With love and forgiveness, new beginnings are possible
We are now into Lent, and many of us have promised something ........to stop smoking, given up candy, tried not to yell at the kids, or promised not to gossip.......only to realize how truly difficult it is to "fast" in this way. Maybe you are still on this track of self-discipline; or perhaps you have had to renew your pledge already. The concept of "fasting" has multiple layers of meaning to us as Catholics. It means not indulging in food casually on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, but rather for sustenance only. It is a practice of discipline that allows us to offer that act up as penance for our unthinking acts. In a similar vein, a broader look at fasting is that we do need to practice discipline - giving something up for Lent - to correct the behaviors of our lives that separate us from those we love - our spouses, our children, our friends, and our God. Lent is not the only time we can look at this; but, it is a moment offered when our entire community of Catholic family is trying at the same time.....so, there might be a mutual understanding of how hard it is to make the change that we wish to make. If we soften our edges and try to be kind to each other we might be offering the support for change to someone else without even realizing it.
Fr. Robert Barron often reminds us that God doesn't need us; he just loves us. We are the ones who need God. Lent is the perfect time to join your Catholic family in finding that "right relationship" with God so we are able to fully receive God's love.
Dinner Dance Auction 2013 News
DDA Update
The “An Evening in Paris” Dinner Dance Auction is right around the corner. March 9th will be here before we know it! We have fabulous donations for this year’s auction including:
8 Skybox tickets to the Justin Bieber Concert, including Limousine Service
Family tour and pizza at the Naperville Fire Department
Tickets to Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs, Sox and Bears games
Please check out the auction website at www.ascadda.org for additional information.
Volunteers Needed!
We are looking for volunteers to sell raffle tickets from 6:30-7 pm. The raffles are all in the ballroom this year, so grab a friend or spouse and work the table while visiting with all the guests. We are also in need of live auction spotters! Please email Allison-Davis@comcast.net if you are able to volunteer in any capacity.
Tuition Raffle Tickets are on sale.
Get them before they are gone! If you would like a chance to win a $5,000 ASCA tuition credit for the 2013-2014 school year, just purchase a raffle ticket for $100. To purchase, please contact Keith or Susan Glab at ks4glab@yahoo.com. Please note: These raffle tickets WILL NOT be sold at the auction! Don’t miss your chance, buy them now!
Invitation Information
Reservations and payment are due by Friday, February 22nd. You can also register and pay online this year. Visit www.ascadda.org for more information.
Financial Aid for 2013-2014 School Year
The deadline for financial aid applications for the 2013-2014 school year is Friday, March 1. This is a firm deadline. All families who received any type of assistance, financial aid or scholarship for the 2012-2013 school year, and who wish to apply for monies for the 2013-2014 school year must reapply to be eligible for consideration. To apply, please log on to the FACTS Tuition Grant and Aid website at www.factstuitionaid.com. Hard copies of the application paperwork are available in the school office. There is a $30 application fee for both the online or hard copy application. Please do not wait. The time to apply is NOW, as all related paperwork – W-2’s, tax returns, supporting schedules – need to be submitted by each applicant, and verified by FACTS by the March 1st deadline. We will have very limited ability to help you if you do not fill out and submit the appropriate paperwork. Please contact Patty Bajek at (630) 961-6125, or pbajek@ascacademy.org with any questions.
No Cookin’ In the Kitchen - Red Robin
February’s Red Robin No Cookin’ in the Kitchen fundraiser to benefit the Class of 2014 is TONIGHT, at Red Robin located at 28260 Diehl Road, Warrenville, and 12646 South Route 59, Plainfield. Valid on dine in or carry out from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The required flyer was sent home last Wednesday with all oldest/only students, and is also available at the school website. The flyer is required and must be presented to your server for ASCA to receive credit. If you have any questions, please contact Alison Pechnik at asabug78@aol.com or Andrea Howard at nucvet@sbcglobal.net.
Lenten Fish Fry & Stations of the Cross at ASCA – Friday, March 15th
Save the Date for the annual ASCA Lenten Fish Fry scheduled for Friday, March 15th in the ASCA gym. As a new addition, we will be hosting the Stations of the Cross in McSherry Hall at 5:30 pm prior to the Fish Fry, which will be from 6:00-7:30 pm. The meal will be catered by Belgio’s, and the menu will feature Fried Cod, Potatoes, Penne Pasta w/ Marinara Sauce, Salad, Bread, Soft Drinks and Dessert. Music will be provided by school parent, Colleen Turner. Cost for Adults and Teens is $12, Kids (ages 5-12) are $8, and Kids under 5 eat for free. RSVP flyers were sent home with all oldest/only students last week, and also can be found at the school website.
Wednesday Rosary
During Lent, the Rosary is said every Wednesday morning just before Mass in the gym. Besides being a great way to receive additional graces and to honor Mary, our spiritual mother, it is a wonderful way to share our faith with the students as they enter for Mass. Please join us in the gym at 7:55 am (if you are running late – come anyway!). Instruction sheets and extra Rosaries are available. Kids (even noisy ones) are welcome! For more info, contact Felicia Egan at (630) 357-6869, or blueirises@wowway.com.
