An Inspiring Celebration

This evening, our Parish Faith and Foundation leadership team hosted a 'Donor Recognition Reception', which was a resoundingly successful event. The parish centre was prepared with lovely food and refreshments, and over 90 people came to know more closely a number of aspects of our new school project.

We learned from one of our Building Committee leaders about the current status, the physical architectural plans, our engagement with a contractor and the steps yet to come to actually 'dig a hole'.
We heard an engaging presentation by our Architects, Acton Ostry about the vision, influences and creation of the building design elements, and had opportunities to ask questions from the floor.

As donors, we were reminded that what we are engaged in is far beyond erecting a building - we are together working for the children of the present and the future, to ensure that they will have an opportunity to participate in an outstanding Catholic education, enabling them to be strong Catholic leaders of our future.

Thank you to all those who attended, to those who worked to host such a lovely evening, and to those who will embrace the challenge put before us to continue to be sacrificially generous in our donations again this year.

Inspiration around the table ...

I've just returned from a wonderful dinner, hosted by one of our families, as a means to help us launch our Fall campaign. As is true of all good things, what made it so good was first the people gathered around the table ... parents from within the community who are offering their time and passion to help lead their respective classes this year. Added to their generositiy of time, was their individual and collective passion for the vision of our new school - and all the ways in which they will help inspire other families to continue to be part of the 102 year legacy that is ST. AUGUSTINE'S SCHOOL.  What I learned, again, tonight, is that it's not so much the building that we are creating - we are blessed to be part of sustaining and visioning our school community long into the future. Thank you one and all ... for re-inspiring me!

Please join us ...

Our Faith and Foundation leadership team is hosting a Donor Recognition reception, THURSDAY, October 24, in the evening at the Parisih Centre.  Invitations were sent to all our donors, and we would be delighted to see a big turnout  to celebrate the MILESTONE we've met - beginning to build our new school.  We've all waited a long time for this moment and look forward to sharing it with everyone.
Along with refreshments, we will be showing our school model, new story boards, and have presentations by our Architects and Building team ... Call the Parish 604-736-4455 to confirm your attendance. 
                                    See you there to celebrate with us!

Just in case you wanted to know more about us ...

We are trying to expand our communications, and you can find us in the following locations:
      *on the web at www.faithandfoundation.com, where you'll see photos, school-related stories and general information about school
      *right here on my BLOG ... where I try to share some of the stories and wonderful parts of our life at St. Augustine's
      *beginning next week, you can find our Thursday Notes from the Office posted on the website, just in case you miss a weekly email
      *Newsletters that I write periodically
      *Occasional inserts in our Parish bulletin, when the news is helpful for the general parish community ...

So, happy reading - We are very pleased to offer a variety of ways for you to obtain news about our wonderful school...

Update on new School building project ...

This post is a copy of an insert that was attached to the Sunday bulletin, Oct. 6, 2013.  It is an update on our School building project.

October 6, 2013

Dear Parishioners and School Parents,

While we had all hoped to break ground on our new school by now, we have not escaped the inherent delays with permits and other approval processes.  This is typical for a project of this scale.  None of these issues are insurmountable, however, they all require due attention and care.  Here is where we stand today.

City Permits: we are awaiting the development and building permits from the City of Vancouver.  The City made 16 requests of the parish, all of which have been met.  Our final building plans are now making the last rounds of City departments and about six weeks ago we received a "prior-to letter" indicating that the permits will be issued in due course.  Based on this assurance, we proceeded with the project bidding process with the full expectation that the permits will arrive by the time we select a contractor.

Contractor selection: over the past several months the Parish Building Committee collaborated with the Archdiocesan Building Commission to identify reputable contractors.  We now have a competitive group of contractors who will submit their final bids on October 8.  The building committee will work very closely with the Parish leadership (finance committee and Pastor) and the Archdiocese to select and enter into a contract with the preferred builder, and make final loan arrangements. All going well, this process will take at least until early November.  Obviously, at some point soon after this date we will break ground and start the construction process.

Thank you for your patience and support as we reach a very important stage in our project.  Please stay tuned as we hope to share more information with you as we start our Fall campaign in the first week of November.
  
Father Terry McNamara, OMI, Pastor

Cliff Nipp, Chair, Finance Committee

Vic Vela, Chair, Buidling Committee   

A child's prayer

On Friday, while out on supervison after school, one of our Grade 5 students asked me if I would like to see a prayer that she had written ...

This is not a typical conversation that I have with our children in that setting ~ and of course, I said yes.  This prayer of praise and thanksiving is an example of the privilege of working, playing and praying with young children each day - one of the immense blessings of a Catholic School.

                                           How God Created You and Me ...

When you were born ...
       God painted your hair, the colour it is now.
       God put your body together, like a jig-saw puzzle.
       God breathed in your mouth, to make you speak his words.
       God coloured your eyes to make them pretty.
       God made your hands, so you can do his good will.
       God made your feet, so you can walk in his way.
       God made you and me, and you will see.

Today at Mass

Once a month, we celebrate the Eucharist as a school community.  Today was our October Mass, hosted by the Grade 7's.  As is Father Terry's tradition, he asked the children questions about the readings that they had heard proclaimed, and we teachers were delighted to hear that the children both heard and understood the readings' content and message about expressing our gratitude for Jesus' endless love for us, and our call to be grateful.

When Father Terry proceeded to ask, "And what is special about today?", as only a child could proclaim, one of our little ones shouted out, "It's pizza day!".  There were chuckles through the Church, and then Father explained that today is the day that the Church celebrates our Guardian Angels. After a brief explanation, Father asked if we knew the 'all too familiar' prayer expressed to our Guardian Angels, and we began to immediately pray aloud ....
      Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here,
      Ever this day be at my side, to light, to guard, to rule and guide.
Good night prayers are a blessing to all of us - and we wish you God's angels' blessings this night.