Dear Fabulous Families -

• We wish everyone a safe and happy Spring Break! Just a reminder that Friday is a noon dismissal day. Please be sure your child knows how they are getting home.

• If you ordered an Auction Mystery Bag for your student, it came home today! Auction Co-chairs, Mary Pat Carl and Laura Oldenburg, had fun delivering them to all the students. If you missed the opportunity to order one, see the information below.
• Here is the bidpal link: https://one.bidpal.net/nauticalnights2 Go to the left-hand side under "Browse Items", then "Featured Items".

• The Fund-A-Need for the Auction will focus on building and safety updates! With St. Gabriel being over 85 years old, it is time to modernize as we keep safety in the forefront. See the graphic below.

• Repeat from last week's newsletter: The school calendar has three bad weather days built into it. At this point in time we have used only one day for bad weather. We are going to use one of those days (Tuesday, April 11) to extend Easter break. Easter break will be April 6-11 with school resuming on Wednesday, April 12. Hopefully this will allow families to spend additional time together over Easter.

• Just a reminder that the registration fee will increase from $100 to $150 after March 27. Thank you to everyone who has registered and paid the registration fee.

• There are always lots of items to go in the school newsletter throughout the year. Please send in submissions by noon on Monday to Dr. Winkeler, dwinkeler@stgab.org, and Mrs. McEnery, tmcenery@stgab.org, before the Wednesday publication. Graphics should be a jpeg or png - not a PDF.

Peace and Joy -

Tonya McEnery

Principal

St. Gabriel the Archangel

Dan Winkeler

Assistant Principal

St. Gabriel the Archangel

Patrick House is holding a donation until March 23rd for St.Patrick Center. As it says on St Patrick Centers website “St. Patrick Center provides opportunities for self-sufficiency and dignity to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.” They help people find employment, healthcare, and housing.

For this donation we are collecting items such as hygiene products, trash bags, paper towels, diapers, and laundry detergent. Boxes are on each floor to hold donations. Or you can bring a monetary donation to Mass on March 23rd for a collection. Thank you.

The registration fee is $100 per child. The registration fee will increase to $150 per child after March 27.

Parent will need to log into TeacherEase to find this.

If you are a current family with an incoming student, you must pre-register that student and wait for approval before registering your current student(s).

Please note the requirements for admission to an elementary school from the Archdiocese:

Requirements for Admission (4102.1)

Catholic schools are unique expressions of the Church’s effort to achieve the purposes of Catholic education among the young. Academic excellence and a disciplined formation will always be the desired goals of the Catholic school. Central to the school, however, is the understanding of the Catholic tradition and growth in faith. Parents wishing to enroll their children in a Catholic school must understand and agree to the purposes of Catholic schools.

Admission to a Catholic elementary school at any point of entry is contingent upon:

1. the family’s desire for this special kind of school where Catholic teaching and moral formation are an integral part of the school; (Non-Catholic families must give the same assurance that they understand the religious requirements and expectations of attending a Catholic school). Evidence of any family’s desire to be a part of this type of school includes:

a. participation in the spiritual and social life of the parish or religious congregation;

b. support of the concepts upheld in the Witness Statement

c. agreement to follow the policies and procedures of the school;

d. willingness to cooperate with the teachers and administration in the moral, psychological, emotional, spiritual, and academic development of their children.

2. the child’s fulfillment of the age requirements listed below:

a. for admission to kindergarten, the child should be five years of age before August 1;

b. for admission to first grade, the child should be six years of age before August 1.

The summer program registration is currently open to all St. Gabriel School families. Please read through all the information at the beginning of the form before selecting the days/weeks you are signing up for. Registration will remain open through the end of March at which time I will evaluate signups to determine what weeks are still available and what is full. Sign ups are taken on a first come first serve basis and we have a max of 50 kids each week. If you have signed up and we have reached over our maximum, I will contact you and let you know as soon as possible.

