LITURGY:
Students attend Mass weekly on Wednesday mornings at 9:00 a.m. in St Mary Catholic Church. Liturgy is presided over by our priest, Father Michael Renninger. Father Renninger meets with students from a select grade for more in depth discussion.
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 beginning source of faith in our students lives. We continue to encourage the students to pray daily and to live in accordance with the teachings of our faith.
| Grade | Prayer/Precept |
| 1 | Sign of the Cross Lord’s Prayer Hail Mary Doxology Prayer to Guardian Angel |
| 2 | Grace before Meals Grace after Meals Act of Contrition Law of Love |
| 3 | Apostles’ Creed Confiteor Simple Act of Faith, Hope, and Love |
| 4 | Hail, Holy Queen Ten Commandments |
| 5 | Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary Seven Sacraments Precepts of the Church |
| 6 | Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary Memorare Prayer of St. Francis |
| 7 | Nicene Creed Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary Spiritual Works of Mercy Corporal Works of Mercy Holy Days of Obligation Gifts of the Holy Spirit Psalm 23 |
| 8 | Cardinal Virtues Capital Sins Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary Theological Virtues Principles of Catholic Social Teaching |
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 upon students from each grade who, through their actions and words, have most resembled the Christ through the virtues.
SERVICE:
All students and families are encouraged to serve our school, church, and community, as well as each other. In our lower grades 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 the middle elementary grades, our students perform service through lunch room clean up duties, service during weekly liturgy, and various service outreach projects within the community. Our fourth grade participates in a monthly service project with the elderly at St. Mary’s Woods nursing home. In the Middle Years Program, our students are required to perform 25 service hours. Our students are provided numerous opportunities to participate in service to the church, community, and their peers. Students serve in the capacity of cantor, cross bearer, altar server, bearer of the gifts, and lector at our weekly masses. Our students assist the parish in service at various parish sanctioned activities such as Annointing of the Sick, Hospitality functions, parish picnics, and various Knights of Columbus events. We encourage our students to donate to the weekly mass collection. These funds are donated to a chosen charity of the month. In addition, Saint Mary’s students support our sister school in Haiti by adopting students. At Lent our students participate in collecting funds for the Rice Bowl initiative.
LIVING THE WORD:
- Sept. – Opening School Mass- Blessing of the Backpacks
- Oct. – 8th Grade Living Rosary celebrated with the Bishop
- Nov.- All Saints Parade
- Dec.- 7th Grade Nativity
- May- Crowning of Mary
- 4th Grade Stations of the Cross