I’ve always said you cannot have a bad day when you are at the ECC. It’s such a happy, affirming place. After a short interchange with some three-year-olds on a bathroom break today, I was honored when one little girl wanted to hold my hand as she walked back to class because, as she said, I was “lovey.” She further explained that all her teachers—the ones in the classroom most especially—loved her and were “lovey.” As the school year draws to a close, it’s great to observe our students’ confidence in our positive feelings for them. It has been our hope and our mission that as your children have expanded their relationships beyond the family while here at the ECC, they have felt the love, acceptance and belonging we, their preschool family, hold for each of them.
At this time of the year we are joyful to witness, too, how much our students have grown in knowledge and competence and concern for one another over the year. We are filled with gratitude—for the selfless dedication and professionalism of their teachers and the generous spirit of cooperation and involvement shown by you, our partners and friends.
Our preschoolers recently released the butterflies they had for weeks nurtured from caterpillars. The children could be seen running after and exuberantly cheering on the beautiful creatures as they let them go free. We the staff of the ECC are aware that soon we, too, will be releasing our young charges. Though we are sad to let them go, know that we will be cheering them on. As they and you leave our doors—whether for a short summer break or a wide-open future where the ECC lingers only in memory—you will be enfolded in our prayers and love.
Yours in Christ,
Carrie Griffith
Both of our field days were filled with happy, active fun thanks to the help of so many hands. We appreciate all of our parents who, among other duties, were willing to chase balls, endlessly hoist the parachute up and down and continuously cheer on our little runners. Thank you especially to Ms. Kim who organized set-up on Wednesday and ensured that our field days ran smoothly and to Ms. Devy who oversaw field day activities on Thursday. The fruits of your willingness to volunteer were seen in the children’s obvious enjoyment of the day.
Yellow Puppies, Frogs last day is May 23
Red Puppies, Turtles, Bunnies last day is May 24
Spotted Puppies, Cubs, Pandas, Otters, Red Ties, Blue Ties & Eagles last day is May 25
We have a few good-byes to say to ECC staff members. We are sad to say that Ms. Erica will be leaving us, at least for a little while. She will be taking time off as her first child heads off to Kindergarten next year. Though we will miss her teaching expertise immensely, we will continue to enjoy her company as an ECC parent. Taking over for Ms. Erica is Ms. Jennifer Hyatt. Like Ms. Erica, Ms. Jennifer has a Social Work background as well as several years experience teaching preschoolers, including most recently, two-year-olds. She is a lovely, gentle soul, and I know you will welcome her warmly.
Ms. Terry will also be leaving us next year. As those who know her can attest, Ms. Terry has been a quietly amazing assistant. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors. Taking Ms. Terry’s place will be Ms. Nancy Dorsett. Ms. Nancy may be known to many of you as her children have come through our ECC program and she taught at the SRCS for many years. She is a certified teacher who has been taking some time off to parent and is looking forward to getting back in the classroom.
Ms. Margaret will once again be teaching the Cubs class next year. However, Ms. April Haas will take over for Ms. Margaret in the Bunnies class. Ms. April, too, may be known to you because her children also came through the ECC and she is also an experienced licensed teacher. She is filled with energy and will be a wonderful addition to our ECC staff.
The RCIA of St. Raphael Church will be hosting the Catholicism series by Fr. Robert Barron during the summer. All parishioners are invited to join with the RCIA candidates for this DVD led presentation illuminating what Catholics believe and why, while immersing the viewer in the art, architecture, literature, music, and riches of the Catholic tradition. Join the class on Sunday mornings from May 6 until July 22 after the 9:30 Mass in room 109. For more information contact the RCIA office at 919.876.5743 or visit Catholicism Series.com
So, with a nod of thanks to his friends, he went on with his walk through the forest, humming proudly to himself. But Christopher Robin looked after him lovingly, and said to himself, “Silly old Bear!” (from A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh)
]]>I hope you enjoyed viewing the classroom science displays that were in the hallway last week. Science activities lend themselves well to the hands-on way children learn. Just as importantly, science can help children expand their ability to think abstractly—something preschool age children are just on the cusp of being able to do. We know that even young children can think somewhat abstractly about certain topics—like the difference between animate and inanimate objects, for example—and so we try to build on those latent abilities. In the classroom science displays, you hopefully noticed that all year long our children were learning about what various living things need to grow and flourish. As they experienced in concrete ways the needs of different kinds of living things—plants, animals, humans—they referred back to what they already knew from previous activities. Their science journals, along with photos and graphs, helped to jog their memories. This science learning, in addition to increasing our preschoolers’ conceptual understandings and their knowledge base, also gave them experience in the scientific processes of observing, comparing and contrasting, measuring, predicting, checking, recording and reporting. I saw the success of this when I recently visited a two-year-old class that was hearing about how lady bugs grow and change. Immediately our little scientists started making references to their classroom caterpillars/butterflies. They saw the similarities in the development of both creatures—an impressive leap for children who are still learning to talk and express themselves!
