John Thornburg
Headmaster
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Dear Parents,
We are twelve days into the Lenten Season. This is a time to reflect, pray and prepare to celebrate our Lord's Resurrection at Easter. James 4:8 promises, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." Lent provides us the opportunity to make sure our relationship with Christ is healthy and vibrant. We all celebrate His victory over death because He was able to conquer death and make a way for us to have eternal life. John 17:3 reminds us of what eternal life is - "And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."
With the long duration of the pandemic and Lent upon us, cultivating our relationship with Christ is especially important at this time because it’s easy for us to get distracted in our everyday life and feel stuck. With this in mind, I would like to share with you an experience I recently had at home. My dog tends to wander when she is let out in the yard. As much as I want her to remain by my side, she invariably gets distracted in her hunt for squirrels and other interesting creatures. I was working in the yard the other day and attached a long, bright orange lead line to her collar to help me keep her close by. Within a few minutes, she raced down to the woodpile looking for mice. Her lead line caught on some of the logs, and she found herself stuck. She whined to let me know she was restricted and needed help, and I freed her. I led her back to the location where she had started. She immediately ran back to the woodpile and found herself stuck again. She whined, and I freed her. We repeated this cycle several times. I started to wonder if she would ever connect her actions to the source of her repetitive situation.
To me, this was an ideal metaphor for the problem we face when we wander from our Lord - we tend to get "stuck." Do we ask our Lord to come and untangle our circumstances? He will always be willing to come and show us the way in which we should go because His wisdom and love are much greater than our challenges. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6
Thank you for your support,
John K. Thornburg
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Monday, March 1
Blue Day 1
Tuesday, March 2
Gold Day 1
Pizza and Prayer Gold Cohort | 5 PM
Wednesday, March 3
Fifth Day
Academic Enrichment Grades 10, 11, 12 | 8 AM
Advisory Mandatory for Grades 9 and 10 | 10 AM
Lunch | 11:00 AM
Guest Speaker Katie Greer | 11:45 AM - Mandatory
Girls ROX Grade 9 | 1 PM - Mandatory
Boys Impact Group A Grade 9| 1 PM - Mandatory
Girls with Impact Grades 10 and 11 | 1 PM - Mandatory
Thursday, March 4
Blue Day 2
Rosary in the Cafeteria | 7:30 AM
Sister Helen Community Read | 6 PM
Friday, March 5
Gold Day 2
Rosary in the Cafeteria | 7:30 AM
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Roxana Ruiz
Theology Teacher
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Dear Malden Catholic Community,
This year, I joined Malden Catholic as a first-year Theology teacher, and I am thrilled to be part of such a vibrant community!
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The past academic year has provided us all with the opportunity to reflect on the blessings of the world in quite a unique way. For many of us, our lives have been impacted in the areas of housing, employment, food, security, healthcare and family dynamics. However, it has also given us a chance to count our blessings, reflect on ways to create a better future and work to alleviate the ongoing issues that have impacted us.
In my Morality and Social Justice classes, we have been working on creating an environment full of hope and courage, as we look head-on at the social issues occurring in the U.S. and throughout the world. My students are encouraged to remember that “we are hands and feet of Christ.” The pandemic has provided students with a time of deep reflection and project-learning. From the beginning of the year, with Catholic social teaching, encyclicals, news articles, our own daily experiences and research we have constructively reflected on how we can react to society's present immediate needs and bring justice to social structures. Unforeseen change and suffering can be transformed by discovering new ways to act, love and pray like Christ has asked us to.
So far, I have had an amazing experience at MC and look forward to meeting everyone in the near future.
Best,
Roxana Ruiz
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Celebrating Women's History Month |
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Celebrating Exceptional Catholic Women |
Featuring Dr. Margaret Snyder
When one considers discussing the names of courageous and pioneering Catholic women, Dr. Margaret Snyder might not be a household name. However, to her friends and colleagues in academia and at the United Nations, Snyder lived a long and fruitful life focused on women’s rights and economic development in impoverished countries around the globe.
A 1946 graduate of The Convent School in Syracuse, N.Y., and a 1950 graduate of the College of New Rochelle, this accomplished American Catholic social scientist was born into a family whose philosophy was rooted in social justice and Catholic social teachings.
