Faith & Service
'24-'25 SPIRITUAL THEME
“They will follow the Lord; He will roar like a lion.” Hosea 11:10
SERVICE
All students and families are encouraged to serve our school, church, and community, as well as each other. In ECDC, students are called to serve their teacher and their peers through various assigned classroom duties. As students mature in age, their service matures as well.
In elementary grades, our students perform service through lunch room clean up duties, service during weekly liturgy and various service outreach projects within the community including visits and service projects with residents at neighboring St. Mary’s Woods nursing home.
In the IB Middle Years Programme, our students are required to perform 25 service hours per year. Students are provided numerous opportunities to participate in service to the church, community and their peers.
Some students choose to serve in the capacity of cantor, cross bearer, altar server, bearer of the gifts, and lector at our weekly masses. On a regular basis, our students assist the parish in service at various parish sanctioned activities including hospitality functions, parish picnics and Vacation Bible School.
We also encourage our students to donate to the weekly mass collection. These funds are traditionally donated to a chosen charity of the month or to our twin parish in Angouman, Haiti.
Recent service campaigns centered on Catholic social teaching by our 8th grade students for school-wide engagement include sock collections for CARITAS, raising awareness and funds for the St. Francis Home and collecting urgently needed items for Commonwealth Catholic Charities Homeless Outreach Programs.
LITURGY
Students attend Mass weekly on Wednesday mornings at Saint Mary's Catholic Church. Liturgy is presided over by our pastor, Father Michael Renninger.
As time allows, Father Renninger also meets with students from select grades for more in depth discussion.
Father Mike is well known for his inspiring homilies–we encourage families to join us for School Mass if their schedule allows. You can also listen to recorded homilies or watch selected masses via links on our Church website.
PRAYER
Saint Mary’s students begin their school day in prayer and pledge. In addition, we follow the diocesan curriculum guidelines for religious instruction. Our belief is that the family is the first source of faith in our students lives. At school, we continue to encourage students to pray daily and to live in accordance with the teachings of our faith.
MONARCH OF THE MONTH VIRTUES
Daily, here at Saint Mary’s, we encourage our students to live in Christ’s likeness. Monthly, our faculty votes for students from each grade who, through their actions and words, have most resembled Christ through these virtues.
MILESTONES IN OUR FAITH JOURNEY
- Aug. – Opening School Mass
- Sept. – Bilingual Mass
- Oct./Nov. – All Saints Parade
- Dec. – Feast of St. Nicholas + 7th Grade Nativity Program
- Jan. – Epiphany Blessing of School + Classrooms
- March – Lenten Pasta Dinner + 4th Grade Stations of the Cross
- May – 8th Grade Crowning of Mary
DAILY READINGS
http://www.usccb.org/bible/reading