When we focus on what our children can do, we see remarkable results. We honor you, our parents, and all you do to unlock the love and potential in the children God has placed under your care. With Mothers Day approaching we at the ECC would particularly like to acknowledge you, the moms of our ECC children, whose special vocations are fashioned after God’s own loving nature.
Yours in Christ,
Carrie Griffith
Ms. Sandra, our Tues/Thurs Turtles teacher, is available any weekday to look after a child in her home as well as to provide transportation from the ECC. Your child will be safe and have a great time under her watchful care. If you or someone you know is interested in childcare for an ECC student beginning either this school year or next, you may email her at ulishneysandra@hotmail.com
Are you interested in heading up a committee next year? We would love to have you on board! Please let me or Nancy know if you think you might be interested. If you’ve chaired a committee this year and are willing to do so again, letting us know that would make us very happy! A listing of all our committees can be found on our ECC website under the Parent Involvement tab: http://www.saintraphaelecc.org/parent-involvement
Please plan to attend your child’s Springtime Celebration performance. Unless noted below, all the Springtime programs will be held in the Lewis Room.
May 16, 11:30: Yellow Puppies, Cubs, Frogs
May 17, 9:20: Red Ties, Eagles
May 17, 11:30: Red Puppies, Bunnies, Turtles
May 18, 9:15: Spotted Puppies (classroom)
May 18, 11:30: Otters, Pandas, Blue Ties
Yellow Puppies, Frogs last day is May 23
Red Puppies, Turtles, Bunnies last day is May 24
Spotted Puppies, Cubs, Pandas, Otters, Red Ties, Blue Ties & Eagles last day is May 25
Don’t miss the opportunity to hear Monsignor J. Brian Bransfield, a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, as he gives an inspiring lecture on Tuesday, May 15, at 7:00 p.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Church. A gifted teacher, Father Bransfield will speak on John Paul II’s Theology of the Body and its inspiring vision of the human person, created as each of us is, in the image and likeness of God and fully alive! Msgr. Bransfield will help us answer two questions: 1. Is it possible to find happiness in a world that’s rushed and wounded? 2. What does it mean to be human? Call 919-719-8267 or email Marybeth.Phillips@raldioc.org for information.
The RCIA of St. Raphael Church will be hosting the Catholicism series by Fr. Robert Barron during the summer. All are invited to join with the RCIA candidates for this DVD led presentation illuminating what Catholics believe and why, while immersing the viewer in the art, architecture, literature, music, and riches of the Catholic tradition. Join the class on Sunday mornings from May 6 until July 22 after the 9:30 Mass in room 109. For more information contact the RCIA office at 919.876.5743 or visit Catholicism Series.com
]]>Mother—To the world you might be just one person, but to one person you might just be the world.
Thank you for how special you made us feel during last week’s Teacher Appreciation events. From Monday’s bountiful breakfast to Friday’s amazing luncheon catered by Solomon’s and every day in between, we were certainly extremely well fed last week. The fare also included healthy salads, sweet treats and even take-home meals! We were pampered in other ways as well—hand massages by Gina Luthy, facials by Karen Morris, beautiful bouquets lovingly arranged. Each staff member also received several very generous gifts, many provided through your exceptional kindness and others procured from local businesses by our seemingly tireless chair of the Teacher Appreciation Committee, Stephanie Williford, and her helpers. The entire staff wishes to thank Stephanie for her loving effort and organizational expertise, her wonderful crew of volunteers too numerous to name, and to all of you who already give us so much on a daily basis, most especially by sharing your best—your children—with us. It was an incredible week that will be remembered by all of us for a long time to come.
Yours in Christ,
Carrie Griffith
VBS payments were due on Monday. Please know that your child is only assured of a space in the program if you have sent in your payment. There are still some openings because all those who indicated interest have not yet paid, but these open slots will now be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Ms. Sandra, our Tues/Thurs Turtles teacher, is available to care for a child in her home after ECC hours. If you or someone you know is interested in childcare for an ECC student beginning either this school year or next, you may email her at ulishneysandra@hotmail.com
Thank you to all who have signed up to help so far. Volunteers should plan on being here from 9:00-11:00 as you may be helping not just your child’s class but another grouping of children as well. To ensure our ECC students are carefully monitored when outdoors, we cannot allow siblings to be present. Also, please try to remember to put sunscreen on your child before coming to school that day. In case of rain or an extremely wet field, Field Day will be cancelled and not rescheduled, so let’s pray for good weather!
May 9 – Field Day for Yellow Puppies, Frogs, Cubs, Otters and Eagles
May 10 – Field Day for Red Puppies, Turtles, Bunnies, Pandas, Red Ties and Blue Ties
Our ECC children will be presenting their quilts to Susie Holmes, the local director of Project Linus, at 10:30 am this Friday, May 4.
