The Trojan Times
St. Maria Goretti Catholic School February 5, 2023
Mission Statement
St. Maria Goretti is a living testament to our Lord's work in His youngest disciples, exemplified by academic excellence, spiritual formation, and compassionate service to others.
St. Maria Goretti Catholic School aims to form what is True, Good, and Beautiful in the souls of our young disciples of Christ.
Principal's Message
Dear St. Maria Goretti Catholic School Families,
Thank you to everyone who attended The Spaghetti Dinner. We are so thankful to all our families and friends for their support of our amazing school. Thank you to the Spaghetti Dinner Committee for putting together a wonderful weekend. Your dedication and hard work are very appreciated!
Our enrollment period is in full swing. We will offer an early bird discount until February 14, 2023. The application for financial assistance is also open. Please note that all applications for financial assistance should be received by Friday, March 3, 2023. Be sure to apply if your family will need any kind of assistance. If you did not receive a re-enrollment email please notify Mrs. De la Pena.
Progress reports were scheduled to be sent on Friday, February 3, 2023, however, due to the time missed from school, we are moving the deadline. Progress Reports will now be sent on Friday, February 10, 2023. Please be on the look out for them Friday afternoon.
Mother Nature sure did disrupt our Catholic School's week plans. We will be rescheduling the events we missed. Stay tuned for updates.
Please note that since we have used our snow days we will be in school on Monday, April 10, 2023, and Monday, May 8, 2023.
Thank you for your commitment to our Catholic School.
St. Maria Goretti, Pray for Us!
Blessings,
Amy Utendorf, M.Ed.
Principal
February Virtue: Cheerfulness
Cheerfulness is the virtue that helps us to be joyful, even when times are hard. God loves us and wants us to be truly happy. We can think and act in a way this is gloomy, forgetting God, and dragging ourselves and others down or we can count our blessings, praise God for His goodness, and lift everyone up toward Him. So make the choice to look on the bright side, be joyful in the Lord and spread hope through joy!
Saint John Bosco: Feast Day – January 31
As a child, Saint John Bosco gathered other boys his age on Sundays after Mass to tell them Bible stories and do magic tricks, or walk on a tightrope, or juggle for them. When he grew older, John Bosco founded the Salesian Order of priests to help homeless boys have a safe home and learn a trade. He asked the boys to say three Hail Marys every night so that the Blessed Mother would keep them away from sin. The boys loved to listen to Saint John Bosco. They knew he loved them. He would organize games for them and make sure they had time to play. He encouraged the boys to be like Jesus in everything they did, whether they were working, praying, studying, or playing.
Saint Philip Neri: Feast Day – May 26
Philip Neri was known as “Pippo buono”, or “good little Phil,” because he was a cheerful, thoughtful boy and well-liked. Philip’s cheerfulness helped others remain hopeful and faithful. When he was a young man and was about to move away from home, it was his cheerfulness and his faith that gave his sisters hope that everything would be right, even with him leaving.
As an adult, he used his sense of humor and his friendliness to gain the attention of passersby and helped them give up their careless ways of life to follow Christ. Philip inspired his friends to serve the sick in the hospitals and to pray. His heart burned and expanded with love for God and others. He often asked, “Well, brothers, when shall we begin to do good?”
In 1551 he was ordained a priest. He often heard Confessions, and helped many people with his wisdom, warmth, and compassion. Saint Philip kept a Bible and a joke book by his bed. He hung a little sing on his door that said “The House of Christian Mirth.” He said, “Christian joy is a gift from God flowing from a good conscience.” Many came to know Christ through the cheerfulness of Saint Philip Neri.
Blessed Miguel Augustin Pro: Feast Day – November 23
Miguel Pro was the oldest son of a large Mexican family. He was a lively youth, gifted at mimicking voices of his family, friends, and neighbors, and at putting on dramas. He loved to tease his brothers and sisters and to play practical jokes on his family. Yet he was kind and sensitive to others’ feelings too. He never used his humor to hurt others, but only to make them laugh.
At the age of 20, he felt God calling him to become a Jesuit priest. When he had been at the seminary for only a few months, the government began to persecute the Church in Mexico, closing schools and taking church properties. Miguel and the other seminarians were worried about their families and were very homesick. The novice master asked Miguel to cheer everyone up by organizing hikes, dramas, picnics, feast day parties, and other activities. Eventually the government closed the seminary and the Jesuit novices had to flee in disguise and complete their training abroad.
