School News

Our Lady of Fatima School

Stephanie Haney, Principal

LEFT: Father John Paul Crispin has been such a ray of sunshine to Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School. He visits with the students. He eats lunch with them and just really connects with them. His school Mass homilies are engaging and get the students really thinking. We are so thankful to have him as our pastor. “God is good all the time!” “All the time, God is good!”

ABOVE: We are so excited to have Mr. Carlton Banner as our school maintenance man. Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School has not had an in-house maintenance man in several years, so his presence is truly a blessing! Mr. Banner is truly a hard worker and always there when we need him! He is already a huge part of the OLF Falcon family! Welcome Mr. Banner!

Saint Joseph School News

Polly Maciulski, Middle School Religion

FAITH TRADITIONS FILL OCTOBER AT SAINT JOSEPH CATHOLIC SCHOOL

THE MONTH OF October always seems to mark the point in which the school year really kicks into gear with activities, but it’s the faith traditions and devotions that really make it special. It started on such a lovely note this year when we witnessed SJS alum Kelby Tingle being ordained to the Transitional Diaconate in Rome. We were blessed, too, to be able to see it in real time! We continue to keep him in our prayers and look forward to his Ordination to the Priesthood in 2023!

On Monday, October 3, as St Joseph Church began our part of the Rosary Congress for the Diocese, our students spent their Religion classes in Eucharistic Adoration, and the Middle School classes attended daily Mass and led the Rosary on the hour throughout the morning. Students shared that they appreciated the quiet time of being with our Lord and leading others in the praying of the Holy Rosary.

The very next day was the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, and once again we enjoyed a beautiful evening on the grounds of University Veterinary Hospital. Dr. Catherine Foret hosted a large group of SJS families and St. Joseph Church parishioners - dogs, cats, and even a rabbit! Fr. Matthew Long offered a beautiful blessing of these precious members of God’s creation, even making a stop in the ICU to bless the sick animals in the care of UVH. SJS student Addyson Sundquist made holy cards for the event, as well, combining St. Francis medals with small cards bearing quotes from the patron saint of animals and ecology.

The following Friday, Oct. 7th, the Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, our tradition of celebrating with a Balloon Rosary continued with our eighth graders leading the faculty, staff, student body and many parents in a memorable offering of the Sorrowful Mysteries. At the end of the prayer, the balloons have almost always traveled west as they leave us, but this year they wasted no time in heading North and then East, bearing our school colors as they floated through the air. It’s a favorite tradition that just gets better every year.

It’s almost time for All Saints Day, and our Kindergarten classes are working hard to prepare for their big moment: honoring these holy men and women in costume, singing their beloved song, and showing us all what they have learned about their saint selection. Like many schools and parishes, it’s a time-honored tradition. We even see

Continued from page 27 how many of their saints “match up” with our Confirmation saints for this year. The moment makes a great picture, and both the eighth grader and Kindergartener seem to appreciate the meeting.

In addition to these traditions, SJS commissioned a staggering 47 students into our MiniVinny (school conference of Society of St. Vincent de Paul); celebrated our second annual Falcon Fest with great weather, a great crowd and great fun; recognized students who exemplified the Virtues of Self Control and Responsibility; held our first Literati Book Fair; cleaned up and cared for Lullabyland, the infant and toddler section of Forest Park Cemetery; and also took time to enjoy the beautiful change of seasons with Johnny Appleseed Day and trips to Papa Simpson’s farm. Looking ahead to November, we are preparing for the sixth grade retreat to Forest Park and St. Joseph Cemeteries on All Souls’ Day; National Vocations Awareness Week with our annual Vocations Luncheon, assisting Loyola College Prep’s FAiTH Giveaway by collecting toys; and of course reflecting on the many blessings we have to be thankful for. Here’s what our students had to say:

“I enjoyed Adoration a lot, I say this because I enjoyed it being silent in the presence of Jesus.” -Dayton B.

“It was very peaceful and nice to be in.” -Carter S.

“I liked how peaceful it was. I’d like to do it again.” -Charles H

“I enjoyed it more than I thought I was going to, to be completely honest. After saying a couple prayers I felt suddenly relaxed and every muscle in my body eased. I could tell that Jesus was really there with me, alongside Mary. It amazed (me) how real it felt and I really hope we can do this some time again, because it made my whole week.” -Roslyn M.

“I liked it. It was very good and helped me talk to God better. I think if we can we should do it again when we have time.” - Jacob S.

JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD SCHOOL NEWS: SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT

JGS SCHOOL TAKES our students' spirituality very seriously. We believe that knowledge of our Lord and Savior is necessary for fulfillment and lifelong happiness. Our students are nourished spiritually each week during school mass and daily in religion. Fr. Mike uses the school Mass as an opportunity to not only teach about the Mass itself, but to also expand our students' knowledge of other fundamental Catholic traditions. He explained the importance and significance of Adoration during the school Mass at JGS recently. He spoke about the Eucharist and the monstrance and how these corresponded with the act of Adoration. Our 5th grade religion teacher, Mrs. Frantz, has been studying the Emmaus Walk with her students. They held an outdoor classroom with a small group setting to read and then discuss the importance of the Emmaus Walk and how it corresponds with our walk with Jesus today.

