Good News from the Office of Catholic Education

December2014

D.O.R.S. Scholarship 2

Strong Catholic Families 3

Bishop Manogue News 4

St. Teresa’s News 5

Little Flower News 6

St. Albert's News 7

Our Lady of the Snows News

8

Holy Child Early Learning

Center

9

Inside this issue:

On December 8, 2014, The Catholic News Service reported that , “In the heart of Rome’s

high-end shopping district, sparkling with Christmas lights and shiny baubles in the

widows of famous designers, Pope Francis prayed that people would spend time in

silence and in service as they prepare to celebrate Jesus’ birth.” (Read that story

here.)

As students in the Diocese of Reno Catholic Schools prepare for Christmas, it is

important to note that they will have time in “silence and service” during Advent.

Students in our schools will have opportunities to celebrate Mass, pray, and provide

service for people in our local community and beyond.

This is the gift of Catholic education: an education that seeks to form and educate the

whole child. We thank you, our entire school community, for your prayers and service,

as we faithfully implement our mission not only during Christmas, but every day, “In

light of Church documents, Catholic schools in the Diocese of Reno, in partnership with

parents, are committed to fostering gospel values, academic excellence and life-long

service in a faith-centered community.” We are grateful to you and our entire

community for your support. God bless you, and we pray that you have a wonderful

Christmas and a blessed New Year.

Superintendent’s Report Karen Barreras, M.Ed.

‘In Silence and in Service”

Our Catholic Schools Celebrate Christmas

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A Christmas Gift that lasts a lifetime…

The Diocese of Reno Scholarship (D.O.R.S)

An anonymous donor has given approximately $ 250,000.00 in

matching monies since the Diocese of Reno Scholarship, D.O.R.S. was

instituted. This donor is again offering to match funds raised in 2014.

This means, every dollar we receive is worth $2!

Donate now, by clicking here!

Rev. John Heinz, OFM Conv., a

former Diocese of Reno School

Board Member, and now Provincial

for his Order, gives a compelling

explanation and appeal for the

Diocese of Reno Scholarship.

To see his presentation, click here.

The Diocese of Reno: There’s an APP for that!

Recognizing that people are busy and

appreciate the miracle and simplicity offered

with the use of technology, the Diocese of Reno

now has an APP. The APP has information

about our Catholic faith, events, locations, the

Synod 2015, social media, donations, ministries,

High Desert Catholic, daily Scripture, the

Diocesan Conference, Catholic Heart Work

Camp, vocations and more. To download it, go

to your APP store and search for Reno Diocese,

or scan the appropriate QRC in the photo at

right. Please check it out!

Visit our website!

Click Here

and…

Find us on

Facebook!

Page 3

Strong Catholic Families Helping parents build faith at home

written by James Rizza, Associate Director of Faith Formation and Parish Pastoral Services, Diocese of Reno

Three Kinds of Peace on Earth

Shalom!

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as

the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be

troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27

The coming of joy, peace and love are the central

themes of the Advent Season and the very heart of our

Catholic faith. When we think of peace, we typically

think about relationships among people, which is one

kind of peace. But the joy of the season and the peace

that Christ left us goes beyond that.

First, the Incarnation is a sign that God has reconciled

the world to Himself. (c.f. 2 Cor. 5) The fullness of this reconciliation is found within the life, death and resurrection

of Christ; but the birth of Christ anticipates these events. It is a danger that the modern Christianized world will

take for granted how amazing the Incarnation is; but the unity of God and man in the person of Christ

demonstrates and anticipates the new creation humanity is being called to. (c.f. 1 Cor. 15:22)

Second, the Incarnation offers each person peace of soul. As St. Augustine so aptly

wrote in "Confessions:”

You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.

Until Christ, the world did not know God. Even what was revealed to the Israelites

was shrouded in mystery. The revelation that Christ brings to the world is the love

of God for each one of us.

Third, by experiencing the love of God, the love which brings the fullness of peace,

we are empowered to extend that love to one another. As a Church, we witness

and testify to the love we experience in our faith by living lives in accordance with

the Holy Spirit. To the extent that the world continues to reject God, it refuses the

spirit of peace that we offer. But even in this, we can take comfort knowing that

the sufferings endured by the saints in this life help bring about the conversion of

sinners necessary for world peace.

Christmas Time at Bishop Manogue!

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We once again welcomed the wonderful students of Sierra Vista Elementary School for a fun-filled Christmas party in our small gym. That same day, we celebrated Mass together as a school and family.

Earlier in the week, our Colombian Squires had wrapped up a successful toy drive in support of Sr. Carmen’s families in need, and several groups in the school “adopted” local families to make sure they have a Christmas season full of plenty and full of joy.

St. Teresa Bulletin Board of Activities

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St. Teresa of Avila Catholic School, 567 South Richmond Ave., Carson City, NV 89703, www.stts.org

November 4th: This year, in preparation for the Thanksgiving food drive that FISH sponsors, St. Teresa eighth grade students helped sort the thousands of canned goods that were donated to FISH for Thanksgiving.

24th: St. Teresa students performed songs and skits in an "Evening of Praise, Thanks and Giving" to start off the holiday season.

27th: St. Teresa School sponsored its first annual Turkey Trot, 8K, 5K and kids Gobble Wobble one mile run on Thanksgiving morning. Over 400 runners showed up to run the course!! A percentage of the proceeds will be donated to Children's Closet in both Reno and Carson City.

December 8th: St. Teresa students participate each year with St. Teresa church in picking names of needy children off an Angel Tree located in the church hall. Needy families are also able to pick up a bag or two of groceries donated by the parishioners and students at St. Teresa School and church. St. Teresa student council also had a glove, sock, and coat drive for the homeless families in Carson City.