ASCA Spring Picture Day
Our Spring Picture Day is scheduled on Friday, March 8th for all preschool through Grade 8 students. Preschool 3 year old and Pre Kindergarten students are invited to come to ASCA to be photographed on March 8. All students will be out of uniform and photographed by Lifetouch on Friday, March 8, and are invited to wear something appropriate that might allow you the option to purchase the perfect photos to send to family and friends at Easter time. There will be no preorders, or retakes if you miss the day. A Reminder Flyer is being sent home with all oldest and only students today. A Picture Day Pose Selection Form will be sent home next week.
Picture packages will be sent home with your student once ASCA has received them from Lifetouch. At the time you receive your photo package, you will have the option to do one of the following: 1. send the entire package back, 2. purchase selected sheets in the package, or 3. purchase the entire photo package.
February Men's Tie Collection
ASCA is collecting men's ties through the month of February to benefit our Earth and others. SCARCE will be creating Christmas tree skirts as an example of reuse. The ties will also benefit a men's closet in which men will be able to find professional clothes to wear for interviews and jobs. Help us help others and the Earth by sending in your unused ties with your child to be put in our drop box in the office. Direct any questions to kristinscrima@yahoo.com. Thank you in advance for your help!
Community Outreach Updates
Thank you to all of the families who donated their Christmas cards. Thousands of cards were collected! Girl Scout Troop 50806 led this huge collection. These girls spent many meetings separating each and every card front from the back to prepare them for shipment to St. Jude’s Ranch. Way to go girls!
Community Outreach collected nearly 500 Valentine’s and distributed them to our assisted living partners; Independence Village and Spring Meadows. Huge kudos to Mrs. Gapen, Mrs. Dudzinski, and Mrs. Arena, in addition to Girl Scout Troop 50860 and Daisy Troop 1737.
The Community Outreach display case in Café 1 features a MLK day of service photo collage. In addition, the following student’s service forms are showcased; Jamie Juhas, Callie Juhas, Maya Menendez, Andrew Kluzak, Caitlyn Pramuk-Volk, and Chloe Hawkins. If your student has recently completed some service, please have them fill out the ASCA Service Project Form, which can be found at the school website, so we can recognize their good work.
Box Tops for Education / Labels for Education Programs
Please send in all Box Tops and/or Labels for Education with your student by this Friday, February 22. There are collection boxes in the classrooms; students get a kick out of filling the collection boxes! Do you have Box Tops or Labels receipts from Meijer or another supermarket? Send them in and they will be credited to the school. You can also win 1,000 Box Tops for ASCA. Simply go to www.boxtops4education.com, and enter the “Love My School” Sweepstakes. You can enter every day until Thursday, February 28.
SAVE THE DATE – Friday, April 5th 6:30-8:30 pm
Puberty Presentations for Father/Son and Mother/Daughter for
5th grade students AND THEIR PARENTS
The SHPP Faith Formation Committee has invited Dr. Coleen Mast, a leader in the field of chastity education, to offer her popular “Puberty Presentations for Father/Son and Mother/Daughter” to our Fifth Grade class and their parents. The sessions will be held on Friday April 5th from 6:30-8:30 pm in McSherry Hall (Mother/Daughter), and in the Gym (Father/Son). These consist of two simultaneous two hour presentations in two different rooms; the girls led by Dr. Mast, and the boys led by a pro-life man. It will include videos and discussions on how to mature spiritually and emotionally while these physical changes are taking place. The presentation will include some theology and biology of the body, with practical advice for puberty and virtue challenges. The boys’ program is entitled “Strong, Smart and Pure.”; while the girls’ program is called “Truth, Beauty, & Life.” While this is a 5th grade specific program, Dr. Renehan is recommending that 4th grade parents attend but without their children. Participation in these sessions is optional and at no additional cost. No food will be offered during these sessions. For more information about Dr. Mast please visit www.sexrespect.com.
Final 8th Grade Home Basketball Games – This Weekend
Please plan on joining us to Pack the Stands for the final home basketball games for our 8th grade students this weekend.
Scheduled games are as follows:
Friday, February 22 at 8:00 pm - ALL SAINTS 8A GIRLS vs. ST. MARY (DG)
Saturday, February 23 at 9:00 am - ALL SAINTS 8B BOYS vs. ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST
Sunday, February 24 at 4:00 pm - ALL SAINTS 8A BOYS vs. ST. JAMES
Sunday, February 24 at 5:00 pm - ALL SAINTS 8B GIRLS vs. ST. JOSEPH
All games will be played at ASCA.
All Saints Football
If you are going to be in 5th through 8th grade in the 2013-2014 school year, and you are interested in playing on the All Saints travel football team, please plan on attending the upcoming open house for more information: Saturday, February 23m from 12:30 – 4:00 pm at All Saints Catholic Academy, 1155 Aurora Avenue, Naperville, Illinois 60540. Please contact Frank Ribaudo at (630) 853-5397, or info@ascafootball.com with any questions. Also, visit the www.ascafootball.com website.
Boosters
The Boosters would like to announce that the January 5th NFC/AFC football fundraiser that was held in McSherry Hall raised $1,525 that will go to the Athletic Department to be used for future purchases of new uniforms or equipment. This event will be an annual event to be held in January. Details will be sent out in November. The booster club is looking for new members and parents with fundraising ideas for the future. If you are interested in joining the Boosters, please contact Jim Juhas at jjuhas65@gmail.com.