November 3, 2026

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Dear Saints Families,

Happy November! It is hard to believe how quickly we are approaching Thanksgiving and Advent, seasons filled with gratitude, hope, and joyful anticipation! We are also nearing the end of the first semester of our 2026–2027 school year. What a semester of abundant blessings it has been for our StJPII community!

As we recently celebrated All Saints’ Day a little early with our kindergartners, we were reminded that we are never alone on our faith journey. We are surrounded by the communion of saints, those already in heaven, and those striving for holiness here on earth. Their example encourages us to trust in God’s goodness, persevere in faith, and continue to love like Jesus in the way we live, serve, and care for one another.

Our November virtue is Stewardship, which calls us to return to God the first fruits of our time, talent, and treasure. Everything we have is a gift from Him, and we are invited to share those gifts generously in service to others. As we enter a season of giving, may we pause to reflect on how God is calling each of us to give more intentionally, with a willingness to give and serve beyond ourselves. How might we stretch our hearts to bring glory to God and joy to others?

Our StJPII community already demonstrates stewardship in so many beautiful ways! We are grateful for the families who generously share their time and talents through the PTO, volunteer opportunities, coaching, and countless acts of service that strengthen our school. We are also blessed by the families and staff who have come together to serve on our new strategic planning committee as we prayerfully discern God’s vision for the future of StJPII. 

Now that it’s November, we are also preparing for SaintsGiving on December 1! This special day of giving supports our Annual Fund and celebrates the spirit of generosity that makes our StJPII so special. We will begin our SaintsGiving countdown this month, inviting everyone to share their treasure as an expression of gratitude, commitment to our community, and support for StJPII’s mission.

We continue walking together on our path to holiness, one day and one small act of love at a time. Thank you for embracing our virtues and modeling them at home and throughout our community. Our children are always watching and learning from the way we give, serve, and care for others. May our example help them recognize their own God-given gifts and inspire them to share those gifts generously with the world.

As we enter this beautiful season of thanksgiving and prepare our hearts to live out the virtue of stewardship, may we remember that we are Totus Tuus, totally yours. May we offer Him our time, our talents, and our treasures with grateful hearts, remembering that all we have and all we are are gifts meant to be shared in love.

In Him,

Principal

All-School Mass

We will have all school Mass on Friday, November 6 at 8:30 am. Students will need to be in full-dress uniform. This will be a First Friday Mass and it is 3rd First Friday of the school year. All are welcome.

Optional daily Mass tomorrow, Wednesday, November 4. All are welcome! Mass starts at 7:10 and ends at 7:40. It’s in the All Saints Chapel every Wednesday before school. What a beautiful way to start the day by worshiping the Lord!

Calling all StJPII Dads! Sign up for this retreat to refocus on your relationship with Christ!

Click below to view November Faith Focus!



Works of Mercy - Honoring Veterans

Please join us at Memorial Oaks Cemetery (13001 Katy Fwy, Houston, TX 77079) on Saturday, November 7th, from 8:30–10:00 a.m. We will gather and go out together to place flags on the graves of Veterans in preparation for Veterans Day. Please bring a screwdriver to help make holes in the ground for the flags.

We will also take time to pray for all the souls who have passed away, and an opportunity to receive a plenary indulgence during this special time of prayer. To obtain this indulgence, you must be in a state of grace, go to confession, receive communion, and pray for the intentions of the Pope.

Please fill out the Sign-Up Genius!

Father-Son Spring Break Pilgrimage: March 5-13, 2027

ONLY 3 SPOTS LEFT - REGISTRATION EXTENDED TO NOVEMBER 15! Dads, there's still time to give your son a spring break he'll never forget. Join Fr. Eamonn and fellow JPII fathers and sons for six days and 72 miles on foot through the Galician countryside to Santiago de Compostela, the tomb of St. James the Apostle. REGISTER HERE!

National Vocations Awareness Week: Nov. 1-7!

God has a plan for each of our children, and true happiness comes from discovering and following His call, whether to marriage, priesthood, or religious life.

Imagine asking your son what he wants to be when he grows up, and he answers, “I want to be a priest!” What would your reaction be? Would you be worried or elated, or somewhere in between? The truth is that God has a plan for each of your children; he wants them to be happy even more than you do! And their true happiness is found in discovering God’s plan for their lives, their vocation, and following it wholeheartedly. So if you’re truly concerned about your children’s well-being, it makes sense to help them discern their vocations, whether to marriage, priesthood, or religious life. Most importantly, keep an open and supportive heart. If your child expresses interest in priesthood or religious life, encourage them without pressure. Let them know:

“Whatever God wants for you, I want for you, too.”

