The Office of Catholic Schools wishes you and your family continued blessings throughout the remaining days of Christmas!

For much of the world, Christmas is a single-day celebration, immediately after which trees lose their honored place in the house, lights are boxed away, and carols of good cheer fade out. However, the Church celebrates the birth of Christ throughout the entire Christmas season, which officially culminates with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (January 8). 

(Part Two - to read Part One in recognizing the importance of the Advent season, click here.)

In keeping with the veneration of our Blessed Mother, the Church reserves December 12 as the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. In 1531, a woman appeared to Juan Diego on the Hill of Tepeyac in modern-day Mexico City, saying, “I am the ever Virgin Mary, Mother of the True, living God.” She implored the man to build a shrine on that very mountain.

As we have heard many times over the last few weeks, November is a month dedicated to contemplating our own mortality by praying for the souls in purgatory and honoring the saints in heaven. When the reality of memento mori, remembering our death, causes fear and anxiety, we can have peace in echoing the words of St. Paul: “Oh death, where is thy sting? Oh grave, where is thy victory?” Looking to the saints as heroes of the faith, we strive to imitate Christ as they did, and by doing so, defeat death and gain new life in God. 

As Karen Gostomski approaches her 90th day at St. Michael Catholic School in Remus, the first-year principal reflects on what led to this point in her career and looks forward to the exciting challenges ahead.

Homily given by Father David Jameson, Parochial Vicar at St. Patrick Catholic Parish & School (Ada) on Nov. 1, 2023

"One of my family’s favorite pastimes used to be long drives on lazy Sunday afternoons — just getting in the car and driving out into the countryside, no particular destination in mind, and no agenda apart from taking in northwest Louisiana’s natural beauty.

Bill and Debra Sell and their boys, Liam and Logan, moved to Michigan in 2018, but in their short time here, their faith lives have vastly changed. Bill was raised Lutheran. Debra came from a faithful family and recalls her grandfather being the prominent Catholic in the family. She says, “In a way, I was raised with Catholic values but without realizing it. I even reflected on our groups of friends throughout the years, and they were all Catholic.”

West Catholic High School will welcome 14 Italian students as part of a unique exchange program with Grand Rapids’ sister city, Perugia, Italy. The three-week program kicked off with an official welcome event on Friday, Sept. 29 at 8 a.m. at West Catholic. Grand Rapids’ Mayor Rosalynn Bliss spoke at the event. Other festivities included a performance of the U.S. and Italian national anthems, an introduction of program participants, and an exchange of gifts between students.

Yolanda Carolina Ortiz was born in a small town in the state of Táchira on the western border of Venezuela, just south of the Colombian border. She grew up surrounded by an abundance of agriculture and livestock, as well as a strong industrial sector that employed many. Everyone knew each other and helped each other. Yolanda graduated from a small Catholic school in the area founded by a group of Spanish sisters called “Adoratrices Esclavas del Santísimo Sacramento,” and has beautiful memories of learning the faith and forming her personal relationship with the Lord.

Grand Rapids Area Catholic Elementary Athletic Council, more commonly referred to as GRACEAC, is doing more this year. Yes, more sports are added this year and there’s a growing number of participants, but they are also seeking more connection between the Catholic school day and evening athletics.