Sudbury Catholic District School Board

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The Ark of the New Covenant Visits Sudbury Catholic Schools

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Every four years, Catholic faithful from around the world are invited to gather together to reflect and celebrate the great mystery of the Eucharist during the International Eucharistic Congress. From June 15 to 22, 2008 it is expected that between 12,000 and 15,000 bishops, priests, deacons, religious and lay people will gather in Quebec City to come to a deeper appreciation of “the Eucharist, gift of God for the life of the world,” the theme of this 49th Congress. The year 2008 also has special significance for the church of Quebec. It marks the 400th anniversary of the first permanent French establishment in North America and the beginning of the spread of Catholic faith into what would become the once vast New France. Congress officials express a confident hope that the Holy Father will preside at the closing mass on the plains of Abraham.

In order to help the youth of the City of Greater Sudbury prepare for this event, The Ark of the New Covenant is returning to the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie. It will be on display in each of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s four secondary schools from Wednesday, February 6 to Friday, February 8, 2008. During this time a Liturgy of the Word will be celebrated with the students
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The Ark will be on display at Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School on Wednesday, February 6, at Marymount Academy on Thursday, February 7, at St Benedict Catholic Secondary School on Friday, February 8 in the morning and at St Charles College during the afternoon.

What is the Ark?
The Ark: A Chest: The Ark of the New Covenant is a seat, as well as a container. It is a “seat” for the King, that is, Christ, present under the form of the Eucharistic species exposed in a monstrance. It is also a chest containing the Scriptures, the Bible, which, proclaimed in the liturgy, becomes the presence of Christ who through his word teaches the people, his Church. The ship’s hold at the base of the Ark is a place where people can place testimony of their commitment as Christians to mark the passage of the Ark as it travels from one community to the next.

A Symbolic Boat: The base of the Ark is in the form of a boat, bringing to mind Noah’s Ark (cf. Genesis 6:18-22). However, it refers more to the boat of Peter. Ever since the institution of the New Covenant, the boat has been a symbol of the Church, the people of God who are journeying together.

The New and Eternal Covenant: Its name “Ark of the New Covenant,” of Biblical origin, it refers to the spiritual experience of the people of Israel and the pact they concluded with God in the time of Moses in Sinai. Since that time, Jesus signed the New Covenant with the people of the Old Covenant. The expression “New Covenant” refers in fact to the new and eternal Covenant, which came from Jesus Christ, marked by the Pascal Mystery of his death and resurrection and celebrated in the Eucharist.

The originality of the Ark is a first in the history of International Eucharistic Congresses. The hope is that it will foster creativity in the places where it travels and will serve to bring all generations together – that it may be the impetus for an ideal opportunity to unite many people in Christian reflection to help them discover, deepen and celebrate the Eucharistic Mystery to render it in every way a gift of God for the life of the world.

Marymount Academy Kicks Off 25th Bowl for Kids Sake

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Students from Marymount Academy joined Honorary Chair, Deputy Police Chief Frank Elsner in helping to kickoff the start of the 25th Bowl For Kids Sake for Big Brothers Big Sisters in the City of Greater Sudbury at Pep Rally this morning. On March 1, 2008 The Bowl For Kids’ Sake will take place at Plaza Bowl from 1:30 p.m. through to midnight. This year’s theme year is “PAJAMA PARTY.” Students paid $2 for a pancake breakfast and the privilege of wearing their pyjamas to school with proceeds going to Big Brothers Big Sisters.

For every $200 in pledges Big Brothers Big Sisters will enter your name into a draw for a weekend for two at the Delta Sherwood Inn. Pledge incentive prizes are also being provided by Ramakko’s Adventure World and Montana’s Cookhouse.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sudbury encourages you to pull your team of 4 to 6 bowlers together and get in on the fun. Additional prizes will be handed out at the bowl, including awards for the loudest team cheer, best dressed team and much more. So grab some of your friends, dust off your bowling shoes and have a great time while supporting a worthwhile cause.

