Volume V
Dear Saint Andrew Families,

Greetings to you all!
 
Last Monday, we began our school day with a Faith Family Assembly introducing the virtue and saints of the month for February. Following the assembly, students transitioned into their Faith Family groups. These groups are of mixed age levels and may be with a different teacher from their usual homeroom teacher. During Faith Families, the students completed activities focused on learning the virtue and about life of one of our saints of the month. In this way, our students continue to grow in faith together, learning about the lives of the saints and the virtues of our faith.
 
During the month of February we will be focusing on the virtue of Prudence. This virtue is one of the most important and essential of all the virtues. Prudence is that virtue which helps us to decide what is best to do in any given situation. Being prudent means doing the right thing, at the right time, and in the right way. Sometimes prudence also helps us to decide between two good choices. Whenever we pray “thy will be done,” and meditate on what God’s will is for our lives, we are practicing the virtue of prudence. The truly virtuous life is guided by prudence.
 
We also discussed the lives of three holy men who had to rely on the virtue of Prudence to make large decisions that had far reaching consequences. Saint Junipero Serra, Saint John Neumann, and Saint John XXIII were men who each made prudent choices that would have a long-lasting effect on the world! Saint Junipero decided to come to America in the 1700’s to teach about the Catholic faith and founded several missions dedicated to that end. Saint John Neumann was a bishop in Philadelphia who decided to help the children of his diocese by creating the first Catholic diocesan school system in America. Finally, Saint John XXIII was the pope who decided to convene the Second Vatican Council and was known to have been very prudent in his decision-making as pope.
 
Our students, teachers, and families will all continue to practice and learn about the virtue of Prudence this month. Please find ways this month to celebrate and discuss and practice the virtue of Prudence in your homes as we continue to grow in this virtue together as a community of faith!
 
May God continue to bless you and your families!
 
Paul Vanasse
Campus Ministries
Prudence helps us to decide what is best to do in a certain situation. It is one of the four cardinal virtues because other virtues depend on prudence: if you do something that is good, but you do it in the wrong way, or at the wrong time or place, it is not an act of virtue.
Blessed Junipero Serra
(1713-1784, Spain/United States)
Feast: July 1

Blessed Junipero Serra was born in Spain and traveled thousands of miles across the ocean to what is now California. He founded nine missions for Native Americans. He helped the people learn to build their own homes, grow crops, herd cattle, and spin wool for garments, all the while teaching them the Catholic faith. Some of the missions he founded in California such as San Diego, San Francisco, and Santa Clara are large cities today.

Blessed Junipero Serra, you loved the Native Americans and were wise about how to help them. Help us to know what is best in each situation. Amen. Blessed Junipero Serra, pray for us.
Saint John Neumann
(1811-1860, Bohemia, United States)
Feast: January 5

John felt called to be a priest, but there were too many priests in his native Bohemia. He decided to go to America, where the people had a great need for more priests. He was ordained shortly after he arrived and began serving the people in rural areas of New York and New Jersey. He joined the Redemptorist Order in 1840 and was ordained bishop of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1852. In those days, bishops and families were very concerned that children would lose their Catholic faith in public schools. Saint John Neumann solved this problem by establishing in his diocese the Catholic school system now used throughout the United States. While he was a bishop, the number of Catholic school students in Philadelphia rose from 500 to 9,000!

Saint John Neumann, you saw the difficulties in supporting the faith of the young and you were prudent enough to create a new system for Catholic education. When I am faced with difficulties, help me to see the best solution. Amen. Saint John Neumann, pray for us.
Saint John XXIII
(1881-1963, Italy)
Feast: October 11

Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli was born to a peasant family, but was gifted with intelligence, a desire for justice and holiness, and a great sense of humor. After studying and being ordained in Rome he served as a chaplain in World War I, and then in several assign­ments where he was chosen to serve as a Vatican representative or a mediator between disagreeing parties among the government and/or clergy. Missions like these gave him large responsibilities in areas such as Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, France, and Venice.

Elected pope in 1958, he took the name Pope John XXIII. He was loved throughout the world and nicknamed "the good pope" for having such a good sense of humor about him­ self (for instance, he said the men who carried him in procession should get a bigger salary because they were carrying a bigger pope) and for his deep kindness and care for others throughout the world. He worked for just wages for poor workers, care for orphans, and cooperation among different denominations of Christianity as well as other religions. In 1962 he opened the Second Vatican Council, a gathering of bishops from around the world, because he recognized the changing situation of the modern world and the need for the Church to bring the light of the Gospel to bear on all of humanity's needs.

