Quoi de neuf à ÉPK?
Semaine du 16 septembre, 2019
Prayer of the week
TODAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2019
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways. This is the very word of the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8–9, NEB
Lord our God, we thank you for allowing us to come to you and to stand before your face. We thank you for helping us throughout our life on earth, for strengthening our faith in you and our trust in all you do. Bless us and give us courage. May your light shine out among the peoples so that they recognize your will. May your light shine out so that your name may be praised and we can rejoice in the new time you give us. For you will be at work and you will accomplish it. Even when we do not know what will become of our time, you know what our time needs, and you will carry out your will. You will let your name be honored. You will bring your kingdom, and you will change everything for the good. Amen.
30th ANNUAL ECUMENICAL MISSION
This year’s Ecumenical Mission is titled "Interfaith Intersections” and is being led by the Rev. Dr. Scott Sharman. Interfaith conversations are an important reality in our increasingly diverse world. This October, Dr. Sharman will be exploring several questions in this regard: First, he will be looking at the scriptural, theological, and historical reasons why Christians need to be having these encounters. Second, he will be talking about the way these interfaith interactions have something to teach us about Christian ecumenical conversations. As it turns out, there are many 'intersections' between these two paths of dialogue, with gifts to be given and received in both directions. Come and find out more at this month’s Ecumenical Mission.
The brochure with the complete schedule is attached.
FIRST RECONCILIATION CELEBRATION IN 2019-2020
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is celebrated prior to First Communion, both usually when a child is in Grade 2 or older. (its never too late!)
At OLPH Parish we prepare for and celebrate First Reconciliation in the fall before Advent. After Christmas we will begin preparation to celebrate First Communion in the spring.
Parents are required to attend the registration / orientation meeting, and to accompany their child to a retreat. There is also the workbook to complete together at home prior to each sacrament.
PARENT ORIENTATION & REGISTRATION MEETING
for First Reconciliation and First Communion in 2019/20 at OLPH Church
Monday, September 23 at 7:00pm
Please bring your child’s Baptism Certificate and $50 registration fee (covers preparation books/materials for both sacraments.)
You can download and complete the registration form in advance at http://www.olph.ca/sacraments/ or fill one out at the meeting.
Children do not attend this meeting. You will take home your child’s two workbooks, ‘We Prepare for Reconciliation’ and ‘We Share in the Eucharist’ to work on together at home.
- Preparation
We are recruiting volunteers to help lead the parent-child retreats:
Saturday, October 19
10:30am-12:30pm
OR
Sunday, November 3
2:00pm – 4:00pm
Would you share this invitation with your staff and also with the parent council? Anyone interested in helping lead these sacramental preparations (it will be fun and rewarding!) can contact me directly at 780-467-5470 ext. 223 or nlavigne@olph.ca
- Celebration
As in the past, the church will be inviting several priests for FIRST RECONCILIATION GROUP CELEBRATIONS on Saturday, November 23 at OLPH Church.
This celebration will be a liturgy of the word, not a mass. I noticed last year this celebration was split into 2 start times and schools were invited to come celebrate as a group, so I’d like to keep that the same again to streamline the process. Please review and let me know if there are any issues with the time listed for your school. It will be wonderful for the children receiving reconciliation for their first time to see parents and staff from their schools also there to partake in the sacrament.
10:00am – for families with children attending EPK, Jean Vanier, St. Luke and home school
11:30am – for families with children attending Holy Spirit, Madonna, Holy Redeemer and all other schools
Of course parents may also choose to bring their prepared child for reconciliation at any other time the priests are hearing confessions here at the parish.
A word from the principal
We hope that you had the chance to learn all about your child's class for this year and that you have had the chance to connect with other parents. Should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact your child's teacher or the school administration. Our door is always open.
I also want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your patience with the state of our parking lot. I know that parking around the neighborhood has been difficult and that our walkway is messy, but at least things are moving along. The construction crew was working hard at it over the weekend to remove the rest of the asphalt. This week, they will work on the grading and we will hopefully start paving soon. For those of you who drop off and pick up your children, you may now do so in front of the school, in the lane south of where the buses park. As long as you do not park your vehicles there, we are good. This construction is certainly not the most pleasant thing, but we need to keep in mind what the end result will be. God knows our school needs it. It will be beautiful and much more functional. And even though we adults may not agree, the children are sure finding it interesting! See the picture below!
Our students have now settled into their new classrooms and have already been working hard. What a pleasure it is to see their beautiful smile as they come to school in the morning. They were all excited to meet their teacher and to reconnect with their classmates. In spite of the construction, the start of the year has gone very smoothly.
I wish you all a great week and hope to see many of you at our Welcome Back Carnival this Friday evening. Remember to drop in for a fun time between 6 to 8 PM !
Blessings,
Mme Lafrance
GRADE 3 STUDENTS ARE BUILDING THE EARTH!
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:
Tuesday September 24th: ÉPK School Council's first meeting at OLPH School starting at 7:00 PM. We would love to see you!
Thursday September 26th: Journée Terry Fox. Please send a Toonie for Terry!
Friday September 27th: Orange Shirt Day