There is a $50 registration fee per family due at the time of registration. This is a non-refundable fee. All other payments will be due 2 weeks prior to the week your children are attending camp. Below is the google link to registration and a faith direct link to pay the registration fee. You may also pay the fee by check payable to St. Gabriel and send to the school office in a marked envelope "Summer Program". All this information can also be found on the school website.

Registration - https://forms.gle/v1UasVmdmnD7g3CL7

Registration Fee Payment - https://forms.ministryforms.net/viewForm.aspx?formId=e77ea66d-32e2-4455-b7c9-07857fff149c

Save The Date! Totus Tuus will return to St Gabriel’s this summer during the week of June 26-30. The day program is for school aged children entering grades 1st-6th from 9 am - 3 pm in the school. There is also an evening program for those entering 7th-12th grade at 7:30 pm in the Gabriel House.

For those who are unfamiliar with Totus Tuus, it is initially a Catholic version of a VBS led by missionary and seminarians from across Missouri. Totus Tuus includes Confessions, Mass, and Adoration as well as learning about the Catholic faith!

This is also an opportunity for high school students to volunteer who are in need of completing service hours.

Please stay tuned for further information and registration! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Faith Kremer at vfaithkremer@gmail.com

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO MAKE YOUR PURCHASE!

The 8th Grade Class of 2023 is selling delicious, frozen, St. Louis Style, 12" pizzas from St. Louis City Pizza, AND an 8th grader will deliver to your door!

* 11 kinds of pizza to choose from!

* Orders must be placed by Wednesday, March 8th.--TODAY!

* Deliveries should be made the week of March 20th.

* For more information and to order or make a donation, use the link or QR Code.

Thank you for supporting the 8th Grade Class of 2023!

Click Here for the Pizza Order Link

We have added Wednesday to the list of opportunities to volunteer for recess duty.

In doing so, you will provide opportunities for teachers to take a much needed break. Each session will start with picking up the kids in the cafeteria at 10:50 and will conclude at 12:35. Thank you for donating your time to help our fabulous teachers and staff! There will be 2 teachers and 2 volunteers at each recess.

Protecting God's Children and Safe Environment Training must be complete.

Feel free to bring activities to mix up the fun for the kids:)

School Community: Recess Duty (signupgenius.com)

Contact Mrs. Roell if you have questions: mollyroell@me.com

Here is the link to sign up to be a lunch volunteer for the third trimester Volunteer sign-up

If you have an interest in helping to shape our school and using your talents to guide our school toward the future, please consider running for the St. Gabriel Board of Education. Applications are being accepted for candidates for the St. Gabriel Board of Education until April 7th!

Fore more information about what the board service entails: BOE Flyer 2022

An application form can be found at the following: Board Application 2023

Please feel free to contact Kristen Favazza at kafavazza@gmail.com or by phone at 314.445.7006

Dear Parents,

Our school continues to develop leadership skills through the middle school House system. This month, we look to Patrick House as they coordinate efforts to support the ministry of St. Patrick Center. See the message below from their team:

Patrick House is holding a donation until March 23rd for St.Patrick Center. As it says on St Patrick Centers website, “St. Patrick Center provides opportunities for self-sufficiency and dignity to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.” They help people find employment, healthcare, and housing. For this donation, we are collecting items such as hygiene products, trash bags, paper towels, diapers, and laundry detergent. Boxes are on each floor to hold donations, or you can bring a monetary donation to Mass on March 23rd for a collection. Thank you.

There will be representatives from the Center at that Mass. Students in Patrick House will be our lectors and ushers at Mass.

My suggestion for Lent is to keep it simple. Pay attention. I was at a meeting the week before Lent started and a prayer was shared that struck me. It was a prayer that I had never heard before and in my mind, I made a note of the author. Two days later in my reading, I came across the author's name, Howard Thurman, and was able to find the prayer online.

Open unto me — light for my darkness.
Open unto me — courage for my fear.
Open unto me — hope for my despair.
Open unto me — peace for my turmoil.
Open unto me — joy for my sorrow.
Open unto me — strength for my weakness.
Open unto me — wisdom for my confusion.
Open unto me — forgiveness for my sins.
Open unto me — love for my hates.
Open unto me — thy Self for my self.

