Dear SPC Families,
Happy Thanksgiving! I pray you all have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving! When we return after the break, we will begin our Advent season. It is so easy for us all to get wrapped up in the commercial Christmas, the lists, the cleaning of the house for guests, the shopping, the wrapping, and the baking that in the frantic pace of the season, we do not slow down and rest in what is supposed to be the quiet darkness before the light of Christ arrives. Jan Richardson wrote, “The season of Advent means there is something on the horizon the likes of which we have never seen before… .What is possible is to not see it, to miss it, to turn just as it brushes past you. And you begin to grasp what it was you missed, like Moses in the cleft of the rock, watching God’s [back] fade in the distance. So stay. Sit. Linger. Tarry. Ponder. Wait. Behold. Wonder. There will be time enough for running. For rushing. For worrying. For pushing. For now, stay. Wait. Something is on the horizon.” I pray that all of us parents who frantically rush through Advent preparing the magic of Christmas can take the time to prayerfully reflect on the glorious birth of baby Jesus on Christmas Day.
During Advent at SPC, we will focus on preparing our hearts to welcome baby Jesus. Saint Teresa of Calcutta once posed the question, “At this Christmas when Christ comes, will He find a warm heart? Mark the season of Advent by loving and serving the others with God’s own love and concern.” To help our children understand that Advent is waiting in anticipation for baby Jesus, we will hold off on all Christmas-related classroom celebrations until the week before school break. While in the past, this practice has sometimes given me the label (in jest) of “a grinch,” I think it is important that, as a Catholic school, we take the opportunity to be counter-cultural in all things Christmas. There will be time for great joy and celebration, but first, we can prepare our hearts in the darkness while we wait for baby Jesus. I have included some resources below to help you honor Advent in your home during the season.
ST MARY’S PRESS
TEACHING CATHOLIC KIDS
ADVENT FOR KIDS-LOYOLA PRESS
In this Thursday Mailing:
- Announcing the SPC Legacy Award
- Trimester 1 Report Cards
- Adopt-A-Family-donations needed
- Christmas Concert Grades PS-3-Save the Date!
- Christmas Care Bag Project-National Junior Honor Society partners with the St. Catherine of Siena Guild
- 24-25 Family Mass Schedule (please see below for additional dates for Family Mass hosted by Religious Education)
SPC Legacy Award
We are thrilled to announce that we have established The St. Paul of the Cross School Legacy Award. This award will be given to a current or past St. Paul of the Cross community member who has made a positive impact on our school community and has made significant contributions to our community and whose accomplishments, affiliations, and careers have honored the mission and values of St. Paul of the Cross School.
We will present the inaugural SPC Legacy Award at Celebrating the Spirit on February 7, 2025.
Who Is Eligible?
Any person who has been a St. Paul of the Cross Community member.
Who Can Nominate?
Any SPC community member (past or present)
Due Date
January 6, 2025
SPC Legacy Award Nomination Form
Trimester 1 Report Cards:
Report Cards will be sent home on December 6th via email.
Adopt A Family Donations:
SPC has a long-standing tradition of partnering with the parish social service ministry to ensure that needy families in our community have a wonderful Christmas. The Adopt-A-Family program will collect funds and purchase gift cards so families can buy their own gifts. Given the timeline, we ask that funds be collected by December 12, 2024. These funds benefit the families who are recipients of the St Paul of the Cross parish Food Pantry.
Please consider donating to the Adopt-A-Family program so our school can continue this beloved Advent tradition.
100% of these proceeds will go towards the Adopt-A-Family program in Social Service Ministry. CLICK HERE TO MAKE A DONATION
CHRISTMAS CONCERT (Grades PS-3) SAVE THE DATE:
WHEN: December 19th, 10:00-11:00 am (doors open at 9:45)
WHERE: Church
CHRISTMAS CARE BAG Project – Sponsored by St. Catherine of Siena Guild
We are pleased to offer our parishioners the opportunity to help the homeless and less fortunate in the Chicagoland area this Christmas by giving them CARE BAGS filled with warm clothing items.
The SPC National Junior Honor Society is happy to assist with this project. We are distributing one bag to each student that they can fill with the requested items and bring back to school on either DECEMBER 3rd or DECEMBER 10th.
The guild is requesting the following items for donation:
- One (1) 2.5-gallon plastic bag containing the following gender-neutral items (PLEASE ONLY PROVIDE NEW ITEMS)
- Hat
- Gloves
- Scarf
- Warm Tube Socks
- One Christmas Card signed “St. Paul of the Cross Church.”
*We will distribute free 2.5-gallon plastic bags to students on November 18th.
NJHS will collect items during lunch on the following dates.
Please only send bags on either of these two days in order to reduce bags sitting in classrooms: Tuesday, December 3rd or Tuesday, December 10th.
Additional dates will be open for drop-off for parishioners outside of school hours. Please check with the guild for this information.
2024-2025 Family Masses: Save The Dates
This year, the school will be hosting family Masses at 10:30 in the Holy Family Chapel, and it will be an excellent opportunity for our school community to pray together! Our students will be reading and serving as ushers, and our alumni will return to be Eucharistic ministers.
- December 15th: All 4-8th grade (and Bitty Basketball) Winter Athletes will pray together. Winter Athletes will wear their fall sports jerseys!
- January 19th: 3rd and 4th Grade
- February 23: 1st and 2nd Grade
- March 16th: All 4-8th grade Spring Athletes will pray together. Spring Athletes will wear their fall sports jerseys!
- NO MASS in APRIL
- May 25th: Preschool & Kindergarten
While the school hosts the above Family Masses, Religious Education hosts Family Masses on the following Sundays at 10:30, and school families are always invited!
December 8
January 12
February 2
March 9
May 11
Peace,
Dr. Erika Mickelburgh
Save the Date! Celebrating the Spirit 2025!
The next Home and School Association Meeting will take place at 8am in the Holy Family Chapel on Friday, December 6th. We hope to see you there! If you cannot attend in person, please use this link to join virtually.
It’s Almost Time! The Scholastic Book Fair is coming soon, YAY! Choosing their own books empowers kids and inspires them to become Bolder, Prouder, and Stronger Readers. AND—as always—every book they buy earns rewards for our school.
Friday, Dec.6th from 3:00 – 4:00.
Sunday, Dec. 8th from 10:00 – 12:30.
Monday, Dec. 9th from 3:00 – 4:00.
It’s not too late to volunteer. Click here to sign up for a volunteer slot!
Please click here to download all the details and information.
Mrs. Sue Dohr
St. Paul of the Cross’s Book Fair Chair
[email protected]
SPC ATHLETICS
From the Parish
We have an active and vibrant parish and encourage everyone to read the weekly bulletins for Fr. James’ weekly letter and stay informed about all upcoming events and programs.
Please click here for the latest bulletin.
Please click here for Fr. James’ “The Daily” – Daily Mass Readings and Reflections
Christmas Care Bag Project
Help the St. Catherine of Sienna guild with its annual Christmas Care Bag Project (formerly the shoebox project).
Bring the following gender-neutral items to the meeting (We’ll supply the bags and drop them off for you.)
- Winter hat
- Gloves
- Scarf
- Warm tube socks
- One Christmas card signed from “St. Paul of the Cross Church”
Questions? Email us at [email protected].
Apostolate of Women’s Annual St. Nick’s Party December 8th!
Download the flyer for details.
From the Community
From our Catholic High Schools
St. Patrick High School
Notre Dame
Loyola