After being ordained in Belgium, Father Miguel Pro returned to Mexico in the midst of a changing government. The constitution made practicing the Catholic faith illegal, but Father Pro was fearless and went all over Mexico City helping the poor, saying Mass, and hearing Confessions. With bravery as well as humor, he put all of his talents of mimicry and costume to use, evading the police who were searching for him, and often daring to make fools of them in ways they did not even realize.
Over time, Catholics in Mexico were tired of seeing their priests shot and their churches closed, and they began to fight for their religious freedom. In October 1927, two Catholic men tried to assassinate a high government official. They were captured, and because the car they were driving had formerly belonged to Miguel Pro’s brother, Miguel and two of his brothers were arrested. The men who had planned the attack confessed and swore the Pro brothers had not been involved. The government would not believe them, though, and in addition, found out that Miguel Pro was a priest. Without a trial, all five men were condemned to death. Blessed Miguel was led before the firing squad. The government had invited reports, thinking the Church would be embarrassed by a coward’s death. Instead, Blessed Miguel walked by the soldiers, who were going to shoot him, and said, “I forgive you and I will pray for your families.” We asked to kneel and pray, and calmly did so. He refused blindfold, stretched out his arms as if on a cross, with a rosary in one hand and a little cross in the other. As they shot him, he yelled out, “Viva Cristo Rey!” Viva Cristo Rey!”
Letter from Bishop Olson
SMG Spirit Store Closes at MIDNIGHT - Order Today!
SMG Spirit Store will close February 5th and all orders will be distribute to the students on February 10th at school. View the web site for all options.
https://esixsportswear.com/saint_maria_goretti/shop/homeSMGCS Dine Out at La Isla - February 8th
Stephen Breen T-Shirts are on sale now!
Stephen Breen Memorial Basketball Tournament T-shirt Sales now starting! Pre-order ends February 10th. Limited sizes and styles are available at the tournament. Tournament shirts can be worn any day of the tournament with uniform bottoms except Mass days.
As always, if wearing this year’s tournament shirt, it’s FREE ADMISSION into the tournament. Admission costs: $5 for adults, $3 for school-aged children, and $15 for a tournament pass.
Direct order link: https://www.yoomarkit.com/product-category/breen/
To avoid shipping charges and potential delays in receiving your order, I highly encourage you to choose ‘BREEN TOURNAMENT – PICK UP @ Nolan’.
Teacher Outings
There are still openings for teacher outings offered at our annual Dinner Dance. To sign up, complete the facts form and return to Mrs. Malloy in the front office. FACTS Form
I Love to Read Day - Tuesday, February 14th
SAC Catholic Mission Committee Nomination
Please use this link to submit a person that you feel would be an asset to the SMG Catholic Mission Committee.
Sign Up for Weekend School Masses
Please mark your calendars to attend and participate in the Masses this year! All students and their families should plan to attend in their Mass uniforms.
- 11:00 AM Sunday, March 5, 2023
- 1:00 PM Sunday, April 23, 2023
Volunteer Opportunities - Earn Spirit Hours
Below are some of the volunteer opportunities available right now! Earn your SPIRIT HOURS & hang out with fellow Trojan families, all while helping SMG.
Sports Website
Visit the Catholic Dioses of Ft. Worth website for sports schedules. Please check the site before a game for any last-minute changes. Games start this Saturday!
UTA Social Workers
Social Work Corner
Quick Internet Safety: Internet Friends
Hi y'all, Dylan here. One thing it would be good to keep track of with your kids is if they state they have Internet Friends. The intial impluse would be to dismiss the idea, I understand, but they can be either very positive or very negative for your child. If they casually bring up that they have internet friends, first and foremost advise them to never share personal information like their real name or location. Then maybe ask one or more of these questions:
- What do y'all do together? (Play video games, Chat on discord*, we are twitter mutuals** are possible responses)
- Have they told you who they are? (has the other person tried to get personal information out of your child? red flag to tell them to cut it off)
- Do they seem like they're your age? (this is important to make sure your kid isn't getting groomed by someone online)
*- Discord is a commonly used social media platform.
**- a "Mutual" is someone who you follow who also follows you back on any social media platform where "following" is a feature.