Lord, Lord, open unto me!

CRS Rice Bowls were sent home. Here is a link that explains the program and has additional resources:

https://www.crsricebowl.org/about

Students in grades 3-8 are being offered an opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation during Lent. Second grade students will be offered the opportunity closer to First Communion.

Tuesday Masses

3/21 4S

3/28 3H

4/4 3B

Wednesday Masses

3/22 7D

3/29 7A

4/5 6B

Thursday Masses

3/9 1M

3/23 Patrick House

3/30 1K

4/7 No School -Holy Thursday

Come pray with us. Please join us whenever you are able! Masses are at 8:00 am in church.

Sacrament Days for 2022-2023 School Year:

8th Grade

Confirmation Retreat Day- April 18th

Confirmation-April 20, 2023 at 7:00 pm

2nd Grade

First Communion Parent Meeting- March 30 at 6:30 pm in church

First Communion-May 7, 2023 at 2:00 pm

Peace and blessings!

Deborah DaLay

Coordinator of Religious Education

Dates below are subject to change and additional days will be added as we continue to plan for the upcoming year.

March 10- Planning and Collaboration- NOON DISMISSAL

March 13-17- Spring break- NO SCHOOL

March 25- Auction

March 30 - First Communion Parent Meeting, 6:30 pm, Church

April 6- Holy Thursday- NO SCHOOL

April 7- Good Friday- NO SCHOOL

April 10- Easter Monday- NO SCHOOL

April 11 - NEW Day off added to Easter Break

April 18- 8th Grade Confirmation Day of Reflection

April 20- Confirmation 7pm at SGA

April 21 - 8th Grade Off School Due to Confirmation

April 21- Planning and Collaboration- NOON DISMISSAL

May 7- First Communion, 2:00 pm, Church

May 8- 2nd grade Off School Due to Confirmation

May 9- Vocal concert (Kindergarten, 1st, 3rd, 5th grades, and Honor Choir), Art Show

May 10- Band concert, Art Show

May 12- Field Day- NOON DISMISSAL

May 23- 8th Grade Graduation (6:00pm)

May 26- Last day of school- NOON DISMISSAL

If you are interested in being a mentor family, please see the link below:

bit.ly/3IZsc1H

SGYG is open to all high school teens. We meet on Wednesday evenings from 7:30-9pm (Doors Open at 7:15pm) in the Gabriel House Chapel. No sign-up necessary! High schoolers can attend on a regular basis or drop-in as it fits their schedule!

WEDNESDAY TIME CHANGE FOR MARCH:

"Mini SGYG" | 7-8pm

Stations of the Cross Practice | 8-9:15pm

No SGYG or Stations Practice on March 15th due to Spring Break!

SGYG & 8th Grade led Silhouette Stations of the Cross: April 5th

*We are in need of 2 more teens to help lead Stations. Please contact Sarah ASAP if you're interested.

LUKE 18 | 8th Grade Retreat: May 5th - 7th

*Registration is OPEN!

Current 8th graders need to use the QR Code in the flyer or visit the parish website by Wednesday, March 29th.

Current High Schoolers who want to prepare and lead the retreat need to contact Sarah by this Friday, March 10th!

Steubenville STL Mid-America 2023: July 7th - 9th

*Only 8 spots remain and are available on a first-come basis! The registration link can be found on the Youth Group page of the parish website.

Stay Connected with SGYG

Follow us on Instagram @stgabesyg

Like our Facebook Group: St. Gabriel Youth Group (SGYG)

Join the Flocknote Group: Youth Ministry

Visit the Youth Group page on the parish website

Contact our Youth Minister: Sarah Henderson - hendersons@stgabrielstl.org

Dear Parishioners:

What are you going to do this Lent to grow closer to Christ? Lent is a beautiful time to experience the transforming power of mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Besides our regular confessions times the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be celebrated on the Wednesday’s of Lent from 5:30-7pm, and on Good Friday. No matter what you have done, no matter how long you have been away, Jesus is waiting for you with open arms this Lent!

