St. Nicholas, Pray for Us

St. Nicholas, pray for us.

December 6, 2019

A.M.D.G. Feast of Saint Nicholas December 6, 2019

Is Advent a solemn time of sacrifice and penance, or a time of celebration?

Today’s Catholic has a hard time discerning the meaning of Advent because of how our society treats, or mistreats, Christmas. Looking at the history of Advent (adventus, or “coming”) might help us better understand the meaning of the season.

Advent and Christmas as we know them today were not recognized by the Church until St. Optatus first introduced the Feast of the Nativity in 383, though the date of its celebration depended on where th you lived. December 25 became the official feast day for the Nativity in 650, and it wasn’t called Christmas (Christ Mass) until around the year 1000.

Still, compared to Easter, Christmas was a relatively low-key feast, as is fitting. It started to become more prominent when it was tied to the end of harvest season, when families finally had more leisure time and could celebrate and prepare. The Church eventually adopted the four weeks before Christmas as a time to anticipate the coming of the Christ Child.

Even as the nature and precise length of Advent continued to change, the Catholic Church in the eighth century added its preparatory, penitential aspects, mirroring to a degree the norms of Lent. The penitential observances of Advent, however, always had a festive character to them, as opposed to Lent, which culminates in the Passion and death of Our Lord. The idea for Advent was to contain your ex- citement before Christmas and to prepare for Christ’s coming. So people took on these penances joy- fully—they’d pause in their celebrations to acknowledge their sins and to clean house spiritually, over- joyed that Christ came to us, but aware of our unworthiness to receive him.

Let me recommend some popular devotions, some of which I’m sure many of you practice already, but all worth consideration as we prepare our hearts and homes for Christ’s coming at Christ Mass.

· Saint Nicholas Day (tonight!), place candy or a small gift in children’s shoes · Feature the Advent wreath, lighting candles nightly, adding one per week · For every act of charity in the home, place a piece of straw in the manger · Place one element in your home creche scene every few days, rather than all at once · Jesse Tree – 25 days before Christmas, place one ornament daily on the tree with an accompa- nying reading · The Saint Andrew Christmas Novena · Most of all – Acts of Charity for the poor, in solidarity with the Holy Family

Have a blessed Adventus!

Dan Ethridge, Headmaster

Please Remember in Prayer…...

• For the Faculty, Board of Trustees, Families, Students, and Benefactors of Ville de Marie, we pray to the Lord.

• For all those who are sick and suffering, especially: Gabriela Arriola, Lilia Underwood (Mrs. Barriga’s sister), Bernadette Rosado (Daigles’ grandmother), Reid Gleeson (Mrs. Hudson’s cousin), Judy McDonough, Shirley Davis (Bouchard’s grandmother) and Geraldine Renner (Ushers’ grandmother) we pray to the Lord.

• For the Holy Intention of Pope Francis: “That a spirit of dialogue, encounter, and reconciliation emerge in the Near East, where diverse religious communities share their lives together.”

Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

First Saturday Schoolwide Mass and Prayers to end abortion Please join us the first Saturday of each month for 8am Mass at

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel 2121 S. Rural Road Tempe, AZ 85282 and on to Pray the Rosary at Planned Parenthood 1837 E. Baseline Road Tempe, AZ

Dates: 12/7, 2/1, 3/7, 4/4, and 5/2

CHARITY VIRTUE FOR YEAR

“Order your soul; reduce your wants; live in charity; associate in Christian community; obey the laws; trust in Providence.”

- - St. Augustine

Calendar of VdM Events

DECEMBER 9 The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary - NO SCHOOL 16-18 Semester Exams - Noon Release 19 Christmas Pageant 6:30—TBD 20 NO SCHOOL

Wednesday, December 11 Raising Cane’s

**December 23– January 3 Christmas Break**

JANUARY 6 School resumes 7 3 Kings Name Drawing 20 Martin Luther King Day - NO SCHOOL 23 Parent Meeting - 6:30 p.m. Church Hall 31 Honor Roll Assembly after Mass Progress Reports go home Chapel Flower Schedule