Snyder’s professional career began at age 24, when she was hired as women’s dean at Le Moyne College, a Jesuit institution in Syracuse, making her the youngest female administrator with such responsibilities in the United States. A few years later, and although on a fast track to further her career as a university administrator, Snyder heard the call while attending a Catholic retreat to volunteer overseas. Saying “Yes” to going overseas became Snyder’s lifelong motto of “Say Yes to Everything.” This sabbatical year in Africa changed her life and her career. Snyder would go on to earn her Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. She was hired by the United Nations as a regional adviser, where she co-founded the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), which became a model for similar women’s programs worldwide. During her nearly 20 years at the U.N. and more than 30 years afterward as an informal adviser to the organization, Snyder created and ran a series of programs that brought millions of dollars in training, loans, and equipment to women worldwide.
Snyder passed away on January 26, 2021, at the age of 91.
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Pizza and Prayer - March 2 at 5 PM |
Campus Ministry is hosting Pizza and Prayer for Gold Cohort students tomorrow, Tuesday, March 2nd from 5 - 6 PM in the cafeteria. This live event has space for 25 students and pizza will be served.
If you are interested in attending the event, please email Ms. Foley ([email protected]) to be added to the list.
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MC Leadership Series Featured Speaker Katie Greer - March 3 at 11:45 AM |
We are honored to welcome Katie L. Greer, who will speak via webinar to Malden Catholic students on Wednesday, March 3 at 11:45 AM as part of the MC Leadership Speaker Series. Ms. Greer is an internet safety keynote speaker who teaches at schools and conferences across the U.S. and Canada.
“My journey as an internet safety keynote speaker started off with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, where, as the Director of Internet Safety, I was directly involved with the development of one of the first internet safety programs ever. From there, I transitioned into working with the Massachusetts State Police as an Intelligence Analyst. The internet was a mysterious, gargantuan force that made people nervous ("What's happening next?") so I developed an
educational program that helped to put people at ease while keeping communities safe. Since my days working with law enforcement, I've created my own approach to internet safety that realistically considers the appeal of technology for people of all ages. My keynote speaker work has led to features in USA Today, TIME Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Parents Magazine, the Meredith Vieira Show, the O'Reilly Factor, CNN, Inside Edition and More."
Katie Greer has helped shape the minds and policies of hundreds of students, parents and people across North America and is now pursuing a Ph.D. in Criminology with an exploration on teens and the internet. Her hope is to provide every household in America with the education and tools to manage technology in a healthy way.
Students may register for the webinar through this link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5480266532790769168
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Join Sister Helen Prejean Live on March 4 at 6 PM |
Sister Helen Prejean has graciously offered to continue her live conversation with the MC community by offering a Community Read and discussion of her most recent book, River of Fire.
This exciting multi-session opportunity is open to students, faculty, staff and parents. The first session will begin this Thursday, March 4 at 6 PM with a live introduction by Sister Helen with a personal account of her story. Participants will receive reflection questions and a Q&A from Sister Helen as they journey with this influential leader and ponder ways to become a more active leader in social justice.
Sister Helen will join the group again on April 8th after participants have read the book to discuss their insights and reflections. Students will meet with Sister Helen on April 8th at 2:30 PM and adults will meet with her on April 8th at 6PM.
Please sign up by emailing Mr. Dustin Batista directly at [email protected]. Participants will purchase their own copy of River of Fire for the Community Read.
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Women's Day of Recollection- March 7 at 12 PM
Join us this Sunday for this wonderful, special, annual event for all moms, grandmothers, aunties and friends of MC! Featured speaker, Sr. Norma Pimentel, MJ, is a Mexican American nun of the Missionaries of Jesus and the Executive Director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley. Pope Francis and others have praised her for her work with refugees and immigrants coming to the United States. She also was one of Time Magazine’s top 100 most influential people of 2020! A portion of the ticket proceeds will be donated to Sr. Norma's mission. This wonderful annual event will leave you refreshed, and your soul nurtured! Women's Day of Recollection sign-up may be found through this link:
MC Trivia Night Winners
Trivia Night was a huge success and we would like to thank everyone who participated in our fun event last week! Teams enjoyed the challenging questions and engagement! Prizes for the winners will be available this week at the MC front desk.
Top Scoring Team
- Vantresca Team - Mario Ventresca's team.
