Alpha Girls - Endof Year Assembly

A few shots of the final assembly, text "soon come."

SAVE THE DATE - June 28

END OF YEAR GATHERING

MONDAY, JUNE 28, 2010

4:oopm - Final Thoughts and Evaluation

6:00pm - MASS OF THANKSGIVING and PRAYERS FOR THE NATION
Archbishop Reece, Presiding


STELLA MARIS PASTORAL CENTRE at 4pm
STELLA MARIS CHURCH at 6pm

PLEASE JOIN US!

URGENT MESSAGE -updated 29 May 2010

To all members of the Catholic Schools Initiative:

Until further notice all members of the initiative (that is committee members, captains, leaders, and school volunteers) should exercise prudence in visiting their schools until calmer heads prevail. Please exercise good sense and caution if there is any unrest near or around your school of assignment. Please inform your captain and principal should you be unable to make your assignment.

Thank you for your understanding during these days, and may we - pray for PEACE!

Pentecost (Third) Term Resumption Date

Team Captains, Team Leaders and CSI Volunteers,

Greetings in the Lord these days of Easter!

Please note that we will resume duty at our respective schools as of Monday, 19 April 2010. This is the second week of the term and at the prinicpals' request we avoid the first week as school starts back up.

Please pass this message along to all members of CSI Ministry - resume ministry as of Monday, 19 April 2010.

Thanks for your continued presence in the schools of the Archdiocese.

PEACE!

Br Michael Duffy, ofm conv

Vice Chair

EASTER GREETINGS!

Dear CSI Volunteers -

He Has Risen! Truly He Has Risen!!!

May you know the blessings of the Risen Lord for the gift of your ministry in the schools of the Archdiocese of Kingston. Like Peter and John, you run ahead, to tell of the good news - He has risen, truly He has risen! May the witness of your presence and the good news you bring to our schools continue, and may it multiply. As we hear in these days of Easter- PEACE!

The CSI Committee

IMPORTANT MEETING for All Team Leaders

An Urgent Meeting for ALL Team Leaders has been scheduled. To help accommodate ALL Team Leaders two (identical) sessions will be offered before we return to classes on 12 April 2010. All Team Leaders must attend, any Team Captains who wish to attend are most welcome. The particulars:

Tuesday, 6 April 2010

10:00 - 11:15am

Chancery Board Room

Wednesday, 7 April 2010

2:00pm - 3:15pm

Chancery Board Room

See YOU there!

CATHOLIC SCHOOL SUNDAY

Just a reminder that this Sunday, February 14th is Catholic Schools' Sunday. Members of the initiative will be out seeking the assistance of new members in your church community. Remember to wear your CSI Red Shirt and spread the good news about the Catholic Schools Initiative.

To: Captains and Team Leaders

Please convey this to your teams:

The CSIC has hired two 15 seater buses.One will be at Stella Maris and the other at Sts Peter and Paul. For those who wish to avoid the parking at the Cathedral and wish to take the bus, you may board the bus at Stella at 12:30pm .That bus will the proceed to Sts Peter and Paul to arrive so both buses can leave there at 1pm. The cost of each bus is $5000. Your contributions towards this will be appreciated.

Seating at the cathedral is first come, first seated! So we would encourage you to bring drinks and snacks in your CSIC bags. Looking forward to seeing many of you so we can profile this great priest's legacy!

Peace, Marjorie

Message to Principals and Board Chairs

On Thursday, 4 February 2010, the body of the late Archbishop Lawrence A. Burke, S.J., will lie in state at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity from 12 noon until 2.45 p.m., prior to the commencement of the Funeral Mass at 3.00 p.m.

In appreciation for Archbishop Burke who championed the cause of Catholic Education, it would be commendable were the students and teaching staff (as well as Board Members) to pay their respect by visiting the Cathedral and praying for the Archbishop’s happy repose at the hours aforementioned. The students in uniform would give a good testimony of the school’s appreciation of and love for this great Churchman.

God bless!

Most Reverend Donald J. Reece, D.D., G.C.M.
Archbishop of Kingston

Please be advised. . .

We have been informed that permission needs to be sought for flying flags at half staff.

No disrespect was intended.

Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

In Memoriam +Archbishop Lawrence Burke, SJ

+Archbishop Lawrence Burke, SJ, OJ
1932 - 2010

45.6 years a priest

28.3 years a bishop

As you know +Archbishop Burke died on Sunday evening after a long battle with cancer. So too you know he was a champion for education and the restoration of Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Kingston. It was under his leadership that the Catholic Schools Initiative started back in 2006.

As a sign of respect the CSI Team in consort with the Director of Catholic Education is asking that all schools, under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Kingston, that fly the National Flag: to please fly said flags at half mast/half staff through Thursday, 4 February 2010 (the date of +His Grace’s funeral). Flags should go back to full staff on Friday, 5 February 2010.

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In addition, as a tribute to +His Grace, we would ask that a morning devotion be devoted to remembering +Archbishop Burke as your school schedule permits.

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May he rest in peace!

Alpha Academy Reports In . . .

In Sunday’s Gospel – (John 2) The wedding in Cana of Galilee, Mary the mother of Jesus was there with her son, Jesus and his disciples.

And we hear Mary saying to the disciples, “Do whatever he tells you”. Over the last week our neighbours in Haiti experienced the worst natural disaster in this hemisphere for over 200 years. For us Jamaicans, young people, young ladies of one of the Greatest Schools in Jamaica, Alpha Academy.

What does it mean to do what Jesus tell us? What does it mean to do what love requires. All this means that each of us must find some practical and tangible way of supporting our brothers and sisters in Haiti. For some of us this means spending more time in prayer, asking God to receive the souls of the dead, to give comfort to the injured, let us try to be givers and not takers, to help and not hinder, to build up and not tear down; to encourage and not criticize, to be thoughtful and kind, a ready listener to the troubles of others; despite all our problems, great or small .... and we all have problems. Let us sincerely give gifts to those in need not from our surplus but from the gifts on which our lives depend. Times like these demand great sacrifice of God’s people... all of us here. Let us do what love requires for this is precisely what Jesus tells us to do.

Jesus called his disciples and said to them, “truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all those who gave from their plenty, but she gave from her poverty and put in everything she had, her life, her all”.

The Campus Minister: Velia Espeut,

The CSI Team: Margaret Little Wilson and Sonia Witter Rickards, Team Leader, reporting.

Archbishop Annouces Catholic Schools Sunday

Archbishop Reece has announced that SUNDAY, 14 FEBRUARY 2010 will be Catholic Schools Sunday. On this Sunday, members of the Catholic Schools Initiative be in local church communities raising awareness of the initiative and seeking out new recruits for this vital ministry. Look for our red shirts in your church community and spread the word: Catholic Schools Sunday - February 14, 2010!

News from Sts. Peter & Paul Preparatory School

Saints Peter & Paul Prep under the direction of the CSI Team: Louise Marcelle-Peart, Andrew Chin, Andrea Spence and Simone Fong Kong (Team Leader) have filed the following update.

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This past term the CSI Team has assisted with:

Assisting with devotions
Assist in the preparation of first Friday Mass
Maintain the Catholic presence in the school
Assist with the various events in accordance with the Liturgical Calendar (Advent season )

Assist RE teacher in the various explanations of the

Catholic Faith

Meet with the teachers to share their concerns and to explain fully our purpose.

The Team is leading devotion three (3) days a week, posted posters of the prayers (Our Father, Hail Mary, etc) and teaching the children the parts of the Mass. The team reports: "we are fortunate that the new principal Mrs Shinabola is Catholic. This will greatly enhance our objectives in promoting Catholic values in the school ... she is delighted with the initiative and welcomes our assistance."

All eyes look to great things happening this

new term 2010.

Back to School - January Term

Happy New Year to all the Catholic Schools Initiative Volunteers! We pray these few days of holiday have refreshed you for this second term of school ministry beginning Monday, 11 January 2010 in all our Catholic Schools that are now on stream.

A reminder to all - send those stories and pictures to: csi.aeb@gmail.com so we can highlight your ministry on the CSI Blog.