The Patriot Report – June 2, 2023

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

There is a scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade that has always left an impression on me. For those who have seen this movie, we see Indy having to navigate a series of tests and trials in order to get to the Holy Grail, the chalice that Jesus drank out of during the Last Supper. In one particular test, Indy faces a chasm and on the other side is the entry to the room with the Holy Grail. 

The challenge here though is that there seems to be no way across. It is an impossible distance to jump. There are no ropes and no wooden beams to form a bridge. His dad is dying from a gunshot wound and he knows he must cross the chasm. After looking at an image in his dad’s journal of a man seemingly walking on air, Indy realizes that the test is a leap of faith. 

He stands and he takes the leap of faith and is rewarded for his faith. 

I love this scene because it communicates what faith requires. To have faith is to have trust in God. The scriptures make that point over and over throughout all the stories. We lack faith when we think we are in control and we know better. We adopt false gods and we fall. To be a person of faith is to let go of trying to control everything. It means to trust in God through tough times, through sadness and sorrow, through it all. 

On behalf of St. Jude School I would like to extend our congratulations to all the Gr. 7 students that received their Sacrament of Confirmation on May 30, 2023. This is a step towards taking responsibility for their faith. Fr. Jun spoke passionately during his homily that we need to own our faith and take responsibility for the vows we make. Our hope and prayer is that our students will embrace their faith. Though they may struggle in the years to come, we pray that they will always find peace and comfort in their faith. 

Our St. Jude School Chess Club wrapped up the season with our 1st Annual Chess Madness Tournament. We had 46 players enter our tournament and the first 3 rounds were all single elimination games. Once we got to the Elite 8 and the Final Four, players played in best of 3 matches. 

Our Final Four: Edwin Shiu, Damian Chee, Aiden Babas, and Thanh Nguyen

After the the Final Four, all chess club members and the classes supporting the finalists were welcomed back to watch the main event. 

Our Chess Finalist: Aiden Babas

Our Chess Champion: Thanh Nguyen

I would like to thank all the players for their displays of sportsmanship and respect. To see players show each other respect in the face of defeat was one of the main highlights. I would also like to thank Thanh and Aiden who both competed well in the tournament and showed incredible composure in the Championship match. Chess Club will return next year. 

A fun time was had by students attending the OLM track meet. This was a short track meet with only 4 events offered but the students were able to compete against 7 other schools. Thank you to those parents who were able to come out and support our runners. 

The music department at St. Jude School invites our parent community to a showcase of our students’ singing talent. This showcase, entitled Just Sing, will feature songs and some intervals from the St. Jude Drama Club. Students will wear their uniforms for this gathering in honour of the love of singing. The presentation takes place at 2pm on Tuesday, June 13th.  Unfortunately we are only able to offer one performance, unlike what was previously advertised. 

“Where words fail, music speaks.” – Hans Christian Andersen

Please be sure to complete your uniform order by June 15th to ensure that the uniform is delivered to you before the start of the new school year in September. 

Please read the letter from Cambridge Uniforms by clicking the link: Letter to Families

Please note that the last day of After School Club is June 27, 2023. There is no After School Club on June 28. 

Patriots Summer Camp will run at St. Jude School from July 3-7th, 9AM-3PM. 

This camp is run by Mr. C and Ms. Corea and is aimed at children aged 7-13. The activities will include fun games, sports, and team-building activities. Cost for the week is $175.00 per child with discounts available for siblings and referrals. 

For further information and registration please email acampanile@stjude.ca.