- Jimmy Woos Team - Rosario Turco's team
Largest Team:
- Biggest XBSS - Ms. Foley and Dr. Baccari's team
Best Team Name:
- Gurus of Good Times - Mr. Casey's team
The next Parent Council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 10th, at 7 PM. Our guest speaker will be Elizabeth Paquette, School Nurse. Nurse Paquette will share updated information regarding COVID-19, immunizations and health guidelines. The meeting link will be shared next week.
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High school football season delayed by pandemic begins...
High School football players can don their helmets Monday as the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association allows the first conditioning workout of the season, which was delayed because of COVID-19. MIAA's Board of Directors in August...
Read more
www.wcvb.com
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Malden Catholic Featured on Channel 5 News |
Thank you to Channel 5 News and reporter Sera Congi for visiting MC and interviewing our Athletic Director/Head Football Coach William Raycraft, and Girls Division Lead/Assistant Coach Jeff Smith as we launch our football season! To watch this story, please click here .
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Understanding PSAT Scores to Increase Your Student's College Readiness |
Research shows that college and career readiness is not a point in time, but rather a process that requires that students focus on what matters most to be on track for the college admissions process. With this in mind, MC's School and College Counseling department has prepared a video to help parents understand their student's PSAT scores. The video also shares important steps that can assist in increasing your child's college readiness. The link can be found on MC's YouTube page.
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Malden Catholic Book Club |
The club is open to all MC parents, faculty and friends, and we encourage you to join. If you are interested in being part of this engaging group, please contact Missy Barrett at [email protected].
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All MC underclassmen are invited to participate in the Connections Conference, an exciting virtual social justice conference which is hosted by Sutton High School. This conference takes place on Wednesday, March 24 from 8:30 AM to 2 PM and encourages students to listen, learn and act. There will be 700 students from over 40 high schools attending the conference and 20 MC students may participate.
The conference keynote speaker will be Dr. Jamila Lyiscott who is a nationally recognized social advocate and Assistant Professor of Social Justice Education at UMass Amherst. Mr. Lyiscott is also the co-founder and co-director of the Center of Racial Justice and Youth Engaged Research. Contact Brother Puccio or Ms. Foley by Mach 3 if you are interested in participating.
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Malden Catholic Senior Events |
To honor our amazing Senior Class of 2021, MC is planning an active schedule of events that will be safe and enjoyable for our graduating Seniors. These events will be designed to meet all guidelines set by the state, local, and health organizations for COVID-19 restrictions. The timeline is as follows:
Commencement Activities Timeline
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March 10, 17 and 24- Senior Activities
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April 21 and 22 - Yard Sign Delivery
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May 1 – Adopt-A-Senior Basket Delivery and Pick up
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TBD – Senior Send-off
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May 14 - Baccalaureate Mass and Awards Ceremony
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May 15 - Graduation Ceremony
Senior Basket Volunteers
Continuing with last year's Senior Basket program, MC is inviting underclassmen families to celebrate the Class of 2021 by Adopting a Senior. Each Senior will provide a list of their favorite goodies and families can then customize a basket for the senior to help launch the next chapter of their life. If you are interested in participating in Adopt a Senior, please email Principal
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Club Highlight - Crystal 99 Newspaper
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The Crystal 99 is Malden Catholic's student newspaper. Written and published by an all-student staff, it aims to shed light on the life of the Malden Catholic community through independent reporting, breaking news and student opinion pieces. The paper is not only a source of information to the school, but also a way for students to voice their opinion to the whole community.
Interested in becoming a reporter? Have skills as a photographer, artist, or designer? Want to improve your skills with professional-level programs such as Adobe InDesign© and Photoshop? The Crystal 99 is open to any and all student volunteers looking to use or improve their writing, technical skills, or journalism. If you are interested in joining this club, please send an email to [email protected].
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The results are in! This year, Malden Catholic raised $5,166 for the Mission of Deeds Buy A Bed fundraising campaign, which is more than double our donation from last year! We would like to thank our generous MC students and their Theology teachers who inspired them! Mr. Batista's Period G class raised $607, which was the largest amount raised by a class this year and Boys Division winners. Ms. Foley's Period C Theology class is the Girls Division winner. These classes will both celebrate with a pizza party! We appreciate everyone's contribution to Buy-A-Bed! |
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Congratulations! The MC Café raffle winner from last week's lunch raffle is #092176 and #091981. The lucky students who hold the winning tickets should see Mr. Grocki in the main office during his/her next cohort day.
