The Patrioteer – May 2, 2025

Happy May! Yesterday,  May 1st, we celebrated a special feast day in the Catholic Church–the feast of St. Joseph the Worker. This feast day recognizes St. Joseph, a humble carpenter, and also upholds the dignity of the worker. In an age where many in the world are marginalized and exploited by their employers, we teach our children that work has value and the worker is also of great value. 

At school we honour St. Joseph the Worker by teaching children to take pride in the work they do and work to the best of their ability. Doing your work with pride can be a form of praising God. In school children can show their care in many ways, keeping their desks and cubbies clean, keeping their papers and workbooks neat and organized, and keeping the school grounds clean and orderly. By accepting the work given to us by God happily and finishing it well, we show our inestimable value as being made in the image and likeness of a Creator who worked for six days and rested on the seventh.

St. Joseph the Worker, pray for us!

St. Jude, pray for us!  

This week our intermediate students were able to visit the Orpheum concert hall to listen to the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. The students were treated to a fun cinema-themed concert titled, “Lights, Camera, Orchestra!”

Thank you to Miss O’Gorman and the Intermediate teachers for facilitating this exciting excursion.

This week our students had the pleasure of attending two track meets at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby. Monday was the Friar’s Track Meet and Thursday was the St. Joseph Track Meet. Everyone performed their best and showed their track and field skills! Our students also embodied team spirit and Patriot Pride as they cheered each other on with gusto! 

Thank you to Mr. Mow, Mr. C, Mrs. Abela, Ms. Glinsbockel, Mrs. DiFonzo, Mrs. Stanley, and Miss M for coaching and providing these opportunities for our students! 

This coming weekend is the celebration of our Grade Two’s First Holy Communion. The students, led by Mrs. Urquhart, have been learning and growing in the Spirit all year as they prepare for this special and important sacrament. This week they were able to take time for a retreat as the final part of their sacramental preparation. They learned about how communion hosts were made and even got to make their own unleavened bread. 

Congratulations on your sacramental preparation, Grade Two! 

We are sad to announce that Ms. Bronagh Ganley has had to resign from our school to return to her home country of Ireland. 

Our new After School Club Supervisor, Ms. Lucia Torres, began work on Thursday and will continue through the rest of the school year. Ms. Torres comes to us with many years of experience working in schools with children. She is very happy to be a part of the St. Jude Community and is a parishioner of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Vancouver. 

Welcome, Ms. Torres! 

If your child has been contributing to their Mite Box during Lent, please have them bring it to the school office.  The donation in the Mite Boxes go towards helping the seminarians in their journey to the priesthood.  Thank you for your support and for your child(ren)’s generosity!

If you plan to volunteer with the school or your parent participation requires interaction with children, we ask that you complete a Criminal Record Check.  There is no cost for this and can be completed online. Please click on the link below and enter the access code. You will need your BC Services Card to submit an online request and it should only take you a few minutes to complete.

Online Link: https://justice.gov.bc.ca/criminalrecordcheck

Access Code: KVLB9GCYEW

If you are unsure if you have a CRC on file with the office or if your CRC is expired, please email office@stjude.ca. 

Mark your calendars, it’s the most wonderful time of the year–WALKATHON PLEDGE TIME! 

This year will look a little different from past years as we will not be collecting any money ahead of the walkathon. 

PLEDGE SHEETS DUE on THURS:  May 8, 2025

MONEY DUE WITH PLEDGESHEET ON MAY 14, 2025.  

DO NOT BRING ANY MONEY BEFORE THIS DATE.

Online donations are received through the school website: stjude.ca.   

All ONLINE donations will receive a tax receipt.  CASH or CHEQUE donations of $25 or more will receive a tax receipt, provided the donor’s full name and address are written on the pledgesheet.  Thank you for your support!

We are excitedly counting down to the Walkathon on May 9th! We will collect the pledge sheets again next week! 

Here’s our totals for Week Four and cumulative class count:

• Kindergarten–Week 4: $660  Total: $2380
• Grade One–Week 4: 1137 Total: $3812
• Grade Two–Week 4: $430 Total: $1070
• Grade Three–Week 4:$760  Total: $2660
• Grade Four–Week 4: $524  Total: $2893
• Grade Five–Week 4: $330 Total: $1785
• Grade Six–Week 4: $365.25  Total: $3191.10
• Grade Seven–Week 4: $520  Total: $1596.05

Our Week Four class winners are Grade One. GREAT JOB! 

Keep bringing in those pledges! 

Due to some necessary geotechnical work that will be taking place on our school site this day, there will be NO AFTER SCHOOL CLUB after the Walkathon on Friday, May 9.  Please make arrangements to have your child picked up promptly at 12 noon. After school club will resume normal hours on Monday, May 12th.  

Summer sports camp at St. Jude’s is open for registration for those ages 7-13.  Available weeks are Jul 2-4 ($120), Jul 7 – 11 ($200), or BOTH weeks ($260).  Please email Mr. C at acampanile@stjude.ca with any questions.   Registration forms are available at the office. 

Father Jun and St. Andrew’s Parish are organizing “A Mass of Remembrance and Healing” for the deceased and injured victims of the Lapu Lapu Day Tragedy on Saturday, May 3, at 11:30 am.  This mass will be followed by praying the Holy Rosary and a blessing at the site of the tragedy. There will be a reception with light refreshments served at the gym.   St. Andrew’s Church is located at 474 E. 47th Avenue, Vancouver.  Everyone is welcome. 

St. Jude’s is hosting a Catechesis for Adults and Youth every Monday and Thursday at 7pm in the church for those looking to learn more about the Catholic faith and/or to deepen their relationship with God.  All are welcome! 

St. Jude Parish Mass Times

Monday – Saturday: 9 am morning Masses
Novena Mass on Wednesdays: 7:30 pm
Saturday anticipated Mass: 5 pm
Sunday Mass: 9 am, 11 am, 5 pm