
|