Are you interested in heading up a committee next year? We would love to have you on board! Please let me or Nancy know if you think you might be interested. If you’ve chaired a committee this year and are willing to do so again, letting us know that would make us very happy!
Please plan to attend your child’s Springtime Celebration performance. Unless noted below, all the Springtime programs will be held in the Lewis Room.
May 16, 11:30: Yellow Puppies, Cubs, Frogs
May 17, 9:20: Red Ties, Eagles
May 17, 11:30: Red Puppies, Bunnies, Turtles
May 18, 9:15: Spotted Puppies (classroom)
May 18, 11:30: Otters, Pandas, Blue Ties
Yellow Puppies, Frogs last day is May 23
Red Puppies, Turtles, Bunnies last day is May 24
Spotted Puppies, Cubs, Pandas, Otters, Red Ties, Blue Ties & Eagles last day is May 25
Since Raphael Hall is a voting site, we can expect some additional traffic in the ECC parking lot on May 8, particularly closest to that building. For your children’s safety, please try to avoid parking in spaces near Raphael Hall if at all possible and be extra attentive to the movement of vehicles on that day.
Our North Carolina bishops are encouraging all the faithful to support the Marriage Amendment on Election Day. To understand why our bishops are speaking out on this issue, please see their videos at www.CatholicVoiceNC.com.
]]>Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. ~Marcel Proust
I recently attended the wedding of a young man who happens to be a former ECC student. (Yes, I have been at the ECC for many years.) When it came time for the traditional dance of the groom with his mom, the song they had selected was “Oh What a Beautiful Morning.” That song had special meaning for mother and son. When the young man was in preschool, he sang that song one day as his show-and-tell. His teacher at the time (who also still works at the ECC!) was so delighted, she had all the children learn the song, and the class sang the tune at a parent day. The song became mom’s and son’s drive-to-school song during the preschool years and beyond and an obviously meaningful memory for both of them.
What a joy to catch a glimpse of how our relationships with children have, even in a small way, supported their growth into happy, successful adulthood. As parents of preschoolers, those pay-offs may seem years away from the current day-to-day struggles associated with raising kids. But among the greatest gifts we give our children is our acceptance of who they are—all their little quirks and challenges included—and our simple enjoyment of time together. Over all the years of its existence, our ECC teachers have joined with you, our parents, to discover and draw out the unique talents, aspirations and wonderful individuality of each of our children. We know that every child is an exceptional little being, bursting with potentialities just waiting to be nurtured and developed. Our kind God, seeing our own gifts, has chosen to give you, as your child’s daily guide, a starring role to play in that exciting drama. We, as teachers, are grateful for our small supporting roles.
Yours in Christ,
Carrie Griffith
To ensure your child’s placement, please return your payment for Vacation Bible School by next Monday, April 30.
Ms. Sandra, our Tues/Thurs Turtles teacher, is available to care for a child in her home after ECC hours. If you or someone you know is interested in childcare for an ECC student beginning either this school year or next, you may email her at ulishneysandra@hotmail.com
Our ECC children will be presenting their quilts to Susie Holmes, the local director of Project Linus, at 10:30 am next Friday, May 4.
The teachers have been recruiting parent volunteers to set up, supervise and take down the various outdoor activity stations that will be available at our Field Days coming up May 9 and 10. Thank you to all who have signed up to help so far. Volunteers should plan on being here from 9:00-11:00 as you will be helping not just your child’s class but another grouping of children as well. To ensure our ECC students are carefully monitored when outdoors, we cannot allow siblings to be present. Also, please try to remember to put sunscreen on your child before coming to school that day. In case of rain or an extremely wet field, Field Day will be cancelled and not rescheduled, so let’s pray for good weather!
May 9 – Field Day for Yellow Puppies, Frogs, Cubs, Otters and Eagles
May 10 – Field Day for Red Puppies, Turtles, Bunnies, Pandas, Red Ties and Blue Ties
The high degree of parent involvement we have here at the ECC contributes to the richness of the learning environment we are able to provide our students. Our parent committees offer opportunities to channel that involvement while making use of our God-given talents. Committee chairpersons are invaluable in coordinating our volunteer efforts. Are you interested in heading up a committee next year? We would love to have you on board! If you’ve chaired a committee this year and are willing to do so again, please let me or Nancy know.
The first tuition payment and supply fee for next year are due on May 1st. Please be advised that all current year fees must also be received in order to have your child remain on the roster for next year. Thank you!
“Children are the greatest treasure and the future of every society: truly caring for them means recognizing our responsibility to teach, defend and live the moral virtues which are the key to human fulfillment.” Our NC bishops are quoting Pope Benedict XVI as they urge all faithful Catholics to vote to support the Marriage Amendment on May 8. You can find the Bishops’ complete statement at www.CatholicVoiceNC.com.
