Saints Speak from Mrs. Marshall - 2/27/2025 - Every Small Act of Goodness Matters

Our saint this week is St. Peter Claver. He was a Jesuit priest who lived in the early 1600s and dedicated his life to caring for slaves in what is now Columbia. He fed the slaves, cared for them when they were sick, taught them about Christ, and encouraged them to live Christian lives. He also spoke on their behalf to the slave masters, asking that they be treated humanely.

St. Peter Claver recognized that slave trade was a huge problem, and he knew he could not eliminate it himself. However, he took the steps that he could to make life better for the slaves, introducing them to Christ, caring for them, and advocating for them. Sometimes when we face large problems, they seem insurmountable so we don’t do anything to fix them. St. Peter Claver models the opposite for us, reminding us that every small act of goodness matters. May we be motivated by his example to respond to injustices and remember that even if we can’t fix the system, we can make a difference for an individual.

Lent

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday next week. Please consider joining us for Mass at 8:15am on Wednesday, March 5th. Since we will be attending Mass, this will be a perfect uniform day for students, and they may wear their spirit wear shirts on FRIDAY, March 7^th, instead.

Lent is a time for prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, as we remember the great sacrifice Jesus made for us and reflect on how we can use this time to grow closer to Him. Sr. Maria has compiled a variety of Lenten resources for your family to consider using at home for these forty days. Consider using the Lenten Scripture calendar she shared, which has a suggested short Scripture passage for your family to read and discuss daily. This would be a great activity to add to your evening routine to make this Lenten season more meaningful.

Sr. Maria’s resource document also has links to each of our supporting parishes. Please explore what your parish is offering during Lent.

Lastly, our ASPA Outreach committee is planning a Lenten service project for our families and students. More information will be available next week.

ASPA Mardi Gras Treat

On Tuesday, March 4th, ASPA is treating all students to a cupcake at lunch in celebration of Mardi Gras. Thank you ASPA!

DDA Update

Casino Royale, our 20^th Annual Dinner Dance Auction, is just 16 days away!! If you haven’t gotten your tickets yet, do so soon – ticket sales close on Sunday.

Whether you’re able to attend the DDA or not, I encourage you to check out the raffles! We have several great raffles this year, you don’t want to miss your chance to win!

• Tuition Credit Raffle – tickets are $100, and you have the chance to win $5000 off your tuition! There are only 150 tickets sold, so get your ticket today!

• 50/50 Raffle – it’s always a good time to win cash! Tickets are just $10 each, and the pot will continue to grow!

• Lotto Basket Raffle – who can resist the chance to win $150 in Lottery Tickets?

• Vegas Trip – this is the raffle you don’t want to miss! Winner will get to enjoy a 3-night stay at a Four-Star Las Vegas hotel (think Mirage, MGM Grand, Caesars Palace, Mandalay Bay, etc.) as well as two tickets to the Cirque Du Soleil show of your choice (Michael Jackson, O, The Beatle LOVE, etc.). Tickets are only $50, don’t miss your chance to win this exclusive trip!

Tickets for all raffles are on sale now on the DDA website as well as at the DDA. Winners need not be present to win.

Classroom Spotlight

I was blessed to be able to spend some time in each of our preschool classrooms this week. Mrs. Bajek often says that the happiest place on earth isn’t Disney World, it’s All Saints preschool, and she’s right! I loved seeing our students engage in circle time, read Dr. Seuss, and learn about Michelangelo and the painting of the Sistine Chapel! In PS3, the students got to work collaboratively and create their own artistic masterpieces in the style of Michelangelo, lying under the tables. The whole lesson tied back to the letter “U” and the sound it makes in “under.” 

Athletics Update: Basketball Playoffs, Track & Field Season

Our basketball teams will all play in the first round of playoff games this weekend. Best of luck, Saints! 

It’s also time to sign up for our spring sport, Track & Field! Click here for a letter with more information from Coach Chris Johanneson. You can register your 5^th-8^th grade child for track and field by clicking here.

Update on ASCA’s Field Sale

Many of you remember that in the spring of 2023, the Diocese was approached by a builder to purchase the field east of ASCA, between our building and Meson Sabika. That sale fell through, but in early 2024 the Diocese listed the field for sale with a local realtor. They have entered into an initial agreement with a prospective buyer, Charleston Builders, and we are in the due diligence period for this sale. Charleston Builders built the homes in the Jefferson Estates neighborhood located just north of our campus and is proposing to build 30 cottage-style homes on the property should the sale go through. They are currently getting approvals from the City of Naperville, and if the sale is finalized building could start as early as this summer.

As a reminder, all properties here at All Saints are owned by the Diocese of Joliet, not by ASCA, and all final decisions are made by the Bishop. Throughout this process, the Diocese has communicated often with me, as well as the Executive Board of pastors, and I have shared all developments with our School Board of Directors and our Finance and Operations Committee. While we love having this green space, the field is used by our students very rarely (2-3 days per year), and the field’s sale would have significant long-term financial benefits for the school. I will continue to keep you updated as this progresses and there is new information to share. If you have any specific questions, please let me know and I’ll do my best to answer them or contact the appropriate person at the Diocesan level on your behalf.

March Virtue

Next week is March, and we’ll begin learning about a new virtue with our faith buddies, respect. This is such an important virtue for our students, and for all of us. Click here for ideas on how you can reinforce and practice this virtue at home as a family.

Saintly Acts

Congratulations to the following students who earned Saintly Acts this week: Gabby C. (1^st grade), Noah D. (3^rd grade), Cameron D. (1^st grade), Ava E. (Kdg), Jack H. (Kdg), Noah N. (Kdg), Jackson P. (2^nd grade), Bianca B. (8^th grade), Jonathan T. (6^th grade), Mattison B. (6^th grade), Teddy E. (5^th grade), Olivia J. (6^th grade), Robin K. (4^th grade), and Izzy S. (2^nd grade). Keep being saintly!

Enjoy the long weekend!

Margie Marshall

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A Tremendous Thank You to the Diamond, Platinum, and Cornerstone Sponsors of our 2024 Dinner Dance Auction (DDA):  Masquerade Gala

We hope that you will support these generous benefactors of All Saints with your business.  Please thank them, and let them know that you are an All Saints school family.