Remember to encourage your kids to be safe on the internet, and if you have a bad gut feeling about your child's internet activity, please act on it! Have a great one.
Nolan Catholic High School Announcements
Prospective Parent Coffee & Tour
- Friday, March 31
Free Admission to Nolan Basketball, Tuesday, February 7th
Knights of Columbia Free Throw Contest - Feb. 11
All diocesan students and parish kids ages 9-14 are eligible.
NCHS 7th & 8th Sailing Team - Join Now
Sacred Heart Open Gold Tournament - April 4, 2023
Sign up for the 2023 Sacred Heart Open Gold Tournament hosted by Sacred Heart High School. Please email Cody Wilson codywilson@shmuenster.com to confirm participation by Friday, March 31st.
Last Week at SMGCS
SMG Broadcast
Send pictures and information to broadcast@smgschool.org and we will do our best to feature the amazing things happening in our school.
Spaghetti Dinner
Celebrating Our Volunteers
To show appreciation for our volunteers, breakfast was provided Monday morning in the cafetorium, The student body joined them for morning prayer and a 3rd grade presentation.
1st Grade Snow Days
Enjoy this PowerPoint of 1st grade students enjoying their snow days!
1stGrd_SnowDay2023.mp4SMGCS Clubs
Monday
- 3:10-4:30 PM 3rd-8th Cecilian Singers Club 3rd - 8th (Richards)
Feb. 5, 13, 20, 27
- 3:30-4:15 Spanish Club (Zavala)
- 3:30-4:15 PM PSIA Spelling (Bara)
- 3:30-4:15 PSIA 6th-8th Mathematics (Tran) every 1st/3rd Monday
- 4:00-5:30 Boys' Basketball Practice
Tuesday
- 12:10-12:50 NJHS (Jones) bi-weekly
- 3:30-4:15 PM PSIA Maps/Graphs/Charts (Daly)
- 3:30-5:00 PM Cheer Practice (Richards)
- 5:00-6:30 Girls' Basketball Practice
- Folklorico Club (Zavala) MOVED to Wednesday during month of January
Wednesday
- 12:09-12:49 STUCO (Daly)
- 3:30-4:30 Garden Club (Risinger/Cruz)
- 3:30-4:15 Rubik Cube Club (Tran/Utendorf)
Feb. 8, 22, March 8, 22, April 12, 26, May 3, 17
- 3:30-4:15 PSIA 2-3rd Mathematics (Tran) every 1st/3rd Wednesday
- 3:15-4:30 Folklorico Club NEW TIME/DAY during month of January
- 3:30-4:15 Run Club (Gutierrez/Schump)
Feb. 15, Mar. 1, 29, April 19, May 10
Thursday
- 12:09-12:49 Library Leaders (Richards)
- 3:10-4:30 PM 5th-8th Trojan Troupe Drama Club (Richards)
- 3:30-4:15 PSIA 4th-5th Mathematics (Tran) every 1st/3rd Thursday
- 3:30-4:15 PM PSIA Ready Write (Jones)
- 5:00-6:30 Girls' Basketball Practice
- 4:00-5:30 Boys' Basketball Practice
Calendar Notes
February 8, Wednesday: 3:45-5:15 Teacher Outing - 2nd Grade Art Afternoon
February 14, Tuesday: Ealry Bird Enrollment Closes, I Love to Read Day
February 17 Friday: No School - Teacher In-Service
February 21, Tuesday: Mardi Gras Prayer Service
February 22, Wednesday: Ash Wednesday
February 24, Friday: 12:10 Early Dismissal
March 25, Saturday: PSIA District Meet at St. Martin de Porres Catholic School, Prosper, TX
Need Prayers?
We all do!! The St. Maria Goretti Catholic School Community would love to pray for you and your intentions. Please send all prayer requests to: smgprays4u@smgschool.org.
Meet Our Priests!
St. Maria Goretti Parish Website: https://www.smgparish.org/
Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth
Serving the North Texas Catholic community by providing the faithful opportunities to grow in Christian discipleship and strengthen their relationship with Jesus Christ.
St. Maria Goretti Catholic School
Email: development@smgschool.org
Website: https://smgschool.org
Location: 1200 South Davis Drive, Arlington, TX, USA
Phone: (817)275-5081
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StMariaGorettiArlington/