Our children are like mirrors—they reflect our attitudes in life.
]]>It was the first day back after Easter break and we’re happy to say we sent your children home a little messier than they arrived. Our youngest children had great fun creating some painted surprises for mom or dad (shhh!) Our classroom gardens beckoned other students to do some vigorous digging in the dirt. The glue was flowing freely as some children fashioned sparkly Resurrection butterflies and as others created fancy bags to be used in an upcoming Easter egg hunt. They were taking advantage of the wonderful fact that liturgically the Easter season goes on for seven weeks—offering plenty of opportunities to continue to celebrate the gift of New Life.
Our Faith recognizes that life is about heights and depths, highs and lows, joy and sorrow. So while it might encourage penance, fasting and self-denial during Lent, in this Easter season we are prompted to celebrate with unrestrained joy. Our Father no doubt enjoys witnessing the exuberances of His children as much as we do those of your lively, active (and often messy) little ones.
There is no good trying to be more spiritual than God. God never meant man to be a purely spiritual creature. That is why He uses material things like bread and wine to put the new life into us. We may think this rather crude and unspiritual. God does not: He invented eating. He likes matter. He invented it. - C.S. Lewis
Yours in Christ,
Carrie Griffith
Payments for Vacation Bible School, taking place June 11-15, are now being accepted ($60/child, $100/two children from the same family).
Apr. 21: Tae Kwon Do graduation for those enrolled in Master Bruce’s after school class.
Apr. 23-27: Teacher Appreciation Week — Please click here for info.
“Children are the greatest treasure and the future of every society: truly caring for them means recognizing our responsibility to teach, defend and live the moral virtues which are the key to human fulfillment.” Our NC bishops are quoting Pope Benedict XVI as they urge all faithful Catholics to vote to support the Marriage Amendment on May 8. You can find the Bishops’ complete statement at www.CatholicVoiceNC.com.
]]>Joy is a sign of grace.~ Benedict XVI
Such excitement today as Daisy the Pig, Lily the Pug and Farmer Minor came to visit us at the ECC! We learned all about Daisy’s life with Farmer and Mrs. Minor, and those of us who fell in love with Daisy were even able to give him a hug and a kiss before he headed back to Connecticut. Other than Ms. Carrie having to don a pig nose to introduce our special guests, it was a great event. If you want to enjoy a new experience—even kissing a pig—do so in the company of preschool children.
Easter is fast approaching, and our children, sensitive to its wonder, are filled with anticipation. With its vigorous new growth, even Nature seems to be announcing this joyous holy day. We at the ECC join in the happy expectation by wishing you and your family a very joyful Easter. May you encounter the living Christ fully alive in your life. May His renewing grace be a fresh spring flowing within your heart.
Yours in Christ,
Carrie Griffith
You should have already received your preordered CLASS pictures. For INDIVIDUAL photos, please return payment and/or any unwanted photos to your child’s teacher by Wednesday, April 4.
We have had many parents asking if they could purchase the large laminated photos of our ECC children that have hung in our hallways. We will be selling the photos for $5.00 each on a first come-first served basis. Simply take the photo you want and pay for it in the ECC office.
Thank you for returning information indicating your interest in enrolling your child in Vacation Bible School at the ECC the week of June 11-15. We are now accepting payments ($60/child, $100/two children from the same family) to hold your child’s space in this summer program.
Unusually, Nancy and I will both be away during the month of June. We would love to have class lists finalized by the end of the current school year. Because we still have openings in our program for next year—particularly for 2-year-olds and two-day 3-year-olds—we are offering special rebates to any parent that refers a new student to our program. To be eligible for the rebate, simply pick up a referral ticket in the ECC office. When a newly registering family attaches your signed referral ticket to their registration form, you will receive a $150 tuition credit or check (payable in June 2012). We will have only a limited number of referral tickets, though you may earn multiple rebates. Rebates will be awarded only if the referred family is placed in our program. Referral rebates are not retroactive.
Please note that if you receive the Weekly Memo on-line, you must open all attachments in order to be informed about ECC events. If you are not able to open the attachments, please let us know in the office and we will make sure you receive a hard copy of the memo each week.
April 5-15: ECC will be closed for Easter break, no memo next week
April 16: ECC classes resume
April 21: Tae Kwon Do graduation
April 23-27: Teacher Appreciation Week
Bishop Burbidge and Bishop Jugis recently wrote a letter to all North Carolina Catholics urging us to vote in favor of the Marriage Amendment on May 8th and explaining why this is such an important step to take. Their letter reaffirms the value of marriage for the well-being of children and rejects the characterization that a vote FOR the Marriage Amendment is a vote for discrimination. They quote Cardinal Dolan, head of the USCCB: “The Catholic Church recognizes the immeasurable personal dignity and equal worth of all individuals, including those with same-sex attraction, and we reject all hatred and unjust treatment against any person. Our profound regard for marriage, as the complementary and fruitful union of a man and a woman, does not negate our concern for the well-being of all people, but reinforces it. While all persons merit our full respect, no other relationships provide for the common good what marriage between husband and wife provides.”
You can find the Bishops’ complete statement at www.CatholicVoiceNC.com.
Learning to get along with others and to negotiate differences are some of the important lessons our preschoolers are acquiring in their hours at the ECC. As our children grow, they become more capable of seeing how their behavior affects others. They begin to recognize when their actions have caused someone else to become upset or angry. They also learn that being sorry—and saying so—often goes a long way to turning around a conflict. With a bit of teacher coaching, children are fairly good at resolving their disagreements. An ‘I’m sorry’ and a fresh resolve to play nicely is almost always met with a ready forgiveness, and harmony and friendship are rather quickly restored.
During Lent we adults are encouraged to ‘get right’ with each other and with God. The sacrament of Reconciliation, established by Christ on the evening of that first Easter (John 20:19-23), is one way we can draw closer to Him and to our neighbor. The Prodigal Son’s father, rejoicing as he was over his son’s return, didn’t even give his wayward child a chance to apologize. “While he was still at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him” (Luke 15:20) Christ doesn’t castigate or lecture. More humble than a child Himself, more benevolent than the most loving parent, our Father is waiting for us with open arms, too.
Yours in Christ,
Carrie Griffith
Unusually, Nancy and I will both be away during the month of June. We would love to have class lists finalized by the end of the current school year. Because we still have openings in our program for next year—particularly for 2-year-olds and two-day 3-year-olds—we are offering special rebates to any parent that refers a new student to our program. To be eligible for the rebate, simply pick up a referral ticket in the ECC office. When a newly registering family attaches your signed referral ticket to their registration form, you will receive a $150 tuition credit or check (payble in June 2012). We will have only a limited number of referral tickets, though you may earn multiple rebates. Rebates will be awarded only if the referred family is placed in our program. Referral rebates are not retroactive.
The children who are in school on Tuesday, March 27, will be treated to a special visit from Farmer Minor and his pet pig, Daisy. Parents of children who are not in school on that day are invited to come see Daisy at 9:30 a.m. in the Lewis Room.
Please click here to find out how you can participate in the events of Teacher Appreciation Week taking place April 23-27.
The ECC will be closed for a Teacher Workday this Thursday, March 22.
The recent mandate issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services remains a serious threat to our Constitutional rights of religious liberty and freedom of conscience. On Friday, March 30, Bishop Burbidge is inviting all of the faithful in the Diocese of Raleigh to offer that day’s regular Lenten Friday practices of prayer and abstinence, along with the additional practice of fasting, for the intention of preserving the religious liberty we so cherish that is being challenged in our country today. That day you are also invited to join Bishop Burbidge for the celebration of the 12:10 p.m. daily Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral for this intention. Through our prayers and observances of these Lenten disciplines, may Our Lord watch over and protect the freedom and human dignity He has afforded to all people, and guide us always to be effective witnesses to Our Lord in all we do.
Visit www.CatholicVoiceNC.com for more links to this issue and to also learn about the bishops’ support for the Marriage Amendment Vote upcoming on May 8.
]]>God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume. It is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever. ~Vance Havner_
While it may not be officially Spring just yet, nature is giving hints that a more temperate season is just around the corner. The bulbs the children planted in the fall are straining to push their way through the dark earth to the light of the sun. We marvel at the strength and perseverance that hides within the tiny bulb or seed. Though new life returns each spring, it is not an effortless process.
As we prepare for Easter, the children hear how Christ died and rose again to bring us his new life—the life many of our children received at Baptism, the life we renew and refresh in the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist. The God who gives life to the seed and the bulb, sacrificed His earthly life that He might live within us in a most special way.
As we struggle through times of darkness, it is helpful to remember the lowly seed. When our children planted their bulbs and seeds, they could only imagine what would spring forth when the time was right, and they had to hope that a transformation would occur. With that same trust and hope that God’s grace will bring forth the growth He desires in us, we strive to accept that the challenges of today may be equipping us to bear fruits of compassion and trust tomorrow.
Yours in Christ,
Carrie Griffith
Unusually, Nancy and I will both be away during the month of June. We would love to have class lists finalized by the end of the current school year. Because we still have openings in our program for next year—particularly for 2-year-olds and two-day 3-year-olds—we are offering special rebates to any parent that refers a new student to our program. To be eligible for the rebate, simply pick up a referral ticket in the ECC office. When a newly registering family attaches your signed referral ticket to their registration form, you will receive a $150 check (payble in June 2012) or a $150 tuition credit. We will have only a limited number of referral tickets, though you may earn multiple rebates. Rebates will be awarded only if the referred family is placed in our program. Referral rebates are not retroactive.
One of the children’s quilts is on display, some are being readied by parent volunteers, and four are in my office waiting for some loving hands to back them. Stop by the office to pick up a quilt top, some backing material and some batting if you think you might be able to help. A crew of moms is standing by ready to tie off the quilts once they have been backed.
Thursday, March 22: The ECC will be closed for a Teacher Workday.
Tuesday, March 27: Farmer Minor and Daisy the Pig visit the ECC!
The SRCC Mother’s Group is sponsoring a pot-luck dinner in the Lewis Room on Saturday, March 24 from 4-6 p.m. There will be fun games and crafts for the kids. Main dishes and desserts will be provided. Please bring a side dish to share. Admission is $2 per child, maximum $5 per family. Please R.S.V.P. by March 22 to B.J. Cady 571-9116 mcady@nc.rr.com.
Assemble in the parking lot at the corner of Wilmington and Lenoir Streets at 10 a.m. on March 17 if you would like to help represent St. Raphael in the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The parade begins at noon.
Find out about the historic initiative to build a new Cathedral, support the Bishop’s Annual Appeal, and benefit two projects here at St. Raphael. Information receptions will be held on the following dates:
Wednesday, March 21st at 7:00 p.m. in the Lewis Room
Please RSVP as soon as possible, by calling 865-5700, ext. 191, or by emailing receptionrsvp@saintraphael.org.
The failure of the US Senate to pass the bipartisan Respect for Rights of Conscience Act on March 1 has redoubled the US bishops’ efforts to oppose the recent HHS ruling mandating contraceptives and abortifacients be included in all health care plans, even those offered by Catholic institutions.
“The need to defend citizens’ rights of conscience is the most critical issue before our country right now,” said Bishop William E. Lori of Bridgeport, Connecticut (chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Liberty of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops). “We will continue our strong defense of conscience rights through all available legal means. Religious freedom is at the heart of democracy and rooted in the dignity of every human person. We will not rest until the protection of conscience rights is restored and the First Amendment is returned to its place of respect in the Bill of Rights.”
On Friday, March 30, Bishop Burbidge is inviting all of the faithful in the Diocese of Raleigh to offer that day’s regular Lenten Friday practices of prayer and abstinence, along with the additional practice of fasting, for the intention of preserving the religious liberty we so cherish that is being challenged in our country today. That day you are also invited to join Bishop Burbidge for the celebration of the 12:10 pm daily Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral for this intention.
Visit www.CatholicVoiceNC.com for more links to this issue and to also learn about the bishops’ support for the Marriage Amendment Vote upcoming on May 8.
]]>Every blade of grass is a blade of grace, a grace note in God’s single Song. Nature is not blind and dumb.Nature is eloquent. ~Dr. Peter Kreeft
Attending to the gifts we receive each day is a great way to begin to see the hand of God working in our lives. Many times it is through the hands of the people with whom we interact that God blesses us. During Lent, the staff at the ECC has been focusing on thankfulness for all manner of gifts received as one way to prepare ourselves for the celebration of Easter. Be assured you and your children have been mentioned often as we share our daily gratitudes.
Gratitude provokes in us a desire to acknowledge the givers of the gifts we obtain. One writer (Houselander) felt this intensely as she stared at Christ on a Crucifix, His arms spread wide. Her poem includes the following lines:
Who is this who waits with arms extended and wide open hands? It is Christ, Our Lord.
For ages and ages, He has been waiting here, generations have passed …
For whom does He wait, for whom the invitation, for whom the inexhaustible patience of infinite love? …
It is for me that God awaits, with open hands, a beggar at the locked gates of my soul.
We offer prayers this Lent that in the midst of our busy lives, we may notice the beggar outside our gate so as to fill His wounded hands with gifts of our love and gratitude.
Yours in Christ,
Carrie Griffith
If you didn’t read it here, perhaps you saw it in the Friday and Sunday editions of the News and Observer! Yes, a photographer from the newspaper was here last week as our children sewed their fabric pieces together to form class quilts for the Linus Project. We are famous.
This service project would not be possible were it not for your participation and especially that of the wonderful volunteers who came in to sew with the children. Thank you to Kathy Marks and her team: B.J. Cady, Tammy Cunningham, Carol Iacovelli, Diana Velosa, Jannice Verne, Beth Van Vooren, and Stephanie Williford who ensured the sewing process was fun for the children and went off without a hitch.
Now that the children’s part is done, we are looking for volunteers to add backing and batting to the quilt—a fairly simple process if you have a sewing machine. Stop by the office to pick up a quilt top, some backing material and some batting if you think you might be able to help. We are also gratefully accepting donations of batting.
Thank you to Marcie Graf who took our food donations—all several hundred pounds of them!—to the Food Bank. Thank you, as well, to B.J. Cady, Deb Conly, Marcie Graf and Devy Leath who have taken angel costumes to launder. May God bless them richly for their kindness.