Pope John XXIII died in 1963, and Pope Paul VI carried on his work, concluding the Second Vatican Council in 1965. Like Pope John Paul I, Karol Wojtyla took the name Pope John Paul II out of deep admiration for Pope John XXIII and Pope Paul VI.

St. John XXIII, you saw the needs of the Church and convened the Second Vatican Council. Help us, when we see a problem, to remember to pray to discover the best solution. Give us your lightheartedness and trust in the Lord. Help us to work for the salvation of all peoples, as you did. Amen.
St. John XXIII, pray for us.
Talk with your students about the lives of the saints, the virtues they exemplified, and the virtues the saints struggled with in their lives. With your help, your children will continue to grow deeper in their Catholic faith and will be encouraged and formed to live virtuous lives, leading them to someday join all of the saints in heaven.
Monday morning (February 6th) 6th-8th grade parents joined our students for our February Faith Families Assembly in the Gym, followed by coffee and discussion in the cafeteria. Parents had a great time getting to know each a little better and sharing ideas on fostering virtuous behavior in their children.
Save the Date
St. Valentine is the patron saint of love and children. In the spirit of St. Valentine, let us reflect on how we love our children and how we can best influence them with this month’s virtue of Prudence.

Prudence is one of the Cardinal virtues standing alongside Temperance, Justice and Fortitude. Plato and Aristotle defined these virtues as necessary pillars of a good society. Aristotle defined prudence as recta ratio agibilium, "right reason applied to practice." It is knowing what is right and following that path. To define this from a child’s perspective, let’s visualize the angel and devil sitting upon a person’s shoulders. How do we define for our child what is good and what is evil? One way is we establish rules to help them keep their moral compass pointing towards God. Rules today seem to be the hotbed of challenge often resulting in battle.

So, the question is:

What battles are worth fighting with and for our children?
The battle begins – one of you is enraged, one of you is in tears. The “discussion” of doing wrong and not following the rules has taken a very rapid turn onto the “all too familiar” battlefield. And then it happens... you find yourself without armor and raising your voice at your child in final desperation, “Because I said so!” This unfortunate, last-ditch effort phrase leaves you in defeat as the rule – which began the battle – has lost itself somewhere on the battlefield, AND the child has now been indoctrinated into the world of rebellion. Later, you wish you had the fortitude to stay on the battlefield a little longer to come to a resolution. So how do we stay on the battlefield without losing all sanity and without feeling like a horrible parent who now will have to confront a new battle with an angry, rebellious child? How did rebellion take root so quickly?

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up with the training and instruction of the Lord. -Ephesians 6:4
Rules without relationship cause rebellion. -Mark Hart, Catholic Life Teen

How do we armor our children for battle?
Today, we are amidst a spiritual battle as relativism has driven society to fight and/or bend the rules resulting in a dark, aimless direction away from truth, virtue, and God. We are responsible to God for guiding our children in His direction. The relationship we have with our children is the key to armoring them against the evils of the world; however, the armor needs to be the armor of God. Do not be fooled by the armor of Satan – money, power, status, control, greed, earthly possessions, etc... The ONLY protective armor for the mind, body, and soul is that of God’s.

It's helping children love and live for Jesus. -Psalm 127:3.

When we think of our relationship with our child, we gravitate without hesitation to “love” - the greatest of all virtues. We love our children for good. As Catholic parents, we take this a step further - we love our children for Jesus. Our relationship with our child needs to be about Jesus and aspiring to be like Him while here on Earth, as well as, aspiring to be with Him one day for eternity. 

We have the potential of being our child’s most influential role model. No pressure at all; I say this facetiously as most of us have contemplated, am I doing it right? Or am I doing enough? There are small things we can do as Catholic parents to deepen our relationships with them which will, by divine intervention, bring them closer to Christ.

