Catholic Life

Finding faith woven into the fabric of every classroom our Catholic beliefs are central to each student’s experience at Saint Giles. Through prayer and study of our faith we seek to develop an awareness of the dignity of all people and a moral compass that will help guide student’s decisions throughout their lives. The foundation for a vibrant faith life is created by preparing students for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation with their classmates in second and eighth grade.

Students begin and end the day with prayer and attend Mass once a week. Each trimester every grade participates in a Great Grade Mass in which the students’ families and special friends are invited to join us at Mass and time to visit together as a community. Grade Buddies prepare monthly All School Masses to celebrate important times in our faith such as All Saints Day and May Crowning.

Throughout the year classes explore and grow in their understanding of Social Justice by participating in class organized efforts to help those in need. Students participate at local charities such as Feed My Starving Children, and collecting toys at Christmas, food for local pantries, and pet supplies for local shelters. Students learn to be stewards of the earth through green initiatives like our zero waste lunch program. They are active in parish life by singing in the children’s choir and being altar servers.

Saint Giles is a welcoming community respecting all faiths. Students from a variety of faiths are a valued and vital part of our school community.

St. Giles School Faith and Family Committee, 2017-18

The FFC connects the SGS community with experiences and resources that further the integration of our Catholic faith with school and family life. The FFC…

connects families within the context of faith experiences – Great Grade Masses, Faith on the Go, all school mass hospitality/gatherings, speakers, etc.
encourages students with Great Grade Mass activities, prayer intention boxes, and prayer traditions.
supports faculty and staff with resources, research and speakers.
informs and inspires the school community via articles and links on the E-News and website.
prays for our students, families, faculty and staff.

For more information and/or to join the FFC, contact co-chairs Sarah Valaika at svalaika@gmail.com or Margaret Murphy at margaretmurphy4@gmail.com

Great Grade Masses

Students attend weekly Mass and you are always encouraged to participate. Once each semester, the weekly mass is designated a Great Grade Mass for a specific class. On these days the children are more involved, family members or friends can sit with their student, and hospitality for adults and those students with a grown up in attendance is offered. Children are then escorted back to their rooms, the adults can linger for continued conversation and connection.

Faith On the Go!

All are welcome to walk/run (strollers and younger siblings are welcome!) from St. Giles to the Grotto at Dominican University. Gather on the steps of the church after the 8:10 school drop-off. Our two dates for the 2017-18 school year are:

10/06/17 in honor of the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary
05/01/18 in honor of Mary’s month

Prayer Intention Boxes

Each room will receive a prayer intention box so that students may submit their requests throughout the year. At the Great Grade Mass, students will bring up the box at the offertory and the assembly will pray over these intentions. These special requests will also be passed onto the St. Giles Prayer Circle for inclusion in their ongoing ministry.

Mark Your Calendar

All students go to mass each week. Unless otherwise noted, Mass is held at 8:30 a.m

Grades 5 – 8 go on Tuesdays & Grades K-4 go on Wednesdays. We hope you’ll join us!

Date	Type	Description	Prepared By Grades
Sep 6, 2017	All School	Opening School Liturgy	7^th, 8^th
Sep 27, 2017	Great Grades	Kindergarten, 1^st Grade Liturgy
Oct 2, 2017	All School	Guardian Angel Prayer Service	8^th
Oct 18, 2017	Great Grades	2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th Grade Liturgy
Nov 1, 2017	All School	All Saints Day Liturgy	1^st, 7^th
Nov 14, 2017	Great Grades	5^th, 6^th Grade Liturgy
Nov 21, 2017	All School	Thanksgiving Liturgy	2^nd, 8^th
Dec 8, 2017	All School	Immaculate Conception Liturgy	3^rd, 5^th
Dec 12, 2017	Great Grades	7^th, 8^th Grade Liturgy
Jan 16, 2018	All School	Peace Liturgy	4^th, 6^th
Jan 24, 2018	Great Grades	Kindergarten, 1^st Grade Liturgy
Jan 30, 2018	All School	Catholic Schools Week Liturgy	7^th, 8^th
Feb 7, 2018	Great Grades	2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th Grade Liturgy
Feb 14, 2018	All School	Ash Wednesday Liturgy 12:00pm
Mar 20, 2018	Great Grades	5^th, 6^th Grade Liturgy
Mar 29, 2018	All School	Holy Thursday Prayer Service 2:20pm	4^th, 6^th
Apr 24, 2018	All School	Creation Liturgy/Earth Day	3^rd, 5^th
May 7, 2018	All School	May Crowning Prayer Service 1:00pm	2^nd, 8^th
May 29, 2018	Great Grades	7^th, 8^th Grade Liturgy
Jun 8, 2018	All School	Closing School Liturgy	1^st, 7^th