The Good News
Saint John XXIII December 13 , 2018
Leadership Message
Advent: Making room for Jesus...
“Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, every mountain and hill be made low.” Isaiah 40:3-4
Recently someone asked, “If Jesus came today, would you have time for Him in your day?” This was a profound question. As we journey through our Advent season at Saint John XXIII, we are making room for Jesus everyday through prayer, scripture, and song. Students are also inviting us to share our abundance with others. Perhaps we can take a page or two from the light of children who, without reservation, share their gifts, pray with their whole hearts, sing with joy, and dance with grace during Advent. It is a blessing to see the wonder and awe that our students show as we travel the road to the Bethlehem and await the gift of Jesus. If ever you need to pause this Advent season, join us in the library and share in the joy that comes from making “room at the inn” for Jesus.
Blessings,
Mrs. Boehm
We Love to Read...Mrs. Selinger recommends:
We love to read...Miss Clarkson Recommends:
Christmas Concert: Journey to the Stable
VIP Tickets: We are holding a: VIP Front Row seats and Prime Parking, to raise funds for our Chalice Foster children and Valeda House. We are aware of the typo error between the letter and the raffle tickets and have honoured the correct price on the tickets. For anyone who has already purchased VIP raffle tickets, you have been given the correct number of tickets. Thank-you for your understanding and good luck!
Advent at Saint John XXIII: Sharing & Praying
Please consider sharing your gifts with any of our Advent projects below. There are no expectations, only invitations....
Food Bank Drive: Students from 2S are leading a Food Bank Drive for the month of December. If your family would like to donate either non-perishable food items or monetary donations, please send these in with your child who will take these items to the drop boxes outside of 2S.
Warmth Tree: Our grade 4 Young Citizens Leadership Squad has set up a Warmth Tree and fireplace outside of our office. They are hoping to collect as many pairs of mittens, toques, and socks as they can to donate to the Families First organization in our city. If your family would like to donate any of these items, please consider adding to our Warmth Tree.
Cozy Friday! December 21st: Bring a loonie or toonie to wear your PJs on the last day of school for Valeda House. All proceeds will go to our social justice project, Valeda House.
Prayer Pals: Our grade 4 Faith Leadership Squad handed out My Prayer Pall cards to each student on Wednesday. Each student was given the name of another SJXXIII student and invited to pray for them every day from now until Epiphany, Jan. 6, 2019. We encourage you to ask your child who their Prayer Pal is and include them in your home prayers.
Angel Tree Gifts: Our OLA Parish’s Angel Tree is an invitation for you and your family to share the gift giving joys of Christmas with a less fortunate child in our community. Our sturdy little tree at the parish is adorned with paper angels marked with the age, group and gender of a child or youth. Please take a tag, purchase a gift and help a needy child or youth celebrate Christmas. Please return the gift, along with the paper angel, in an unsealed gift bag, or unwrapped. Please leave your gift under the tree by Monday, December 17th.
Families in need: It Takes a Village
Growing Brains, Sharing Smiles...
School Council News
Thank-you!
OLA Parish News
OLA Parish: Children'S Liturgy Christmas Nativity Pageant
Schedule: Pageant Rehearsal -Friday, December 14 at 5:00 pm Pageant—Sunday, Dec. 16, 11:00 am Mass
Knights of Columbus Raffle at the Christmas Concert: Dec. 20th
Members of the Knights of Columbus council will be selling raffle tickets for their Annual Charities Appeal at the December 20 Saint John XXIII Christmas Concerts.
In the last 36 years, the Knights of Columbus Charities Appeal Fund has donated over $2.4 million to various worthy charities across Alberta. The primary focus of their donations is education, children and youth charities, women's needs, and senior's charities. Specifically, our local council uses a portion of monies raised to support two Catholic high school annual scholarships valued at $750 and $500.
2017/2018 Award Winners
Cholete Union - $750
Duncan McCallum - $500
This year's prizes are as follows:
1st Prize - 2019 Ford Explorer XLT 4WD
2nd Prize - 2019 Ford F-150 XLT 4x4 Crew
Early Bird - $10,000 Cash (drawn February 24, 2019)
Thank-you for your consideration in supporting the Knights of Columbus at the Christmas Concert this year.
Christmas Masses
Christmas Eve., December 24, 2018
Our Lady of the Angels Parish: 4:30 pm, 6:30 pm, 12:00 am (Midnight Mass)
Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Lamoureux: 7:30 pm
Our Lady of Good Counsel, Skaro: 5:00 pm
Sacred Heart, Gibbons: 7:00 pm
St. Michael the Archangel, St. Michael: 5:00 pm
St. Clare, Redwater: 7:00 pm
Christmas Day, December 25, 2018
Our Lady of the Angels Parish: 10:00 am
Lamont Aux. Hosp. Chapel: 9:30 am
New Years Eve., Dec. 31, 2018
Our Lady of the Angels Parish: 5:15 pm
Lamont Aux. Hosp. Chapel: 4:00 pm
St. Michael the Archangel, St. Michael: 5:30 pm
New Years Day, January 1, 2019 Solemnity: Mary Mother of God
Our Lady of the Angels Parish: 9:00 am and 11:00 am
St. Clare Parish, Redwater: 10:00 am
Sacred Heart Parish, Gibbons: 11:30 am
LOOKING AHEAD...
Dec. 17: Assembly 9 am Advent Assembly
Dec. 19: Dress rehearsal: Journey to the Stable
Dec. 20: Journey to the Stable Concert afternoon 1:30 pm and evening 7:00 pm performances
Dec. 21: Last day of school before Christmas break Cozy Day: Bring a toonie or loonie for Valeda house and wear your Pjs. (Advent wreath 4th candle and sing-along am)
Christmas Blessings to you and yours!
Jan. 7: Welcome back to school! Assembly 9 am
Jan. 9: Early Out dismissal 2:23 pm
Saint John XXIII Catholic School
Email: stj@eics.ab.ca
Website: https://stj.eics.ab.ca/
Location: 9526 89 Street, Fort Saskatchewan, AB, Canada
Phone: 780-998-7777
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stjohnXXIII/
Twitter: @St_JohnXXIII