Here are a few habits to deepen this relationship with our children and our Lord:
  • Mass (make weekend plans “around” mass – put the mass time on the family calendar)
  • Dinner as a family - talk about virtues or observations (challenges/successes) of the day at the dinner table (practice not having devices at the table)
  • Establish family habits and routines (habits and routines sit at the core of discipline); a family wall calendar helps with scheduling and communication.
  • Talk with your child – ask them what they think and feel about life—inquiry sparks discussion, critical thinking, and natural curiosity.
  • Pray with your child – Prayer before dinner and/or saying a personal or rote prayer before bed is a great place to start.
  • Post the Virtues on the refrigerator (print the attachment on this Wildcat Way) - find those wonderful moments to acknowledge your child for practicing and revealing virtue each month.

Foster a strong relationship with your children so that the rules do not become limitations but rather virtual guideposts within their lives. And remember, the battles worth fighting are the ones that will protect our children from evil and harm and place them in the eternal, virtuous light of God.

 Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all [the] flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. -Ephesians 6: 11, 16-17

Saint Andrew Catholic School is armoring our children in a virtually “Paws-itive” direction! 
In Christ,
Alison Daley, M.A., M.Ed.
Saint Andrew Catholic School
Assistant Principal
St. Thomas Aquinas stated that prudence is right reason in action. Culturally speaking one may wonder if prudence is practiced anymore. It appears that people do what they want when they want. But by God’s design prudence is necessary for self-discipline and the governance of the other virtues, making it one of the most important virtues. Self-discipline is important as we grow with God. It allows for focus on the end goal, helps us to stay in control in reactive situations, contributes to a healthy self-esteem, and helps to protect one from the many addictions evident in this world.

The virtue of prudence is like a muscle: the more you train it, the stronger you become, it takes practice and nurturing. Verbally recognize when you witness your child practicing prudence. At the same time tell them when prudence may have prevented regrettable consequences. Using age-appropriate language, let your child know that prudent people take the time to think of the consequences of their actions. They stop and ask themselves “what is the right and most loving thing to do”? A prudent person will pray and think things through, then act in truth and love, again as God intended. As your child gets older you will be glad that you took the time to help them develop prudence, as it will help them to navigate their world in a right reasoned manner. 
 
I would like to introduce Cassandra Kneblik, who will be sharing the counseling position with me. Initially, she will be here on the days I am here and move into having a counselor on campus every day.
 
Tuesday 12:00-3:00 
Wednesday 10:30-3:30  
Thursday 9:30-3:30 
I would like to introduce Cassandra Kneblik, who will be sharing the counseling position with me. Initially, she will be here on the days I am here and move into having a counselor on campus every day. 

Hello St. Andrew, Catholic School community,  

My name is Cassandra Kneblik and I am grateful to be joining St. Andrew Catholic School as a part-time school counselor beginning this February! I recently graduated from TCU with a Master’s degree in School Counseling and have a background in Early Childhood Education.

I started my career in education as a 4th grade teacher, transitioned into high school as a college adviser, and then served as a counseling intern in an elementary and intermediate school setting. God has graciously led me to the opportunity to serve at St. Andrew’s and look forward to leaning on the Catholic faith to guide our students to seek the true, good, and beautiful within themselves and within our community! 

Angela Klütz 
Counselor 
817-924-8917 x2010 
The Body Matters Program Information
Our students were so excited to use the new chapel for adoration! Thank you Fr. Dan and Deacon Kevin for making this work.

“I adore You, Lord and Creator, hidden in the Most Blessed Sacrament.”
Our Growing in Virtue Tree

These last few months our students, faculty and staff have been noticing the Virtue of the Month in their classmates, students, and colleagues. When someone is “caught” showing virtuous behavior with their actions and behavior, teachers, students, and staff can write the virtuous behavior on a leaf, which is then placed on the Growing in Virtue Tree outside Mr. Vanasse’s office.

At the end of the month, before a new virtue is introduced, the leaves are returned and shared during Households. Then, students and faculty/staff can take them home to share with their families. The leaves and the Virtue Tree are a visual reminder of the virtues we are called to practice to grow more like Christ in our daily lives.
Parent Participation -- NEW

This month, we invite our families to join us in noticing virtue! Any time you see virtue in a staff member, another parent, friend of your child’s, or even your own child, please share it with the community by completing the link below. We will place these virtuous behaviors on the community tree for all to see!
One of the fastest ways to change poor habits is to notice when we do well and act the way Christ intended us to act. Virtue is like a muscle; we need to practice using it and noticing when people use it or we will lose it.

