St. Louise School Weekly Bulletin

School News for Nov 30-Dec 7, 2023

A Note from Mr. Fuerte

Dear Families,

The use of the Advent Wreath is a traditional practice which has found its place in the Church, as well as in the home. The blessing of an Advent Wreath takes place on the First Sunday of Advent, or on the evening before the First Sunday of Advent.

When the blessing of the Advent Wreath is celebrated in the home, it is appropriate that it be blessed by a parent or another member of the family.

Advent and Lent are two special seasons in the Church calendar, and Catholics often see Advent as the “easy, happy” season, while Lent is the “tough, solemn” season. It might have something to do with the fact that during Lent we may give up sweets, fast at least twice, and do lots of almsgiving. While during Advent, we do the opposite – we eat more sweets than ever, indulge in multiple feasts, and create our Christmas gift list.

We also need to remember that Advent is a key time to prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Having an Advent wreath at home and setting aside a few minutes each night to light the candle(s) and reflect on the meaning of Advent and the glory of Jesus, is a great way to prepare us for the coming of Jesus Christ. This Sunday, December 3, 2023, marks the first day of Advent.

St. Nicholas Feast Day

Wednesday, December 6th is St. Nicholas Feast Day. That day I will make a special announcement to the school explaining the special meaning of St. Nicholas and we may have a special visit from St. Nicholas himself.

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

A week from tomorrow, on December 8, we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Grades PK-8 will attend mass on this Holy Day of Obligation. 3A is in charge and all families are invited to join us at Mass at 9:00am.

Question of the Day:

In Filipino Tradition, what is the name of the novena of nine Masses meant to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary during Advent?

The 7^th person to answer the question correctly will win a Charger Card.

Blessings for a Wonderful Weekend!

Mr. Mike Fuerte

Announcements

St. Nicholas Christmas Party - Saturday 12/2

The Parents' Club is excited to announce that the long standing tradition of the St. Nicholas Christmas Party is back!

Get pictures taken with St. Nicholas (beginning at 10am).
Enjoy breakfast treats, coffee, and hot chocolate.
Make and take arts and crafts.
Crafts for purchase
Cost per family - $20 - includes picture!

RSVP Here

School Families Needed to Serve at Weekend Masses

We are asking St. Louise School families to help serve at weekend Masses one weekend each month. We need:

Family Greeters - you'll greet Parishioners as they enter the Church.
Family to Bring up Gifts during Communion.

Students will need to be in uniform and families should arrive 20 minutes early. Students can earn a Free Dress Coupon for serving.

Auction Update

As you know, our fundraisers help bridge the gap between tuition and the actual cost of educating a student at St. Louise. This makes tuition more accessible to families who might not be able to afford it otherwise. Our School Auction is our biggest fundraiser, and we are grateful to have raised over $220,000 (not including matches that are still coming through).

For the Fund-a-Need, we raised over $244,000, and we are confident that with few more donations coming up and matching we will get to our goal of $250,000.

Thank you so much for your generosity.

Chargers C.A.R.E

During the Advent Season, St. Louise will be supporting New Bethlehem Programs with a donation drive to collect some of the organization's most needed items.

New Bethlehem Programs is part of Catholic Community Services and provides assistance, including shelter, for families experiencing homelessness on the eastside.

Please see the flyer in your Red Envelope today, and bring your donations to the school lobby before December 11.

Volunteers Needed

Can you help deliver donated items from school to New Bethlehem in Kirkland the morning of Wednesday, 12/13? Email Ann Marie Sweeney if you can help.

Clubs & After School Activities

BATTLE OF THE BOOKS - LAST CHANCE TO SIGN UP!

ONLY 6 SPOTS LEFT!

For 4th-5th Grade Students and ONLY 25 spaces are available so act fast!

First meeting will be Monday, Dec 11 with sessions every Wednesday Jan 10-Feb 28. School battle will be March 6 with the winning team going to districts on March 20.

Parents' Club News

Ice Skating is BACK at the Bellevue Downtown Park!

Mention St. Louise so we can earn $3.00 for each skater!

Charger Cards

Need a Christmas gift for your teachers? Check out their Charger Card Wish List here!

Last day to order cards to ensure delivery before break is December 11 at 9am. Cards sold after that date will be limited to in stock and 3-cards only.

Mark your Calendar!

December 2 - St. Nicholas Christmas Party 9:00-11:30
December 3 - Advent Begins
December 6 - St. Nicholas Day
December 7 - Grade 7/8 NO SCHOOL for H.S. Application Prep
December 7 - Kindergarten Christmas Concert - 8:30am
December 7 - Parents' Club Mtg 6:30pm
December 8 - Ice Cream Treat Sale at lunches

Subscribe to the School Calendar Here

Charger Shout Outs!

We LOVE our Volunteers!

Playground Help Needed!

Tuesdays from 11:50 am – 1:00 pm. Weekly or Every-Other Week shifts available! Email Ann Marie Sweeney if you can help.

Parish Happenings

A Message from Fr. Gary

Dear Friends at St. Louise,

As we begin the season of Advent, we as the Church in the United States are also celebrating the Eucharistic Revival. We also are aware of the disturbing tensions and violence in the Middle East.

Every Christian, every Jew and every Muslim feels this conflict deeply since it began in the Holy Land on October 7. We long for peace, for the end of violence, and for God’s justice. These two themes, the revival of the Eucharist and the longing for justice, are both Advent messages of our hope for what is …