Hawks Weekly
St. Theresa - March 11 - 15, 2024
Gospel Reflection
Seeking the Full Truth
The Fourth Sunday of Lent (Year B)
(Note: When the Scrutinies are used at Mass, the reflection for Year A may be used in place of this one.)
Jesus said to Nicodemus: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” John 3:14–15
The line quoted above concludes a dialogue that Jesus had with Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin. This is the first of three times Nicodemus is mentioned in the Gospel of John. The second time he appears is when he reminds the other members of the Sanhedrin that a man must be first heard before he is condemned. The third time was when Jesus was killed and Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes to prepare Jesus’ body for burial.
Jesus was not accepted by most of the Pharisees and within the Sanhedrin. For that reason, Nicodemus was taking a risk by going to him at night to talk. But Jesus clearly senses faith in the heart of Nicodemus, which is why when Nicodemus asks Jesus about His teaching, Jesus answers him. Unlike the other Pharisees, Nicodemus was not trying to trap our Lord; he sincerely wanted to understand.
At the beginning of this dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus, Nicodemus professes the beginning of faith in Jesus when he says, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you are doing unless God is with him” (John 3:2). Interestingly, Jesus then speaks to Nicodemus in figures of speech, saying that one can only enter the Kingdom of God when they are “born from above” and “born from water and the Spirit.” Nicodemus tries to understand but fails. Jesus then gently rebukes him by saying, “You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this?” (John 3:10). Jesus then goes on to speak further in symbolic language and figures of speech, concluding with the beginning of today’s Gospel quoted above when He speaks in a veiled way about His coming crucifixion.
One thing that is important to understand from this dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus is that Jesus’ language is veiled in symbolic language because, even though Nicodemus was on the right path, he was not yet ready for the full revelation of the Gospel. He could not yet fully comprehend all that our Lord came to reveal. Thus, Jesus spoke in veiled language and invited Nicodemus to keep seeking its hidden meaning.
In our own lives, we can come to God and want Him to speak clearly and definitively to us, revealing His perfect will for our lives. But often He doesn’t. Why? Because God knows we are not yet ready for the full truth. When He speaks to us and when we gain insight in one way or another, this is good and reveals we are on the right path. But the Gospel, in its fullness, is so radical and so demanding that most people are not yet ready for the full truth. Therefore, in His compassion, God gives us only what we can handle at the moment. But this humble truth should encourage us, as it did Nicodemus, to not give up and to continue opening ourselves to the fullness of the Word of God.
Reflect, today, upon how open you are to the fullness of God’s Word. What would happen if God were to reveal to you, by an immediate personal revelation of divine knowledge, all that was in His sacred mind? Would it be too much for you to handle? Yes, it would be. But that humble admission is an important step toward that very goal. Humble yourself, today, more fully before the mysterious Word of God and pray that you will continue to be changed and open so that the clarity of God’s truth will more fully penetrate your soul.
My teaching Lord, Your sacred Truth is so deep, so profound and so transforming that it remains too much for me to fully comprehend and embrace. For that reason, I thank You for the mercy of speaking to me in veiled ways so as to continually draw me deeper in my faith and knowledge of You. Please continue to open my mind and heart to You so that, one day, I will understand Your Truth most fully. Jesus, I trust in You.
Upcoming School Events
Mark Your Calendars:
- Monday March 11 - Friday March 15 - Book Fair
- Wednesday March 13 - Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences - 3:30pm - 7:00pm
- Thursday March 14 - Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences - 3:30pm - 7:00pm
- Friday March 15 - Grade 6 - Swimming
- Friday March 15 - Ukrainian Program - Trip to St. John's Cultural Centre
- Monday March 18 - Performing Arts 5/6 Present - Honk! JR. - Doors open @ 6:30pm, Show starts @ 6:45pm.
- Monday March 18 - Linking Generations @ 11:45am
- Monday March 18 - Grade 8 - ABJ Registrations - St. Theresa Cafeteria @ 1:00pm
- Tuesday March 19 - Performing Arts 5/6 Present - Honk! JR. - Doors open @ 6:30pm, Show starts @ 6:45pm.
- Wednesday March 20 - Basketball Pep Rally @ 1:40pm
- Thursday March 21 - Friday Schedule
- Friday March 22 - Spring Break begins - No School
- Monday March 25 - Friday March 29 - Spring Break - No School
- Monday April 1 - Easter Monday - No School
- Tuesday April 2 - Classes Resume
Book Fair
Performing Arts 5 and 6 Present - Honk! JR.
It's (almost) Show Time! Performing Arts 5 and 6 students have been working tirelessly on their production of Honk! JR.
Tickets will be on sale in the office starting Wednesday, March 6. Tickets will be $5 and are available in the office. Show times are Monday, March 18 and Tuesday, March 19.
For all Evening shows, doors will open at 6:30 pm, with the show starting at 6:45 pm. The runtime is about 1 hour and 15 minutes. A portion of ticket sales will be donated. Hope to see you there!
Parent Information
Student Drop off and Pick up
Reminder to all parents and guardians to review the below traffic plan for student pick up and drop off. Kindly note that there is NO PARKING in the bus lanes during school hours. Bus lanes include the south and west side of the building.
Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences - March 13th and 14th
Parent-Student-Teacher conferences will be held at St Theresa on March 13th and 14th from 3:30 – 7pm. We are happy to announce that all conferences will be held in person at the school, in your child’s classroom.
Conferences will be 10 minutes in duration; if you feel you will require more than a 10 minute conversation with your child’s teacher, please contact the teacher directly to book an alternate meeting date.
Please check your parent PowerSchool account to ensure that you are booking with the correct teacher(s). To book your conferences, visit https://schoolinterviews.ca/code/6ejhh.
Bookings will open on Friday March 1st at 9am and will close on Tuesday March 12th at 9am
Grade 8 Students - 2024/2025 Grade 9 Registration Information
Registering for Grade 9 at ABJ
Staff from ABJ were ar St. Theresa on Tuesday March 5th for a Registration Information Session/Presentation for Grade 8 students. They went through course descriptions, timetables, Advanced Placement, etc. Registration forms were distributed with the understanding that students will be returning their completed forms to their HOMEROOM teachers.
Staff from ABJ will return to St. Theresa to meet with students and complete the online portion of the registration/course selection on Monday March 18th. After this, students will officially be registered at ABJ!
EICS 2024 Lenten Campaign
St. Theresa in March
Hawks Hockey Challenge
Gr. 5 SFL - Professor Matt Hoven talking about Catholic Theology of Sport
Gr. 5 SFL - Ottewell Curling Club
Recess Fun
Parent Societies
Parent Advisory Council (PAC)
The St. Theresa Parent Advisory Council performs many vital functions for our school community, by helping to facilitate school wide student functions and providing valuable funding to our school via fundraising. Parents involved in the PAC learn about planning and development within the school and are part of the planning process. These roles make their involvement very important to the families, administration and teachers.
Next Parent Council Meeting - Tuesday April 9th - St. Theresa Library @ 6:30pm
https://stt.eics.ab.ca/parents/parent-societies
2023/2024 PAC Meeting Dates
September 26, 2023
October 24, 2023
December 11, 2023
January 30, 2024
February 27, 2024
April 9, 2024
May 7, 2024
June 11, 2024
2022 - 2023 Executive PAC Members:
Chair - Jodi Ostrosky
Co-Chair - Lindsay Tomalik
Treasurer - Kim Pennock
Secretary - Rosie Conrad
Bilingual Ukrainian Catholic Parents Society (BUCPS)
Bitaemo! Sherwood Park's Ukrainian Bilingual Program began in 1980 and has seen decades of success in academic achievement, global learning, and celebration of the rich Ukrainian heritage. From Preschool/Sadochok to Grade 12, the Ukrainian Bilingual Program offers a community-minded cultural environment along with an enhanced academic curriculum. BUCPS Mission is to promote, advocate, support and foster cultural and educations opportunities for students in the Ukrainian Bilingual Program.
https://stt.eics.ab.ca/parents/parent-societies
2022-2023 Executive BUCPS Members:
President - Slavko Nohas
Vice-President - Christin Hyshka
Treasurer - Andrea Chmilar
Secretary - Kelsey Whattam
Members at Large:
Talia Koziak/Kathy Leskow/Clayton Starko
Health and Wellness
Digital Wellbeing - For Parents & Caregivers of children 9 -14 years
MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2024, 6 – 8PM
Learn how to help your child with the social and technological pressures they face in the world today. Together we will go through research-based ways we can support children when they are feeling the pressure of their digital lives. Issues addressed include interacting with strangers online, understanding their digital identity, and healthy relationships. The content of this workshop is geared for parents and caregivers with children between 9-14 years of age.
The presentation is on March 11 at 6 to 7:30 pm, with an opportunity for Q & A from 7:30 to 8 pm.
Location
St Luke School
22139 S Cooking Rd,
Sherwood Park, AB T8E 1G9
Type of Event
Parent education
Audience
Adult, Caregivers
Cost
Free, Registration Required. Click here to register: Digital Wellbeing - For Parents and Caregivers of children ages 9 to 14 years., Monday, March 11, 2024, 6 - 8pm - Family and parenting supports | Strathcona County
For more Information email; FamilyResourceNetwork@strathcona.ca
Parish News
Sacraments
OLPH Parish
We Remember, We Celebrate, We Believe
OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP PARISH
13 Brower Drive, Sherwood Park AB. T8H 1Y7
Phone : 780 467 5470 Fax : 780 467 0530
E-mail: info@olph.ca Website: www.olph.ca
Dear Parents:
Welcome to a new year of Catholic education and faith formation for your child!
Each year, in a Catholic school, your child will learn about many aspects of their Catholic faith— including learning about the seven sacraments. In our Archdiocese, preparing children for the celebration of their own sacraments always occurs in the parish, with the support of the school: • preparing for First Reconciliation, and then First Eucharist, can begin when a child is 7 years of age and in Grade 2 or older
• preparing for Confirmation can begin when a child is about 12 years of age and in Grade 6 or older • special preparation is also available for children of any age who are not yet baptized
Most children attending Catholic schools are ready to receive at the ages shown above, but there is no such thing as too late. Are you seeking for your child to celebrate a sacrament, such as Baptism, First Communion or Confirmation? Are you ready to help them live out their Baptismal promises? Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish and Elk Island Catholic Schools are each involved in preparing your child for a Catholic sacrament along with you. It is a group effort, and everyone has a role:
• As a parent, the Church has always held that you are the primary teacher of the faith for your child. You teach them about God; set the example; talk about your own faith; and you bring them to Mass. • The place where the sacraments are celebrated and lived is the Catholic parish. We the people of God in the Church are each part of the Body of Christ. Being in relationship with the parish community (with all its challenges and blessings) is essential for your life of faith and that of your child. The preparation for, and celebration of, the sacraments happens in the parish church. • You must sign your child up for preparation at the parish. The school doesn’t do this part of the process for you. Catholic schools are a special place for children to learn more about Jesus Christ, to practice living in a community of faith, and to develop and deepen a relationship with Christ. We (Catholic parish and Catholic school) are eager to walk beside you and your children during this very special time.
Please call OLPH parish office 780-467-5470, send an email to sacraments@olph.ca or visit www.olph.ca/sacraments to get started or learn more.
As you prepare your child for their sacraments may this also be a special time for you - of deepening your own understanding and of growing in faith for the whole family!
Sincerely in Christ,
Rev. Jim Corrigan, Pastor
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish
A Roman Catholic Christian community.
We come together at our Lord’s invitation to worship God, celebrate the sacraments, and deepen our faith. We strive to be thankful, generous and welcoming, and are sent forth to help advance God’s Kingdom on earth by proclaiming the Gospel and serving others.
Helpful Links
St. Theresa Catholic School
Email: stt@eics.ab.ca
Website: https://stt.eics.ab.ca/
Location: 2021 Brentwood Blvd, Sherwood Park, AB, Canada
Phone: 780-464-4001
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/St.TheresaCatholicMiddleSchool/