FEBRUARY 7 First Friday - Noon Dismissal 17 President’s Day - NO SCHOOL Bring (2) fresh flower bundles to the office or 21 JOG-A-THON - Noon Release in the morning car line. Thank you. 25 Mardi Gras Celebration 26 ASH WEDNEDAY First Monday of the Month: 28 Stations of the Cross 10 Dec Dianne Phelan MARCH 6 First Friday - Noon Dismissal 16 Dec Dianne Phelan Stations of the Cross Report Cards go home 06 Jan Charlie Neal 12 Early Release - Noon Dismissal 13 Jan Charlie Neal Parent/Teacher Conferences 21 Jan Charlie Neal 13 NO SCHOOL Parent/Teacher Conferences 27 Jan Charlie Neal 19 St. Joseph Spirit Day - Noon Dismissal 20 NO SCHOOL 03 Feb Montse Anderson 23-26 IOWA Testing - grades 1-8 only 10 Feb Montse Anderson 27 Stations of the Cross 33-Day Consecration/Re-Consecration 18 Feb Montse Anderson Begins 20 Mar Kara McIntee APRIL 27 Mar Kara McIntee 3 First Friday - Noon Dismissal 8 Early Release - Noon Dismissal 04 May Charlie Neal ALL SCHOOL ROSARY 9 & 10 NO SCHOOL - EASTER BREAK 11 May Charlie Neal 18 May Charlie Neal

**April 9-April 17 Easter Break**

VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS

We appreciate the help of all our parents in fulfilling the service hour requirement. We ask that all volunteers be certified through the Diocese of Phoenix Safe Environment Program. Effective July 1, 2019, a new database for training and background check was rolled out. Volunteers that have already received this training are also required to renew it annually through this new website:

http://www.phoenix.cmgconnect.org

For those volunteers who have not taken this training and want to volunteer, please go through this training in your own (Diocese of Phoenix) parishes.

Calling on all teachers and parents that take any pictures, especially at sporting events or field trips, to send them to me. Even pictures taken on phones are great! You can email them or even just text them to Emily. [email protected] or (602) 595-7998. Thanks!

Frassati Club News and Announcements Friday, December 13th: The Frassati Club invites all VDM students and families to visit McDowell Village Assisted Living! We will socialize with our friends there, and sing some beautiful Christmas Carols! We will meet in Miss Arend’s room right after dismissal on Friday, and then as a group caravan over to McDowell Village! We will depart VDM at 3:30, and be finished at McDowell Village between 4:15 and 4:30! Please email Ms. Arend ([email protected]) if you are planning on coming, have any questions, or if your child needs a ride! All ages and all families are welcome! The more the merrier! God bless!

Back by popular demand….. VDM decals for sale in the office for $1.00 WAYS TO EARN $$$ FOR VDM

VDM NOW RECEIVING DONATIONS FROM AMAZON SMILE Ville de Marie will receive .5% of all eligible purchases automatically!

Benefit Mobile App! Benefit is a FREE iPhone and Android app that allows you to shop at places like Target, Starbucks, Amazon, Walmart and many more, Don’t Forget to Buy while giving up to 20% of every transaction back to Ville de Marie. Benefit Mobile allows you to Scrip! purchase electronic SCRIP cards instantly from Please submit your special orders with your phone. It’s racing funds without Fundrais- ing! Download the app(Benefit Mobile) and se- payment by Monday to the school lect Ville de Marie Academy (our zip is 85257) office to receive your SCRIP order on as your chosen beneficiary to start giving today. Friday. Link your checking or debit/credit card (checking Order forms available on our accounts earn 1-3% more!) Linking your website or in the school office. checking account may take 1-2 days, so plan ahead! For more information go to www.benefit-mobile.com.

Earn $$ for Ville de Marie

By shopping at Fry’s and linking your Fry’s card to the Ville de Marie account, we can earn up to $2000. In the market for a new Mattress, If you have never Registered your Fry’s card, you may do so at: use Tuft and Needle! ww.fryscommunityrewards.com. Tuft and Needle will give 25% Follow the prompts under “Create an Account” and select Ville to Ville de Marie from all sales. de Marie (#AJ255) under “Community Rewards”. If you already have a Fry’s account set Tell your family and friends. up, log in and under “Account Settings” select Ville de Marie under “Community Rewards”. Use this link https://www.tuftandneedle.com Any questions contact Mrs. Washburn in the Office. to order your mattress and VdM will receive 25% back NEW FAMILIES PLEASE REGISTER YOUR FRY’S from all sales generated through this link. CARD TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FRY’S COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM