Dear FCS Parents, Guardians, Families and Community Members,
My all time favorite Christmas decoration is a small statue sitting on the fireplace hearth at my brother and sister-in-law’s house. It depicts the baby Jesus laying in the manger, but the person by his side is not Mary or Joseph, nor the shepherds and magi. Kneeling by Jesus’ side, hat in hand to show his humility, is Santa Claus. When I first saw this statue it almost moved me to tears and although I have seen it every Christmas for the past 10 years it still stirs something inside me.
As a Christian I sometimes struggle to meld the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of our Savior, with the secular Christmas that bombards us from October through December. The commercials telling our children that they MUST have the latest gadget in time for the holiday and the pressure to have the perfect holiday home complete with all the sounds, sites and even smells of Christmas is about as far from the celebration of Christ’s birth as you can get. Does this mean we should abandon Christmas altogether or completely boycott everything secular?
I think, for me, there is something comforting in that kneeling Santa statue. It reminds me that there is nothing wrong with partaking in the secular American Christmas traditions as long as we remember that everything, even Santa Claus, must kneel before the King of kings and Lord of lords particularly during this sacred season. While surfing the internet last Christmas I came upon a Kneeling Santa prayer that I have included at the bottom of this letter. I invite you to share it with your children as a reminder that for us, it all begins by kneeling in adoration and humility before a helpless child.
I wish you the gift of faith, the blessing of hope, and the peace of His love at Christmas and always!
Christmas Blessings,
Pamela Lyons
President
Fresno Catholic Schools
Strengthening Math
Holy Cross Introduces New Mentorship Program with Mr. Eric Johnson
The purpose of the Holy Cross Mentorship Program is to facilitate the personal and educational growth of our students by providing guidance, support, and knowledge transfer from mentors to mentees. Mr. Johnson felt God placed it on his heart to extend himself a bit more with students, specifically our male students, with the intent to provide a culture of continuous learning and sharing of knowledge. He identified more than 20 young men, both from 7th and 8th grade classes. This was done intentionally, with the objective that those students in 8th grade will leave with the soft skills that will translate into them having some level of success when they transition to high school. Those in 7th grade will be able to work with our incoming 7th grade class next year, and provide them with leadership and guidance. This is why having a mentorship program in place is essential for our male students because building relationships matter. The students will be able to leverage the knowledge and experience of the mentor to avoid trial and error of real life. The benefits of the program include: enhancing the students' skill development, goal setting, an increase in student engagement, developing the qualities of a leader, while still focusing on academics, attendance, and behavior.
In Mr. Johnson’s words, “ I am lucky enough to have been on both sides of the mentoring process throughout my 20+ year career and it’s something I urge everyone to do. As a mentor, I’ve been able to pass on my knowledge and experience while learning about others. As a mentee I’ve received invaluable insight into all aspects of work and life. In my opinion, done right, the mentoring process is one of the best ways to learn and develop.”
Note of Gratitude
New Mascot for St. Helen's
November was busy with many wonderful things happening as we prepare to enter the Advent Season. Saint Helen’s School finished the first trimester strong! Our Virtue focus was Stewardship and the student council lead service project for food and clothing with Catholic Charities. Father Walter trained seven new students to be altar servers, who will serve both at school and Church Masses.
There always seems to be exciting things going on or coming up! We had science experiments in the Science Lab and future doctors in 2nd grade. We finished November with the annual Trot for his Glory, which combined a jog-a-thon with a Health Fair. A giant “Thank You” goes out to Fresno County Sheriffs for starting our event by landing their helicopter on the field and showing it to the kids. We also had Fresno PD, Fresno Fire, Right to Life, Catholic Charities, and City of Fresno Recycling out!
We introduced our new mascot Dom the Lion, named for St. Dominic. We finished our month by serving at the Mass on November 24th . It was such a blessing to see the SHS students reading, singing, and serving at the Mass. We are so blessed that Father Walter encourages our students of all ages to be engaged and serve the Church. Can’t wait to see what Advent will bring!