Children are being photographed individually and with their classmates this week. Class photos will be printed for those who have prepaid. Individual photos will be available for purchase next month.
The Bright Star Children’s Theatre will perform “Once Upon a Time” on Monday, March 12 at 9:15 a.m. in Raphael Hall. Children who normally attend the ECC on Monday will be seeing the performance with their class. Children not normally in school on that day are invited to attend with a parent. Admission is free for all ECC students and their parents.
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, some young dancers from the Inis Cairde Dance Studio will be performing a selection of Irish dances for our students on Thursday, March 15, at 10 a.m. in the Lewis Room.
Parenting has been called the “most important job in the world.” It has also been called the “most difficult job in the world.” Amen! While keeping up with family life and the many tasks of parenthood, you may struggle to find time and ways to care for yourself. As we serve our families, it is crucial to sustain ourselves in mind, body, and soul to be the parent and the person we want to be! If you would like to be reminded of how important sustenance for self is, share ideas, and learn from others, join Maureen O’Connell (parent and therapist) for a relaxed morning of light-hearted discussion on March 15, 9:15-11:00 a.m. Sign up by this Friday, March 9, to attend and/or to arrange free childcare.
The ECC will be offering a week-long Vacation Bible School that will take place June 11-15, 9 a.m.-12 noon. Potty trained rising 3-year-olds through rising kindergarteners will be eligible to participate. Please return the response form by next Friday, March 16, if you would like your child to participate. The cost for VBS will be $60 for the week, although we are not asking for payment at this time.
The ECC will be closed for a Teacher Workday on Thursday, March 22.
The SRCC Mother’s Group is sponsoring a pot-luck dinner in the Lewis Room on Saturday, March 24 from 4-6 p.m. There will be fun games and crafts for the kids. Main dishes and desserts will be provided. Please bring a side dish to share. Admission is $2 per child, maximum $5 per family. Please R.S.V.P. by March 22 to B.J. Cady 571-9116 mcady@nc.rr.com.
This Saturday, March 10th, is our First Annual St. Patty’s Day Party in Ignatius and Raphael Halls. It is going to be a great time for our Parish and schools to get together for some fun and camaraderie! Come for traditional Irish food, live Irish music, dancing, raffles, games and much more. Tickets are $15 each or 2/$25 and can be purchased online.
Help represent St. Raphael in the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade being held on March 17 in downtown Raleigh. Assemble in the parking lot at the corner of Wilmington and Lenoir Streets at 10 a.m. The parade begins at noon.
Take advantage of the opportunity to go to the sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) while your children are at preschool. A daytime Reconciliation service is scheduled for Wed., March 21 at 11 a.m. An evening opportunity will be held on Tues., March 27 at 7 p.m.
While your children are at the ECC, you can also participate in Stations of the Cross which are being held on Thursdays during Lent at 10 a.m. Stations will also take place on Fridays at 7 p.m. in the Church (English) and in the Chapel (Spanish).
Find out about the historic initiative to build a new Cathedral, support the Bishop’s Annual Appeal, and benefit two projects here at St. Raphael. Information receptions will be held on the following dates:
Please RSVP as soon as possible, by calling 865-5700, ext. 191, or by emailing receptionrsvp@saintraphael.org.
The recent ruling by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services mandating contraceptives and abortifacients be included in all health care plans, even those offered by Catholic institutions, is a concern for Catholics. The North Carolina Bishops have joined forces to create Catholic Voice NC, an organization which keeps apprised of legislative matters before the NC General Assembly and the U.S. Congress. When the situation warrants, the Bishops inform Catholic Voice NC participants, via e-mail alert, of an important matter. Participants are often asked to contact their elected representatives to ensure that a Catholic viewpoint is taken into consideration. If you have not already done so, visit www.CatholicVoiceNC.com to link to a letter about the HHS Mandate and send an email to your legislators. This process takes less than five minutes. While you are at the site, sign up for continued alerts from our bishops on matters of interest to Catholic faithful.
Ever since the days of Adam, man has been hiding from God and saying, “God is hard to find.” - Bishop Fulton Sheen
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A child was visiting in one of our ECC classrooms yesterday. He was hesitant and unsure at first. Soon, however, a few of our children invited the newcomer into their play, and I could see his apprehensions begin to evaporate. Though our pre-school age children are just growing in their abilities to see life from another’s point of view, they nevertheless are often times incredibly capable of responding to others with an unself-conscious openness and goodness.
The ECC is always a joyful place, but I think it is particularly so during Lent as the children prepare for Easter. The Lenten journey in the classrooms often includes a renewed emphasis on caring for one another, sharing, being helpful and kind. One curious effect of focusing our attentions on others is an inflow of joy and harmony into our own lives. It is the spirit of God living within us that stirs our hearts to reach out to one another. During Lent we work on removing some of the impediments in our lives so God’s grace might flow more freely through us. Fasting, praying and almsgiving―we adults do these things not because we can make ourselves holy, but because we seek to allow God to live more fully in us.
