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December 1, 2022
Happy Friday St. Louis Families!
We began a new trimester, a new week, a new month, a new liturgical season, and a new virtue all this week—it might have been a shorter one, but it certainly was a week for us here! Students are marking this Advent season with the Christmas novena, St. Andrew’s special prayer, that we will be praying together during morning prayers. I hope your families will consider joining us at home praying the novena too. The prayer can be found below.
This first week of Advent reminds us we are a people of hope as we wait, prepare, and anticipate for the coming of the Messiah. Appropriately, our December virtue is patience! I always love this time of year with our students as there is an extra buzz of energy in the classrooms, the hallways host a variety of Jesse trees as Kinders count the days with special ornaments symbolizing important biblical events, and older classes explore what joy truly means with Mary’s fiat, her yes to God that made it all possible. Whatever traditions you have in your homes as you prepare and anticipate, I hope that your families are enjoying the togetherness and the joy that comes with the Advent season.
This month as a school community we are collecting pre-loved Barbie dolls and Matchbox cars as a way of giving back and hopefully emptying some of your toy bins to make room for Santa—Mattel will recycle these at no cost to the school, and it is a small thing we can do to be good stewards. December also means we are collecting pajamas in all sizes for those in need---more information is included in this week’s Friday folders. Please consider sending in a new set of pajamas.
December also means the return of our annual St. Louis Christmas Lights Tour which will be December 10th. Many of our families have signed up to be a part of the lights’ tour already, and it is not too late to sign up if you want to join in; the deadline is tomorrow. The lights tour finishes in our school parking lot. I understand one of Santa’s elves may swing by for a quick visit between 6:00pm-7:30pm. I hope your family is able to grab some hot chocolate, put on some Christmas music, and take a drive around Alexandria to see the marvelous creativity of our school community in lights—I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our Hawk Christmas spirit. This year our student choir will be singing carols!
Report cards for the first trimester are coming home tomorrow in student Friday folders. Lastly, mark your calendars for Lessons and Carols December 13th. Our K-5 students will be reflecting on the biblical scripture surrounding Jesus’ birth –the first time we are able to do this in-person since COVID. We hope to see many of you there, it is another St. Louis Christmas tradition that we are happy to be able to return to.
Advent blessings of hope, peace, joy, and love to each of you!
Peace,
Anne Dyke
***Prayer of St. Andrew
Hail, and blessed be the hour and moment
At which the Son of God was born
Of a most pure Virgin
At a stable at midnight in Bethlehem
In the piercing cold
At that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee,
To hear my prayers and grant my desires
(mention request here)
Through Jesus Christ and His most Blessed Mother.
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