See below for some simple ways to foster openness to God’s call.

All Souls Mass: Tuesday, Nov. 3rd at 6:30 pm in the Chapel!

Thank you for sharing the names of your departed loved ones. Attached is the compiled list of names entrusted to our school community for prayer during the month of November. 

In the Catholic tradition, November is dedicated to praying for our beloved dead. We begin the month with a great feast, All Saints' Day on November 1st. This is a day when we celebrate those who are already rejoicing in Heaven. All Souls’ Day, which is November 2nd, is when we remember and pray for those who have died. As Catholics, we believe that death does not separate us from the love of Christ or from one another. Through the Communion of Saints, we remain united as one family in faith. We pray for the souls of the departed, asking God in His mercy to purify them and welcome them into the fullness of eternal life. Throughout November, we invite your family to remember these loved ones in your prayers. May this list serve as a beautiful reminder of God's goodness, the closeness of our community and the hope of Heaven for our families.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Need some practical ideas for observing these days? Click here!

Celebrate National Stem Day!

Sunday, November 8, is National STEM Day! Why November 8? It's a fun play on the word innovate — INNOV8! National STEM/STEAM Day encourages children to explore their curiosity, discover new interests, and pursue exciting opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math.

With STEM careers projected to grow more than twice as fast as the average for all occupations over the next decade, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, there's never been a better time to inspire the next generation of innovators, creators, and problem-solvers!

Celebrate at home! Take some time this Sunday, November 8, to enjoy a fun STEM/STEAM activity with your family. We've put together some activities to spark creativity, encourage exploration, and make learning fun!

After completing an activity, share your family's pictures or videos and tag us using:

#StJPIISTREAM26 If you turn your activity into Dr. Hiltbrand you can receive house points!

Let's celebrate creativity, curiosity, and innovation together!

Annual Fund

Our annual one-day giving event is coming soon! Please save the date, spread the word, and join us on SaintsGiving to raise money for our school and help us reach our Annual Fund goal! Stay tuned for more details!

LSU WEEK - THIS WEEK

The LSU Tigers have taken over StJPII as part of our Ultimate Fan Duel! Thanks to the Vreedenburgh-Hebert family, who won naming rights at last year’s gala, LSU Tiger spirit is on full display! Don't forget that tomorrow, November 4, students may wear their LSU shirts (or purple shirts or a StJPII spirit shirt) with their regular uniform bottoms. Want to see your favorite college represented at StJPII next year? Watch for this fun package in the Bidding with Bernie online auction in January! 

GRANDPARENTS & SPECIAL FRIENDS DAY: NOVEMBER 20, 2026

We are looking forward to celebrating Grandparents & Special Friends Day on the Friday before Thanksgiving, the morning of November 20. This event is free of charge and we look forward to welcoming our extended families to campus. Invitations have been mailed, so please tell Grandparents and Special Friends to mark their calendars. If you need an extra invitation to forward, you may download and share an invitation, which can be found by clicking the button below.  

Halo News

The October episode of Halo News is here. Please click on the link below to see our most recent episode. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, News2Saints, so you don't miss a thing!

STEPS FOR STUDENTS

Congratulations to our Halloween Raffle Winners! Our lucky winners took home Squishmallows, Halloween glow toys, and candy boxes!

A shout-out to our newest homeroom winners, Mrs. Hewett and Ms. Condara! We now have 19 homerooms that have reached their goal! We would love to see even more middle school students register and join us on race day. Make it a fun day with friends by meeting up at Discovery Green or Hermann Park after the race!

Our next Free Dress Day is next Tuesday! Be sure to register by Monday night to earn your free dress day!

WE ARE ONLY 80 REGISTRATIONS AWAY FROM OUR FINAL GOAL! Help us cross the finish line! Don't wait—register today, invite your friends and family and let's make this our biggest turnout for Steps for Students yet! 



Sign up using the link below!

🎄Tickets Now on Sale for St. Nick’s Feast & Fest 🎅

Join us on Friday, December 4, from 5–8 p.m. for an evening full of holiday fun! Enjoy Santa pictures, Christmas shopping, delicious food, a cakewalk, crafts, and festive activities for the whole family!

Early Bird tickets are just $10 per child, and adults and children under 3 attend FREE! Don't miss out on this special evening with our StJPII community!

Almost Sold Out!

Don't miss your chance to add a festive touch to your home or office while supporting our school and amazing teachers! There are only 15 poinsettias remaining, so hurry and place your order before they're gone! Pickup date is Wednesday, December 2. 