As we begin this Lenten journey the key to understanding the meaning of Lent is simple:

Baptism. Preparation for Baptism and for renewing baptismal commitment lies at the heart of the season. Since the Second Vatican Council, the Church has reemphasized the baptismal character of Lent, especially through the restoration of the Catechumenate and its Lenten rituals. Our challenge today is to renew our understanding of this important season of the Church year and to see how we can integrate our personal practices into this renewed perspective.

Why is Baptism so important in our Lenten understanding? Lent as a 40-day season developed in the fourth century from three merging sources. The first was the ancient paschal fast that began as a two-day observance before Easter but was gradually lengthened to 40 days. The second was the catechumenate as a process of preparation for Baptism, including an intense period of preparation for the Sacraments of Initiation to be celebrated at Easter. The third was the Order of Penitents, which was modeled on the catechumenate and sought a second conversion for those who had fallen back into serious sin after Baptism. As the catechumens (candidates for Baptism) entered their final period of preparation for Baptism, the penitents and the rest of the community accompanied them on their journey and prepared to renew their baptismal vows at Easter.

The three traditional pillars of Lenten observance are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The key to renewed appreciation of these practices is to see their link to baptismal renewal.

Prayer: More time given to prayer during Lent should draw us closer to the Lord. We might pray especially for the grace to live out our baptismal promises more fully. We might pray for the elect who will be baptized at Easter and support their conversion journey by our prayer. We might pray for all those who will celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation with us during Lent that they will be truly renewed in their baptismal commitment.

Fasting: Fasting is one of the most ancient practices linked to Lent. In fact, the paschal fast predates Lent as we know it. The early Church fasted intensely for two days before the celebration of the Easter Vigil. This fast was later extended and became a 40-day period of fasting leading up to Easter. Vatican II called us to renew the observance of the ancient paschal fast: "...let the paschal fast be kept sacred. Let it be celebrated everywhere on Good Friday and, where possible, prolonged throughout Holy Saturday, so that the joys of the Sunday of the Resurrection may be attained with uplifted and clear mind".

Fasting is more than a means of developing self-control. It is often an aid to prayer, as the pangs of hunger remind us of our hunger for God. Fasting should be linked to our concern for those who are forced to fast by their poverty, those who suffer from the injustices of our economic and political structures, those who are in need for any reason. Thus fasting, too, is linked to living out our baptismal promises. By our Baptism, we are charged with the responsibility of showing Christ's love to the world, especially to those in need. Fasting can help us realize the suffering that so many people in our world experience every day, and it should lead us to greater efforts to alleviate that suffering.

Almsgiving: It should be obvious at this point that almsgiving, the third traditional pillar, is linked to our baptismal commitment in the same way. It is a sign of our care for those in need and an expression of our gratitude for all God has given to us. Works of charity and the promotion of justice are integral elements of the Christian way of life we began when we were baptized.

Let us continue to pray for each other and in special way for those whom are preparing to enter the Church this Easter, as we together make this Lenten retreat.

Lenten Blessings!

Msgr. John Shamleffer

There are limited spots available for this hybrid campus tour & mini class observations for current 7th grade boys and their parent(s)/guardian(s), as they begin their consideration of high schools. The visits last approximately 1 1/2 hours and are offered most mornings between March 20, 2023 - May 5th, 2023.

You and your families can learn more about the visit and they can register via the following link - https://www.sluh.org/admissions/visit/inside-sluh-visit.

7th Grade Shadow Visits will begin in March. We have dates available that students can register for. All visits are for a half day and include lunch.

Movie Night is on March 3rd. DB will host its first Movie Night for Middle School Students. Doors open at 6:00pm and event ends at 9:30pm.

Mouse Races is on March 4th for parents. Great way for parents to have fun and meet DB parents.

Summer Camp registration is now open.