Catholic Schools Week 2020

          Anticipation is rising in the monastery and excitement is on the horizon (well 10 days away).  Every year at this time we prepare for special young visitors.  The last week of January is Catholic School Week.This year it is Monday January 27 through Friday January 30. To help celebrate the event, the elementary students of Villa Madonna Academy will be coming across the road to share with us. 

          Each class gets its own time slot with one or two groups coming each day. The teachers and students prepare an activity that showcases some of their skills and allows time to interact with the Sisters. This year we can look forward to Bingo with the kindergarten students as they demonstrate knowledge of numbers and letters. There will also be a special Benedictine Bingo with the 5^th graders.  The caller describes a Benedictine value or an historical fact about the life and times of St. Benedict. The players must know the answer and hope to find it on their card.  This provides opportunity for lots of shared stories. Activities of other classes will remain surprises.

Sr. Martha Walther with children in
2019 Catholic Schools Week

         The children come in the morning and so our own lunch conversation is especially animated as we share the amazing skills, knowledge and cute things that were demonstrated earlier in the day.  Stories abound. We try to recall being that young and wondering if at that age we could do what they can do.

          On the brink of another Catholic School Week, I contemplate the message of Jesus, “Let the little children come unto me.”  Did Jesus get the same joy that we do? Was He thrilled by their response to Him? I think out of love for us He taught us to welcome the little ones as He did.

        Sr. Mary Rabe, OSB