The “25th Bowl for Kids Sake” at the Plaza Bowl, Saturday, March 1 from 1:30 p.m. to midnight.

Wear your pyjama’s!!!

Sudbury Catholic Schools Celebrate Lent!

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The word CELEBRATE means to make something unique. It means to hold up to the world in a unique way something in which we believe. With this in mind, students and staff of our Sudbury Catholic Schools will join Catholics around the world in celebrating the beginning of Lent on February 6, 2008 – also known as Ash Wednesday.

The Lenten season is a gift of healing and renewal. Like our Hebrew ancestors, we sometimes struggle with desert experiences for a long time. Before Jesus started his public ministry, he withdrew into the desert. Like his ancestors, his experience was a struggle. Being in the desert is not easy. One would not call it a celebration, but if a celebration holds up to the world a belief in a unique way, then these desert experiences are truly celebrations. Both the Hebrews and Jesus discovered a gift. They discovered something about themselves, their relationship with God and their relationship with others. They discovered that God is constantly calling us to live in a relationship. God presents us with many opportunities to grow in this relationship. Time and again we might fail but time and again God offers us the opportunity to renew this relationship . . . Lent is such a time . . .

Lent is a time of healing. It is a time to remember and to embrace memories. By embracing memories, we open our hearts to healing. The good memories are easy to recall and relive but we would rather forget the painful ones. Memories of being isolated, neglected, ridiculed, unloved, misunderstood or devalued are part of all our personal stories. Our willingness to be open to the wounds is a way of taking ownership of the truth and in doing so we that can start the journey of healing. Taking ownership of the wound helps personal healing and it can help individuals to become the instrument of healing to others.

But Lent is not the end! Lent is a celebration which prepares us to celebrate the feast of feasts, EASTER. With God, life and love have the final word. As St. Paul said, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor heights, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”(Romans. 8:38-39)

Enjoy the celebration!

SCDSB Co-Ed Volleyball Tournament Results

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The Sudbury Catholic District School Board would like to congratulate the following teams on their excellent performance at the recent SCDSB Co-Ed Volleyball Tournament:

Championship Round
Corpus Christi (A) – First Place
Corpus Christi (B) – Second Place

Consolation Round
St. Christopher – First Place
St. Francis (A) – Second Place

Partners in Spirit: From the Desk of Director of Education Catherine McCullough (Vol. 1 Number 1)

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It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the first Sudbury Catholic District School Board newsletter, Partners in Spirit. This newsletter is dedicated to celebrating the new and exciting
events that continue to take place at our Board and in our schools each and every day…

View entire newsletter.

A Wish for Jordan

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Jordan Primeau, a Grade 1 student at St. James Catholic School in Lively will have his wish of a lifetime granted through the generosity of the Children’s Wish Foundation and the Sports Television Network, (TSN). Jordan and his family will travel by limousine to Toronto on Monday, January 21, 2008. On Tuesday, Jordan will have the opportunity to practise and play with his favourite hockey team – the Toronto Maple Leafs and will also attend a Maple Leaf hockey game on Wednesday, January 23 at the Air Canada Centre.

Since Junior Kindergarten, Jordan has bravely battled childhood leukemia and as a result of treatments is visually impaired. But whether he is 400 kilometres away at the Hospital for Sick Children or sitting in the classroom with his friends and classmates, Jordan is always in the hearts and minds of the school community.
St. James Catholic School students and staff keep Jordan in their daily prayers and have also undertaken a number of fundraisers for Jordan and his family to help offset the costs of accommodation and transportation to and from Toronto.

On Tuesday morning, James Duthie, a Reporter for TSN along with a camera crew from Toronto visited Jordan in his
Grade 1 class to give him the exciting news that “his dream to practise and play with the Toronto Maple Leafs had come true.” The interview along with Jordan’s story will be featured on national television (TSN) during the intermission and breaks of the Toronto Maple Leaf Game on January 23, 2008.