Here are some examples:
  • "John showed friendship when he encouraged his friend when he lost the game”.
  • Sally showed fortitude when she told someone they were being unkind to a friend and asked them to stop”.
  • “Max was courteous when he held the door for the adult”.
 
Click HERE when you notice virtuous behavior in a member of our Wildcat community.
Very soon your child will be bringing home a box of offertory envelopes.

We wish for the students to gain an understanding of Catholic Stewardship, which is the outcome of being a committed Disciple of Jesus Christ. Stewardship is not just for adults. It is important that young people also learn that they are greatly blessed by God and that God, in turn, expects them to share their blessings. The envelopes will be collected at the School Mass your child attends on either Tuesday or Wednesday mornings.

As you look at the envelope, you see three lines for your child to express what they have done as a steward of the gifts and blessings God has given to them. Your child can complete any or all of the lines.

The envelopes are pre-printed with an envelope number, the area for Time, Talent, and Treasure, and the child’s name. We will not be tracking envelope use, by number or child’s name. Rather we hope to inform children of how Catholics demonstrate and share the gifts and blessings we have been given by God. In Parish correspondence, you will see the words: Prayer – Service – Generosity used in lieu of Time, Talent, and Treasure.

  • Time – Was there an amount of time when the child was devoted to a particular activity to give glory and honor to God?  Prayer would fall into this category as would doing chores or tasks around the home that required little parental guidance or doing something without being told, rather because they could be of help.
  • Talent – How did the child use a skill or talent to help out another or better someone’s situation? Reading to a sibling, helping a friend play a sport better, singing in a choir.
  • Treasure – Adults understand the need for money to pay bills. Understanding Stewardship is NOT just about the money. Yes, the Church and School have lots of bills to pay! Salaries, benefits, utilities, repairs, etc. We don’t want the child to raid their piggy bank or ask you for money for the envelope (you are already participating!) but rather – if they get some birthday money, or when the tooth fairy leaves behind some money, this is the opportunity to share their gift. It is more important that a child puts in change from his or her own allowance and feels proud of that contribution.

In the early weeks of the program having your child just complete any one line is completely acceptable. We want to build the habit of stewardship in their life as they learn and grow in their faith. One of the primary purposes of this effort is to teach children that it does indeed feel good to give. It is good for our self-esteem to know that we have something to offer back to the world.

Deacon Kevin Bagley
Saint Andrew Parish & School
Executive Director of Evangelization & Ministries
This month:

  • In making decisions, we should look at our options and ask ourselves about the possible effects of that decision. Long-term effect: ‘If I do this, how will that impact my life tomorrow, next week, next year, when I am an adult, or in eternity? Ripple effect: Just as dropping a stone in a pond creates ripples that multiply and spread out, my decisions impact other people and their actions, which impact other people and their actions… As a family, think of a decision that you might have to make today. Name your choices. List the possible long-term and ripple effects of each choice. Which choice is the most prudent?

  • Share with your family prudent choices you have each made this month.

  • Pray the Second Luminous Mystery, the Wedding Feast at Cana. Reflect upon how Our Lady saw a problem and knew the best solution. Ask her to remind you to always turn in trust to Jesus and to rely on His help.
The Gabriel Project accompanies pregnant women in crisis, affirming their choice for life and preparing them to welcome their child. They are in need of pull-ups, diapers, baby clothes, and wipes.

While diapers, wipes, and other household items may seem small, they have a big impact. Many of our families are on a very limited income and the cost of these items add up quickly. Being able to help a family with these basic necessities can free up their income to pay rent, a utility bill, purchase needed medications or buy gas to get to work or medical appointments. 

Thank you to 7th grade students Ella Taylor, Madeleine Schroder, & Mia Coffey for organizing this year's Diaper Drive for Catholic Charities Gabriel Project. Choosing a service project allows the students to participate in Corporal Works of Mercy, and helps to deepen their understanding of our Catholic Social Teachings on Solidarity, Option for the Poor and Vulnerable, and Life and Dignity of the Human Person.
"The Catholic school’s task is fundamentally a synthesis of culture and faith, and a synthesis of faith and life: the first is reached by integrating all the different aspects of human knowledge through the subjects taught, in the light of the Gospel; the second is the growth of the virtues characteristic of the Christian.” 
(Congregation for Catholic Education, The Catholic School 37)

Saint Andrew Catholic School | 817.924.8917 | 3304 Dryden Road
www.standrewsch.org