Kasa Soucy and Drew Noble helped stir up special pancake batters alongside teacher Caroline Mansourian’s Grade 7 class, to celebrate Shrove Tuesday on Tuesday, February 12, 2013 at St. David Catholic Elementary School. The students were all smiles as they served up stacks of pancakes in preparation for Lent. The students and their teacher cooked breakfast for all school staff, JK to grade 8 students and Aboriginal Best Start HUB clients and staff members.
The Grade 7 class also organized and lead their peers in literacy and math-based hands-on activities that shared the Lenten message. The teachers at St. David School used this day of special activities to teach their students that during Lent, as Catholics, we try to give up some of our daily consumerist excesses. Instead, students were encouraged to make room for God during this special time of reflection.
St. David Students Learn About the Lenten Season
To mark the start of Lent, St. David Catholic Elementary School Grade 1 students, Zach Munoz and Isabelle Fraser, took part in an Ash Wednesday service by being marked with the symbolic sign of the cross. Teacher Jennifer Gran’s grade 4/5 class organized and helped prepare the celebration. According to Grade 6 student, Katie MacLean, “Today’s Ash Wednesday celebration helped me better understand how important it is remember the sacrifices Jesus made for us. I think it is important that we learn how to treat one another with kindness and respect and appreciate how much we have.”
During the Lenten season, students at St. David Catholic Elementary School will be participating in reflective activities and lessons about who they really are as growing Catholic citizens. The ashes serve as a reminder of actions they are sorry for and of the importance of making good choices. Father Brendan Doherty, from Christ the King Parish, conducted the celebration for the school and local community members. Father Brendan spoke about how Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Season of Lent and that it is a season of penance, reflection, and fasting which prepares us for Christ’s Resurrection on Easter Sunday.