Students and staff at St. James School were asked to wear Maple Leaf attire to help celebrate Jordan’s surprise. Jordan’s parents, Dan and Shannon Primeau along with his younger brother Zachery were also on hand to share in the moment with him.

Jordan gives his mom a big hug upon hearing the great news.The Sudbury Catholic District School Board in conjunction with the students and staff at St. James Catholic School would like to thank the “Children’s Wish Foundation” and TSN for making a special wish come true for a very special little boy.

Sudbury Catholic Schools Mark Christian Unity Week

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This year, January 18 to 25, 2008 marks the 100th anniversary of Christian Unity Week. In 1908 at Graymoor in Garrison, New York, the Franciscan Friars and Sisters of the Atonement held the first Church Unity Octave and have prayed for Christian unity, “without ceasing,” ever since. Christians around the world celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity together, with the encouragement of the World Council of Churches’ Faith and Order Commission and the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

Jesus prayed that all might be one as He and the Father are one. Jesus broke down barriers which separated people from each other. He gathered around him people from all walks of life. St Paul teaches that in Jesus there is neither male or female, master or slave, Greek or Jew. Paul became known as the Apostle to the Gentiles and he encourages us to “pray without ceasing.” This is the theme for this year’s Christian Unity Week. This is a great time to turn to God and ask for His Spirit to unite us, not only with Him but also with each other.

How can we promote Christian Unity? We can pray. Never doubt the efficacy of prayer if it is entered into with a sincere heart. Jesus told us, “Ask and it shall be given to you. Knock and the door will be open.” We can be attentive to others. We can listen to others. We can take time to learn something about another’s faith. We can take time to be with others and pray and celebrate together.

During the week of prayer for Christian Unity, attend a prayer service. Services, along with other Christian Unity resources, are listed on the Christian Unity section of the DSSM website.

To further reflect on Christian Unity Week 2008, visit http://www.weekofprayer2008.org, or order the Novalis resource ‘Pray Without Ceasing’.

SCDSB to Hold Annual Secondary School Open House/Information Nights

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Sudbury Catholic District School Board Secondary Schools are hosting “Open Houses and Information Nights” in January and February 2008 at the following dates and times:

St. Charles College: Tuesday January 15 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Marymount Academy: Thursday January 17 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Bishop Carter CSS: Tuesday February 5 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
St. Benedict CSS: Tuesday February 12 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Staff and student representatives from each of the secondary schools will be on hand to answer any questions during the “Open House” sessions.

All Grade 8 students and their parents or guardians are welcome to attend.

For more information, please contact Jean McHarg, Superintendent of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board at 673-5620 ext: 301.

St. Mary Catholic School Enjoys ESSO Family Math Night

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St. Mary Catholic Elementary School recently was involved in another in the series of the Esso Family Math Nights where everyday materials and math games are used to help children understand math ideas and where parents and children have fun sharing their thinking and understanding of Mathematics.

“Mathematical Me” was the focus of the Early Years (ages 4-6) workshop facilitated by Miss Waern, the JK/SK teacher. Students were actively involved in making the graph entitled “How old are you”. Number sense and numeration became alive for the students as they applied personal experience to the graph they were constructing.

Mrs. Morin, the grade 3/4 teacher led the “Measurement” workshop for Grade 2-5 students. Ms Bruneau, the grade 1 / 2 teacher lent her expertise as well during these activities. A lot of string was used to measure all sorts of items – even heads! Estimates were made based on certain measurements. Various other math activities were held while parents and their children had fun with Math.

All families were treated to a lasagna supper before beginning the math projects. Many thanks to all who participated, cooked, and cleaned up! Thanks as well to the St. Mary Catholic School Council who funded the meal. We eagerly look forward to the next Math session. For more information about the Esso Family Math Nights please visit www.edu.uwo.ca/essofamilymath.

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