Newsletter December 12, 2011

Dear St. Raphael School Families and Friends,

This Thursday we have our Christmas Program at 6:00 pm in the church.  All students should be in their classrooms by 5:40 pm wearing their “Sunday best!”  Parents should then go to the church to find a place to sit.  The Christmas program is going to give all of us an educational account of the birth of Christ.  Saint Luke will be writing his letter to his dear friend, Theophilus.  The students have been working hard to prepare for this beautiful evening.  I look forward to seeing all of you in the church on Thursday.

We are now in the third week of Advent.  We relight the candles of hope and peace.  This week, we light the pink candle on the Advent wreath for joy.  As the coming of Jesus, our Savior, draws nearer, our joy builds with our anticipation of His birth.  "But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight." (Isaiah 65:18)

On Monday during salutes, we remembered and celebrated Our Lady of Guadalupe.  Teachers presented Our Lady with pink roses and the students sang to honor her.  We remembered the hope and joy that Our Lady of Guadalupe offered the Aztec people while they were facing much destruction and poverty.  To this day, Our Lady of Guadalupe offers us that same hope and joy.  Our Lady, Pray for Us!

We want to thank the Book Fair Committee for the fabulous event they put together last week.   Students, parents and teachers were able to do some Christmas shopping and the proceeds will benefit the library.

Please remember that Christmas vacation begins at noon on Friday! I wish you the most blessed Advent and Christmas season.  I hope and pray that the true meaning of Christmas remains alive in all of us…Jesus is the reason for the season!

Important Dates:

•December 12: Jeans for Jesus Day!  Wear any St. Raphael School shirt and bring in $1.  The money will go to the Unity Shop.

•December 13: Richard Burke meeting at 5:30 in the St. Joseph Room.

•December 14: Preschool Christmas program in the Parish Hall.

•December 15: School Christmas program in the church at 6:00 pm.

•December 16: Noon dismissal for Christmas vacation.

•December 17-January 2: Christmas vacation.

•January 3: School resumes.

•January 6: Food for Catholic charities.

•January 10: School Mass at 10 am.

•January 16: No school in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Merry Christmas,
Michelle Limb, Principal

Christmas Prayer for Present Opening Time:
Lord Jesus, Wise men traveled for miles to bring You the first Christmas presents. So may we, too, remember with thankful hearts the love that comes with each present we open. We also thank You for the amazing love You have for each of us, and we thank You for the many gifts that You give us. Amen

St. Raphael, Pray for Us!

Download Newsletter (Fall 2011)