Dear Families:
Welcome to Holy Week! It is our prime teaching time of the liturgical year and a time so rich in the traditions of our faith. We have spent these past six weeks of Lent preparing for the joy of the risen Christ.
Each morning during Lent, we have gathered as a school community in Banchero Hall to reflect on assistance provided by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) through the Rice Bowl program or to observe a Station of the Cross. We also say a decade of the rosary. This week we are continuing this practice and we will also celebrate our traditional Simple Meal on Friday. Our culminating activity will be the Living Stations of the Cross in the church at 2:15pm on Good Friday. Please join us. Since the gathering in church will be large, we are asking all to wear mask for the Stations.
Our Easter break begins after dismissal on Good Friday. It is always an exciting time and welcome break for our students. Way back when, many of us remember being dismissed at noon on Good Friday. During that era, school children would join their families at Stations and spend the afternoon in prayer and reflection. It was a quiet time. In our busy life today, we often lose track of the significance of the day. That is the reason we choose to stay in school for the full day on Good Friday. At dismissal, we are planning a silent dismissal and ask for your cooperation and help in keeping the calm, quiet, prayerful nature of our afternoon.
I hope you are able to take this last chance before Easter to observe Lent with our community. Our parish offers a number of wonderful liturgies and rituals in observance of the Triduum. If you haven’t already done so, make it a new family plan to attend at least one of these important events in our church tradition. Different than an ordinary Mass, the liturgies of Holy Week can help us see our faith in new ways.
Finally, I am so pleased with Fr. Colin’s announcement of Heidi Austin as our new Principal. There is truly no one better qualified for the position. Our final staff pieces for the 2022-23 school year are falling into place. Heidi announced to the faculty and staff that she has appointed Sean Haffey as Vice Principal starting in July. Everyone is very happy that he is staying at St. Anne and he and Heidi will make an excellent team. The school will be in good hands!
I wish you and your family a happy and blessed Easter! See you on April 25th.
Mary Sherman
Principal
