MCCHS FRIDAY FOCUS
149th EDITION: March 13, 2020
From the Desk of Rev. Jared Twenty
In the first reading at Mass this upcoming Sunday, we will hear the story of Moses and the Israelites at Massah and Meribah. During their 40-year journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, the people were thirsty and they complained to Moses. The Lord commanded Moses to strike a rock with the very staff he had used at the parting of the Red Sea, and water flowed from the rock for them to drink. The author of Exodus points out that the moral of this story is an exhortation against doubt, noting with disappointment that God’s own people tested Him, saying “Is the Lord in our midst or not?” (Exodus 17:7).
Commenting on this passage, St. Paul understands that the meaning of this story goes even deeper. “The rock,” St. Paul says, “was Christ,” (1 Corinthians 10:4). The rock which Moses drew water out of was in fact a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ, since it is from Him alone that the life-giving waters of Baptism (and all the sacraments, for that matter) receive the power of divine grace. Therefore, when we are faced with temptations of fear, anguish, or despair, we must not doubt like they did in the desert that the Lord had abandoned them, but rather place all our trust in Jesus.
This is, of course, easier said than done. The trials of life cause us to question whether or not Jesus truly has our backs. In these instances, I find it helpful to apply the old-school theological definition of faith. Faith is the submission of the intellect and will to what God has revealed. So, for example, God has revealed that He is a Trinity – One God in Three Persons. This clearly transcends the categories of human understanding, and yet because I believe that Jesus is trustworthy, I can assent to this truth. Or, take the Eucharist. It looks like bread, tastes like bread, feels like bread…all of my experience, senses, and logic tell me that it is bread, but by faith I know that it is instead the true presence of Jesus, because I trust the power and authority of His words when He says, “This is my body, given up for you.”
Apply this now to daily life. In our trials, we can easily fall into doubt. We look around us and it seems like our experience, senses, and logic all tell us that Jesus in not by our side, not guiding us, not protecting us. But, by faith we know, “in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose,” (Romans 8:28). No matter what happens, the Lord is in our midst.
Rev. Jared Twenty
At Marian, Christ Lives!
School Closing Information
The following letter was shared today via a separate email. click here for a printable version
Dear School Administrators, Staff & School Families,
Bishop Malloy has approved the following directives for dissemination by the Catholic Education Office:
- Beginning on Monday, March 16, classes at all Diocesan elementary and high school facilities are to be suspended until at least March 30, at which time the situation will be re-evaluated, and further directives will be provided. During this time period, however, schools are expected to put into place e-Learning/distant learning protocols.
- The suspension of on-site classes also includes ALL athletic, extra-curricular, and co-curricular activities both on and off-site. The suspension of these athletic, extra-curricular, and co-curricular activities is to begin immediately and will be re-evaluated at the same time the school situation is re-evaluated.
Administrators, we recommend that during the next two weeks that you direct your school or parish maintenance staff to do a deep cleaning of your school facility and that you also limit access to your building.
Families & staff, we ask that if anyone is planning on traveling outside the continental United States during the upcoming spring break that you inform your school administrator and place yourself on a 14-day self-quarantine when you return. This is important because you will not be allowed to return to school until that period of time has elapsed. And the quarantine period begins the day you return from the trip.
Because this is an ever-evolving situation, there may be more information and directives that will be communicated to you through School Speak, parishes, social media, and the diocesan website. Also, please check your e-mail regularly.
Let us pray for all those who have been affected by the Coronavirus, both directly and indirectly, and to an end to this outbreak.
Thank you for your cooperation in helping to manage this current pandemic.
God bless you all,
The Staff of the Catholic Education Office
E-Learning Procedures
All work is to be submitted no later than 4:00 pm of the same day. The submission of the assignment serves as evidence of student attendance. All classes are required to post assignments. A typical assignment will be one that a student would be able to reasonably complete using online resources, unless the teacher had specifically told the students to take their workbook/textbook home with them the day before. Teachers will use their preferred electronic assignment collection tool to post class content and homework before 9:00 am of the announced E-Learning Day. Teachers will also provide designated “office hours” in which students will be able to obtain help, answer questions, etc. during the ELearning Day.
If circumstances occur which prevent the student from logging in on the announced E-Learning Day (ie: power outage), a parent will need to call the Marian Attendance line just as they would do if the student was to be absent that school day. If the student does not take part in the E-Learning Day, the absence will be accumulated as normal and all make-up work is expected to be completed within the appropriate grace period provided by the school for an absence.
Finally, if circumstances are identified that do not allow the family’s household to participate in Marian Central’s E-Learning Day (ie: no internet access at home), families/students must communicate that fact to all of their course instructors early in the semester so that individual arrangements can be made.
Annie Production - Cancelled
Please note that the Spring Production of Annie is cancelled for this weekend.
*New* Advisory Period for 2020-21
Course Selection Changes/AP Fees
Also, if your student signed up for any Advanced Placement (AP) courses, the $95 fee per course must be paid by Friday, March 20. If it is not, your student will then be placed in a similar honors or regular level course and a $30 processing fee will be required to enroll in the AP course.