February 25, 2025, Class Update: Spiritual Toolboxes

Greetings everyone!

I missed being at class, and I'm grateful that Mrs. Monaco jumped in close to the last minute to oversee class for the 7th and 8th graders.

I hope you enjoyed the Jeopardy game.

As a recap, Mrs. Monaco talked about spiritual toolboxes.  Here are the bullet points of what's in the spiritual toolboxes:

A rubber band: To remind you to be flexible 

A paper clip: To remind you that God helps you hold things together 

An eraser: To remind you that no mistake or misunderstanding is permanent, and there is Reconciliation

Bubble gum: To remind you that you are a child of God and are essential within

A crayon: To inspire you to go out and color the world 

Smarties: To remind you that you are smart in choices 

Bible Quotes: To remind you that God is still speaking – and to encourage you 

Candy: To keep joy within you and keep you laughing 

A yellow pencil: To write down those great thoughts you want to share with God 

A Band-Aid: To remind you that God can help you heal 

Stars: To remind you what you are reaching for, the heavens

Bookmark: To remind you of community, the support we receive from our family of faith 

These are great symbols for how grow in relationship with God.

The upcoming season of Lent is a great opportunity for us to do spiritual practices that will help us grow in relationship with God.

Before Lent starts on Ash Wednesday, March 5, we have a Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras celebration.

Instead of class as usual, on Tuesday, March 4, please go directly to the Pine Room for the festivities.  At 7:30, we will have a prayer liturgy to burn the palms to create ashes for our foreheads for Ash Wednesday.

We're back to class as usual on March 11, and I eagerly look forward to seeing you all then.  We'll explore more about Lent and the meaning of Confirmation.

Please feel free to reach out to me with questions, feedback, etc.

We're not just lucky, we're blessed.

As we get closer to Confirmation, you, students, remain in my prayers because we are connected as One Church professing one faith in the God Who loves us and works wonderously in our lives:

All my relations.

God's blessings,

Paul

Inside the sanctuary of St. Mary Parish in Temple, TX

Let's put our spiritual toolboxes to work in service, like I did scrubbing the floor of St. Augustine Church in Winnebago, NE.