Elementary K-3 Campus Newsletter

February 8, 2008

Congratulations to the following World’s Finest Chocolate Sale Winners: Top Sellers: Jacob Thompson, Madlyn Murphy, Maggie Mitchell 5lb Chocolate Bar: Madlyn Murphy Scrip Card Drawing for Donation: Caleb Buckman Scrip Card extra incentive drawing: Avery Nalley A big Thank You to all who participated in the sale!

With so much in the news about staph infection and MRSA, Kathryn Crowe, our OCS System Nurse, has written a letter, which is attached, with some information on what it is, what It looks like, and how to prevent it. Please take some time to read over this important information.

All are invited to the PTO meeting next Tuesday, February 12. This meeting will take place at the 4-6 Campus. Please note the date- in last weeks Newsletter the date was listed incorrectly!
Thank you to Grace Brocato for the Holy Card donation.

Attached you will find an order form for a 2007-2008 Yearbook. For those of you who have not ordered a yearbook before, it includes pictures of students in grades K-6. The books are $10 and all orders must be in by February 21, 2008.

Happy Birthday this week to: Cody Stelmach, Michael Miller, Jaden Wall, Amelia Fusco, Harley Millay, Erin Walker, and Hannah Garvin.
Congratulations to Grace Wright, Hayden Riney, Alison Kuntz, and JR Goetz for reaching the 50 Point Club in Accelerated Reader Points!

Important Dates:
• February 8- Mid-terms go home
• February 11- 2nd Grade Field Trip- RiverPark- “Super Scientific Circus”
• February 11-12- Officer DARE visits the K-3 Campus
• February 12-6:30- PTO Meeting at 4-6 Campus
• February 14- 9:00- Confessions- 2nd & 3rd Grade Students (No Mass)
• February 14- Valentine’s Day
• February 15- PSAS forms due for Financial Assistance
• February 18- No School
• February 21- Sacred Heart of Jesus Prayer Service (No Mass)
• February 29- Free Dress Day

PSAS financial aid forms need to be filled out and mailed by February 15 in order to get information back about tuition by the middle of March.

Pre-registration will be March 17- March 21.

Saints of the Week

February 6 - ST. PAUL MIKI AND COMPANIONS- These twenty-six martyrs are sometimes called the martyrs of Nagasaki and the martyrs of Japan. St. Francis Xavier brought the Good News of Christianity to Japan in 1549. Many received the Word and were baptized by St. Francis himself. Although Francis moved on and eventually died near the shores of China, the faith had grown in Japan. By 1587 there were over two hundred thousand Catholics. In 1597, forty-five years after the arrival of Francis Xavier, a powerful Japanese official, Hideyoshi, listened to the gossip of a Spanish merchant. The merchant whispered that the missionaries were traitors of Japan. He suggested that these traitors would cause Japan to be defeated by Spain and Portugal. The claim was false and absurd. But as an overreaction, Hideyoshi had twenty-six people arrested. The group included six Franciscans from Spain, Mexico and India; three Japanese Jesuit catechists, including St. Paul Miki; and seventeen Japanese Catholic lay people, including children. The twenty-six were led to the place of execution outside Nagasaki. They were fastened to individual crosses with chains and cords and had iron collars clamped around their necks. Each cross was hoisted and the base was lowered into a hole dug for it. Spears were thrust into each of the victims. They died almost at the same moment. Their blood-stained clothes were treasured by the Christian community and miracles happened through their intercession.

February 10 - ST. SCHOLASTICA- Scholastica and St. Benedict were twins born in central Italy in 480. It is said that for many years, their parents had begged God to send them children. When at last Benedict and Scholastica were born, their parents cherished them. The couple tried to raise them well.
Scholastica was a friendly, intelligent girl. She promised herself to Jesus when she was still very young. After her parents died, she went to visit her brother who had already left home. He had built a big monastery and was the leader of many good monks. Benedict had become the founder of the Benedictine order.
St. Benedict was very good to his sister. When he realized that she and other young women wanted to become nuns, he helped them start a monastery for women. While Benedict was at Subiaco, Scholastica was at a nearby monastery. When her twin brother moved to Monte Cassino, she entered a woman's monastery near there.
Once a year Benedict visited his sister and spent the day with her. On one of his visits, when he rose to leave, Scholastica begged him to stay longer. Benedict said he could not. His sister quietly bowed her head and begged the Lord to prolong her brother's visit. Suddenly, a storm arose and Benedict was unable to leave. He stayed and they talked all through the night. They spoke of the goodness of God and the happiness of the saints in heaven. Not long after, Scholastica passed away. She died in 547.