SJS students work, pray, retreat and eat as they learn and celebrate their faith

By: Polly Maciulski

AS THE LEAVES change colors outdoors, schools are typically in full swing with activities, and our students at SJS have enjoyed the many opportunities to learn and live their faith. We began with our Balloon Rosary outdoors on Wednesday, October 7, then recognized students for their excellence in both academics and virtuous behavior with an assembly in the church that parents were able to watch on the live feed. On the Feast of Saint John Paul II, our 8th graders were treated to a great pro-life presentation from Kandace Landreneau, North Louisiana Youth Director for Louisiana Right to Life. A few days later, our seventh graders traveled to Forest Park Cemetery to clean up Lullabyland, the infant section of the cemetery. Last year when they went on their All Saints Day retreat with Fr. Long, the students were moved by the condition of that part of the cemetery, so Fr. Long promised them that he would take them back one day to clean it up, so he did: the kids worked hard and also offered the Prayer for the Faithful Departed before heading back to campus for lunch with their pastor, Fr. Matthew Long and parochial vicar, Fr. Kevin Mues.

Our K5 students rang in the month of November by celebrating All Saints Day with the usual costumes and sang a beautiful rendition of "The Saints of God" in the church, again viewable on the live feed for those who could not attend. That same day our 6th graders enjoyed a day-long retreat at both Forest Park and St. Joseph Cemeteries with Fr. Long, but this year the class also got to celebrate All Souls Mass and led the rosary with Bishop Malone! Our K4 students rocked the 50th day of school with great costumes and lessons, and our first graders registered to vote...sort of. They made voter registration cards, learned about their role as citizens and voters, and even cast their votes for their favorite fluffy friend and for President of the United States!

Fr. Long hosted our annual Vocations Luncheon with the help of Fr. Kevin and Sr. Anna Maria Iannetti, OLS, at which some of our interested Middle School students get to ask questions about vocations as they dine with the clergy or religious. Finally (but certainly not least), our great priests showed our students how much they appreciate them with a pizza party. They even wore pizza costumes as they passed out pizza and water to the whole student body!