17th: St. Teresa's Fourth and Fifth grade students sang Christmas carols at the Carson Plaza spreading a little Christmas joy through song.

19th: St. Teresa Preschool through Eighth grade students performed Lessons and Carols for Children at St. Teresa's Church on Dec. 19 at 6:00 pm. Scrooge will open the program with a visit from the Ghost of Christmas past who will remind us all of the true meaning of Christmas. This year each class has a skit or a poem and a song centered on the birth of the Christ child. Following the performance, a Christmas dinner will be served for all the families and guests.

The Little Flower School community is busy preparing for the celebration of Christmas.

Our students are rehearsing for the school party where they will present a musical enactment of the Christmas story.

Every one of the children has a part in this production and they are very excited to be on stage.

We continue Little Flower School’s long tradition of service to the local community through several projects. The

students are making Christmas cards for the patients and their families at the VA Hospital and the Veteran’s Guest

House. Our school is also adopting several needy families and, through donations, will be providing them with gift

cards for food, clothing and gifts. The Christian Leadership students have made more blankets for Casa de Vida and we

are selling candy grams to earn money to make more. Additionally, our Middle School students are collecting socks for

the residents of an area nursing home.

In partnership with our Associate

Pastor Father Tom all of the children

are participating in the Macy’s

“Letters to Santa” campaign. They

are writing letters to Santa and

earning a $1.00 donation to the

Make a Wish foundation for each

letter.

The staff has gotten into the spirit of

the season with an after school trip

to Build a Bear. They are making and

dressing stuffed bears that will be

given to local law enforcement

officers who may need to comfort a

young child.

We wish all of you a very blessed and

merry Christmas as we look forward

to a healthy and prosperous new

year.

Page 6 Little Flower School Different Where It Counts 1300 Casazza Dr.

Reno, NV 89502

(775) 329-2931

www.littleflowerschoolnv.org

Page 6

Little Flower School Christmas “Good News”

Service at St. Al’s

Page 7 Page 8

St. Albert the Great School, 1255 St. Albert’s Drive Reno, NV 89503 (775) 747-3392, www.stalbertcatholicschool.org/

St. Albert’s school celebrated Christmas with several service opportunities. All students

collected small toys and candies to fill stockings for children in need through Catholic Charities

and Kids to Seniors Korner. Nonperishable food items were collected for Friar’s Pantry. The

school also hosted a coat drive through the holidays. Before Thanksgiving our Boy and Girl

Scouts collected 3900 pounds of food for St. Vincent’s. Eighty families were also given turkeys

for Thanksgiving. Students were invited to participate in caroling for the homebound with the

Parish and to participate in our drive for families. Tags listing needed items by age were posted

at the Church. Students and their families could help a child, adult, family or combination-to

give warm clothing, toys, or scrip to let families choose their own gifts. The school Christmas

program was hosted at the Church on Tuesday, December 9. All grades sang and presented

the Christmas story. The students will celebrate together with class Christmas parties on the

19th.

CATHOLIC

EDUCATION

IS FOR LIFE

St. Albert the Great Christmas Worship Schedule will include the following:

Wednesday, Dec. 24, Christmas Eve

4 p.m. Mass Church &Parish Hall/Gym

11 p.m. Mass Church

Thursday, Dec. 25, Christmas Day

9 a.m. Mass in the Church

A Busy and Joyful Season at Our Lady of the Snows School

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Our Lady of the Snows School 1125 Lander Street, Reno, NV

775-322-2773

www.ourladyofthesnowsschool.org

Our Lady of the Snows School presented an evening Christmas program in

the church which was headed up by music teacher, Mrs. Linda Saxton.

Each student from kindergarten through 8th grade played a role in the

production. The program featured many religious songs and explored all

types of music and performance art as part of the show. In anticipation

of the event, our Parent Teacher Organization organized a special Deck

the Halls project. They served hot chocolate and donuts to a large

gathering of families and teachers who stayed after school to make our

hallways beautiful for the season.

Students and families donated to Sr. Carmen’s food-drive over

Thanksgiving and were able to bring in nearly 1,400 food items in support

of her ministry. The traditional Snows Adopt-a-Family program which

supports needy families was expanded this year. Different school

families provided Christmas gifts and supplies for over 40 needy families.

Recently, students joined the Boys and Girls Club and Reno High School in support of

the Empty Bowl Project, a fundraiser for local food banks. They did a beautiful job

crafting hand-made bowls then donated them to the program to be auctioned off.

Our technology department engaged the entire school in a special project, “Hour of

Code”, which is a national movement to teach computer science to children.

Kindergarten through 8th graders spent an hour learning how to code computer

programs designed enhance their understanding of this science.

Project Snowflake is an ongoing program which nurtures positive qualities and

character in our children. Students around the school recognize each other for positive

actions. In religious studies, they are learning about the qualities of a new saint each

day. Based on the virtues of these saints, students look for those same virtues and

qualities in each other and

acknowledge when they find them in

others with a small handwritten

note. This has been a wonderful way

to support each other and make our

school a better place.

Holy Child Early Learning Center: Quality Catholic education, right from the start

Page 9

Holy Child Early Learning Center Students measure, stir, bake,

and decorate ! Holy Child is a Nationally Accredited Early Learning Center For more information, please contact: Holy Child Early Learning Center 440 Reno Avenue, Reno, NV 89509, (775)329-2979 Director Marie Short, mshort@ccsnn.org Hours of Operation are 7 a.m. - 6 p.m., Monday – Friday www.holychildearlylearning.org

Thank you Bishop Manogue Sodality Club for all your effort & donations!