It is our hope that the knowledge our students gather in the classroom and at Mass will carry them throughout their lives with a reverence and awe of Jesus and His teachings.

Loyola College Prep News

Jordan Harris, Loyola College Prep Director of Communications

Flyer Community Invests More than $184,000 in Loyola College Prep for its Second Giving Day

THE LOYOLA FAMILY joined together on Sept. 22 and raised over $184,000 during its second Flyer Giving Day. Close to 400 gifts contributed to the day’s success from donors that included alumni, faculty, parents, current students, grandparents, board members, and community partners. Last year Flyer Giving Day raised $103,000, and the Loyola team was hopeful they would surpass that amount. “The Flyer Family is truly special, and that is evident in how everyone came together yesterday to give back to our school” said John LeBlanc, Loyola College Prep Principal. “From current parents who already pay tuition to dedicated alumni who consistently give, to new donors and even some of our current students, we were truly amazed with the generosity of our community. I am not surprised to see how our community rallied together, but I am overwhelmed with gratitude for their dedication to our school and students.” For the second Flyer Giving Day, donors could choose where they wanted their dollars to make the greatest impact: Annual Fund, Community Scholarship, or Classroom Updates. All gifts to the Annual Fund are applied to the school’s most pressing needs and benefit current students in all aspects of their educational experience, in addition to providing resources for academic, technological and athletic support. The Community Scholarship Fund helps supplement families’ financial responsibility beyond what is available from our limited endowment funds. Loyola is committed to providing all academically qualified students a quality education regardless of their ability to pay full tuition.

Saint Frederick High School News

Deacon Scott Brandle, Adam Ryland, IB Director

JIM BEADLES, REGIONAL DIRECTOR TO INSTALL MEMBERS INTO SVDP SOCIETY STUDENT OF THE MONTH PROGRAM RECOGNIZES OUTSTANDING STUDENTS

Jim Beadles, the regional Director for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in our diocese, was on hand for our September meeting to officially install all our members into the society. Everyone prayed together the commissioning ceremony which invited members to deepen their commitment to the charitable service mission of SVDP, to grow in holiness, and deepen their spirit of friendship with one another. Members were presented with a lapel pen, an embroidered hat, and a certificate of membership. We were blessed to also have Joanne Crone and Deanery president Cary Petty in attendance. They were delighted to have an opportunity to meet our students. We are all looking forward to a very active school year of service!

Congratulations to our 2022 Homecoming Queen, Miss Paula Pham!

St. Frederick Students of the Month for the 2022-2023 school year are based on ten characteristics in students that the International Baccalaureate Program calls the IB Learner Profile. Together, these attributes contribute to developing ideal students and citizens: Inquirer, Thinker, Caring, Balanced, Knowledgeable, Open Minded, Risk taker, Communicator, Reflective and Principled. The Learner Profile attribute for the month of August was OPEN-MINDED: “We critically appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others. We seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and we are willing to grow from the experience.” The Learner Profile attribute for the month of September is CARING: “We show empathy, compassion, and respect. We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us.” Our goal is to recognize outstanding students in a variety of areas, including scholarship, leadership, service, and faith. It is our hope that our students of the month will continue to exhibit these qualities and serve as examples to the entire St. Frederick community.

PAULA PHAM, 2022 HOMECOMING QUEEN

St. John Berchmans School News

Trey Woodham, Principal

SAINT JOHN BERCHMANS INTRODUCES NEW “DADS CLUB”

The Cathedral of Saint John Berchmans Catholic School has a new club, a unique group that literally grew from a “bunch of guys” into an officially recognized group called Dads Club. We meet when we need to get together to address issues that we see from a specifically Dad perspective and use old and new ways to get the message out that the Dads of SJB are a force for good in our school. Last year, our first year, we hosted a Lenten Friday fish fry (Delicious. Sold Out. No Leftovers. Seriously Good Fish.) We served it in the cafeteria lunch line while the official lunch ladies were attending a staff luncheon, and we held a few social events including, but not limited to, ax throwing (not at each other, but at specific, identified targets), dining out, and planning sessions.

Much like the ax, the Dad is an underused but amazingly effective tool. Here at SJB we want to harness the power of a father and band together for the good of the school. We have outreach activities planned to range from social to service, and we want all fathers and father figures in our school to feel welcomed and know there is a place in our school’s culture just for dads. Scripture tells us in Corinthians 12:12, “As a body is one though it has many parts… so also Christ.” So also, is our school. We are students, teachers, chefs, principals, custodians, aids, extended families, office staff, siblings, moms…and dads. We look forward to the upcoming months and want to extend a sincere welcome to all our members and to let every person at our school know that they are valued, and that their unique talents are recognized. From students to teachers, from Parents Association volunteers to Science Olympiad Mentors, all are welcome. Come visit our school and see who we are. If you are an alum, come back and visit. If you are a current family, check out our website or call the office for opportunities to get involved. And if you are a Dad, we have just the club for you.