The winners must present the matching tickets to claim his/her prize. We would like to thank Ms. Cheryl Manucci and her entire staff for creating this raffle for our student body!
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Hugh O'Brian Leadership Seminar Essay Winners |
We are delighted to announce the MC Grade 10 students who have been selected to represent our school at the Hugh O’Brian Youth Virtual Leadership Seminar that will take place from May 1 - 2.
The students representing MC are:
- Sophia Barchard ‘23
- Ashley Reardon ‘23
- Aidan Balandan ‘23
- Douglas Goodwin ‘23
This transformative experience, which has been offered to students for over 60 years, is designed to expand leadership learning and develop critical thinking skills by actively involving participants in meaningful group discussions and informal debate. Students will be presented with multiple viewpoints on important issues, be encouraged to think critically about leadership, and also begin to identify their own particular leadership strengths. The weekend will consist of a wide variety of celebrity guest speakers, fun group activities and interactive sessions with other students from across the state of Massachusetts. Congratulations, Lancers! We know you’ll represent Malden Catholic well!
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Mission Moment with Brother Puccio |
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Roger McGuinn and Wisdom in Ecclesiastes
Solomon wrote the lyrics 3000 years ago; Pete Seeger wrote the song; The Byrds popularized it with the mellow, compressed sound of Roger McGuinn’s 12-string Rickenbacker; and dozens of others have covered it over the years: Turn, Turn, Turn. All things pass. Everything has its given time.
In my Grade 9 Theology class last Friday, the girls were continuing their presentations on various books of the Old Testament, and Emerson and Orla had just finished a very nice job on the book of Ecclesiastes. Naturally, I could not resist sharing the song with them, mentioning that I had first paid attention to Ecclesiastes – as probably thousands of other “young folk” in the 1960s did – through The Byrds. Before class, I had previewed some YouTube renditions of the song but thought the ‘60s Carnaby Street fashions and hair styles of the older videos would be too silly and distracting. So I told the class I had gone with a more current 2009 video of Bruce Springsteen joined by Roger McGuinn. I had forgotten, of course, that 2009 is a century ago to 15-year-olds! Maybe some had heard of Springsteen! Anyway, they indulged me!
We always begin class with a short mediation, followed by a prayer, written and offered by each student. I let the girls know that through Lent we would draw from Ecclesiastes. Today, we’ll use the verses below. You, too, might find reflective Lenten wisdom in this reminder that God is working in everything and that we do not know His plan. We can waste our energies – and opportunities – in needless fretting, in concern for things over which we have no control. Whether pandemic-weary or good-time cheery, we will find greatest fulfillment, I trust, when we have the humility to let God be God.
“When the clouds are full, they pour out rain upon the earth.
Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, wherever it falls, there it shall lie.
One who pays heed to the wind will never sow,
And one who watches the clouds will never reap.
Just as you do not know how the life breath enters the human frame in the mother’s womb,
So you do not know the work of God,
Who is working in everything.
In the morning sow your seed, and at evening do not let your hand be idle:
For you do not know which of the two will be successful,
Or whether both alike will turn out well.” (Ecclesiastes 11:1-6)
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MC Wins The Catholic Conference |
Congratulations to MC's Varsity Basketball team on winning the Catholic Conference championship game! To read more about the Lancer's win, check out The Boston Globe's article here.
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Malden Catholic Welcomes Our New Assistant Athletic Director |
We are delighted to introduce our community to Matthew Blair, Malden Catholic’s new Assistant Athletic Director. Mr. Blair spent the past twelve years in education and has coached both boys and girls in various sports including basketball, lacrosse, football and wrestling. In fact, Mr. Blair's coaching career has resulted in several championship programs and has coached teams in the CHaD NH East-West All-Star Football Games and the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl All-Star games.
Following his undergraduate and graduate years at Rivier University, Mr. Blair obtained his bachelor's degree in Human Development and earned his master’s degree in School Counseling. Plus, he is certified as a registered athletic administrator with the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association and is pursuing his Certified Athletic Administrator level. In addition to being an educator and coach, Blair has worked with student athletes academically and as a learning specialist. Welcome to Malden Catholic!
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