Do you understand what it means to be close to God? It is such joy. Hold on to this joy, keep it with you, and preach the gospel with your life. ~ Catherine Doherty
Yours in Christ,
Carrie Griffith
Our children were treated to an amazing puppet show a few weeks ago. Thanks to Suzanne LaRocca and the members of her acting team (B.J. Cady, Devy Leath, Caroline Numbers, Kathryn Scialdone, and Julie Trencansky) who adapted the script and performed a captivating rendition of the story of Pig’s Egg by Katherine Sully. Who knew pigs could hatch eggs? We all know the story now, thanks to the creative energy of our wonderful Puppetry Committee volunteers. Thank you!
Children will be photographed individually and with their classmates on March 7, 8 and 9. If you would like to purchase a class picture, please send in a check in the envelope you were provided ($10/photo or 2 photos for $15). Class photos must be pre-purchased. Individual photos will be available for purchase next month. Photos will be taken according to the following schedule:
If you are looking for a good deed to do this Lent, you are in luck! The ECC is looking for a volunteer to bring all the food we have collected as part of our Linus Project to the Food Bank. We are also looking for parent volunteers who might like to launder some of our Christmas angel costumes for us. If you would like to help with either of these tasks, please let us know in the Office. Finally, we are also seeking donations of quilt batting for our Linus Quilt Project. Please bring these to the Office as well. Thanks in advance for all your help.
The ECC will be offering a week-long Vacation Bible School that will take place June 11-15, 9 a.m.-12 noon. Potty trained rising 3-year-olds through rising kindergarteners will be eligible to participate. In order to plan for staffing, we are asking that you please fill out this form to indicate whether or not you plan to enroll your child in this program. The cost will be $60 for the week, although we are not asking for payment at this time.
Parenting has been called the “most important job in the world.” It has also been called the “most difficult job in the world.” Amen! While keeping up with family life and the many tasks of parenthood, you may struggle to find time and ways to care for yourself. As we serve our families, it is crucial to sustain ourselves in mind, body, and soul to be the parent and the person we want to be! If you would like to be reminded of how important sustenance for self is, share ideas, and learn from others, join Maureen O’Connell (parent and therapist) for a relaxed morning of light-hearted discussion on Thursday, March 15. Sign up to attend and/or to arrange childcare.
Just a reminder that Ms. Sadler will continue offering a short mini-Creative Movement class for our students’ younger sibs on Friday mornings from 9-9:15 in Room 34.
March 12: Bright Star Theatre presents Once Upon a Time
March 15: Irish Dancers perform
Get your tickets now for a traditional Irish dinner, live Irish music, entertainment, raffles, games and much more. It’s all taking place on Saturday, March 10 at 7 p.m. in Ignatius Hall. Tickets are $15 each or 2/$25 and can be purchased online.
Open your heart to Christ. Take advantage of the opportunity to go to the sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) while your children are at preschool. A daytime Reconciliation service is scheduled for Wednesday, March 21 at 11 a.m. An evening opportunity will be held on Tuesday, March 27 at 7 p.m.
While your children are at the ECC, you can also participate in Stations of the Cross which are being held on Thursdays during Lent at 10 a.m. Stations will also take place on Fridays at 7 p.m. in the Church (English) and in the Chapel (Spanish).
Invitations to receptions for the campaign have gone out to all St. Raphael parishioners. Please consider attending one of these receptions to learn more about this historic initiative to build a new Cathedral, support the Bishop’s Annual Appeal, and benefit two projects here at St. Raphael. The receptions will be held on the following dates:
Please RSVP as soon as possible, by calling 865-5700, ext. 191, or by emailing receptionrsvp@saintraphael.org. Please know that contributions and pledges will NOT be collected at these informational receptions. For questions, contact Rick Gall at 876-4221 or galls@bellsouth.net.
Fr. George Coyne will speak on Saturday, March 3 after the 9 a.m. Mass in the Lewis Room. His topic will be “Planet Earth”.
The recent ruling by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services mandating contraceptives and abortifacients be included in all health care plans, even those offered by Catholic institutions, is a concern for Catholics. The North Carolina Bishops have joined forces to create Catholic Voice NC, an organization which keeps apprised of legislative matters before the NC General Assembly and the U.S. Congress. When the situation warrants, the Bishops inform Catholic Voice NC participants, via e-mail alert, of an important matter. Participants are often asked to contact their elected representatives to ensure that a Catholic viewpoint is taken into consideration. If you have not already done so, visit www.CatholicVoiceNC.com to link to a letter about the HHS Mandate and send an email to your legislators. This process takes less than five minutes. While you are at the site, sign up for continued alerts from our bishops on matters of interest to Catholic faithful.
]]>God loves us, not because we are good but because he is good.