Join us for the November PTO Meeting

Please join us for our next PTO meeting on Tuesday, November 10th, from 8:30–9:30 a.m. in St. Jude Hall. We’ll share updates on upcoming PTO events, including Teacher Appreciation Lunch and St. Nick’s Feast & Fest, and discuss ways to get involved. We hope to see you there!

Birthday Bundle and Blessing

Make your child’s birthday even more special! Celebrate with a birthday shirt, marquee recognition and a special birthday blessing during Wednesday Morning Mass! 🎉Order your Birthday Bundle today! Thank you for supporting our PTO. 💙

Brick Paver Fundraiser

The StJPII Brick Paver Fundraiser is an ongoing initiative that supports our school garden. Families can purchase personalized, engraved bricks to be placed along the walkways of the Randall Crosthwait Courtyard.

Pavers are a meaningful way to:

• Honor a loved one who has passed away.
• Say thank you to coaches, teachers and volunteers, past and present.
• Celebrate graduating 8th graders (any middle school family can purchase).
• Recognize a student's special accomplishments.

Ready to order? Please print the order form and return it to the front office with payment by cash or check. For questions, email bricks@jp2.org.

Elementary Athletics

Soccer - Two more weeks remain in the season. Coaches, keep up the good work!  

Saturday, November 7th is WHCSA - SOCCER REFEREE APPRECIATION DAY. Please discuss with your team and give some love to the dedicated and amazing officials that have mentored the players this season!

Basketball - Registration for Elementary Basketball will open on November 7th at 12:00 a.m. and close on November 21st at 12:00 a.m.

Middle School Athletics

Cross Country - All the athletes competed fiercely this weekend at the Kardia Community XC Pumpkin Run and walked away with team trophies. Boys team placed 2nd of 13 teams and Girls placed 2nd of 10 teams.

Boys Division had a total of 44 competitors:

Jackson Olenius 1st 

Liam Forbes 12th 

David Perez 16th 

Philip Mehring 19th 

Girls Division had a total of 39 competitors:

Micaela Montilva 4th 

Camila Esteva 5th 

Emily Walsh 10th 

Joy Kim 14th  

Chisimdi Elekwachi 15th 

Stephanie Palmai 17th 

MS B Girls 13 total competitors:

Marina Palladino 4th  

Sarah Taher 5th 

Abigail Rantow 8th

Basketball begins the season this week with AWAY games. The Boys play on Wednesday, November 4th against St. Cecilia and the Girls play on Thursday, November 5th against St. Vincent de Paul. Everyone is excited to get the season started.

Soccer finished the season as runner-up in the GHCAA Division-2 Championships. Sports is a great teacher of life’s lessons and while we all are disappointed by the loss in the championship game we still left the field with pride and memories that will last a lifetime! 

Please visit the Athletics Calendar!

Holiday Cheer Camp

Calling all 2nd through 5th grade girls!! Want to learn how to cheer and dance just like our Saints Cheerleaders? Join us for Holiday Cheer Camp on Thursday, December 17th, from dismissal to 5:00. For just $30, your cheerleader will get a shirt and snack plus learn a Christmas dance and basketball cheers. Parents will join us at 5:00 for a special performance. Registration is open now and closes Friday, December 4th. Don't miss out - sign up today to secure your spot!

Cheer Showoff

On Saturday, October 24th, the Saints cheer squad showcased their skills at the Emery/Weiner Middle School showoff. Among six competing middle school squads, our squad stood out for their high energy and took home the Spirit Award!

Share Your Fall Sports Photos

We love to see your photos of our saints in action! If you get a great shot at any fall sports function, practice or game, please share with StJPII! Your photo(s) may be featured on social media, Halo News, or in The Spirit yearbook. Please upload them directly using the button below. All grade-level sports pictures are needed and appreciated.

SJV Caritas Day

Join us on Saturday, November 14 for a day of community beautification. We will meet at 8:30 am on the SJV basketball court. From there, we will send teams out to help clean the yards at homes of the elderly in our surrounding neighborhoods. We will also send teams to nearby Not-for-Profit Organizations to help with their activities. We will return to SJV around 12:00 pm am to enjoy lunch. Lunch will be provided and cooked by SJV Knights of Columbus. Free tee shirts are available until supplies run out by size.

We also have events planned specifically for Middle and Elementary Students.  

• Middle School will write and decorate notes to grieving SJV Parishioners who recently lost a loved one.
• Elementary Grades 4-5 will write and decorate Thinking of You cards for residents of nursing homes.
• Elementary Grades 1-3 will make sack lunches for residents of Magnificat House RoseMary's Place.

All volunteers must sign up ahead of time. A sign-up form is required for each volunteer. Please sign up using the links below.

St. John Paul II Catholic School prepares all students spiritually and academically to do God's will and to succeed in life.