LIVING OUR CATHOLIC FAITH:
St. Paul Parish School, as a ministry of St. Paul Catholic Church, strives to help students live in the spirit of the Gospel. An important element in this effort is service to others, not only at school but also in the wider community. During the course of the year, our students participate in a variety of activities to learn and enrich their faith.
- Daily religious education and classroom prayer
- Monthly all-school Masses
- Weekly school prayer services
- Weekly individual class Masses
- Retreat program for eighth grade students
- Service requirements for seventh and eighth graders
Each year students are introduced to a schoolwide catechetical theme. This theme focuses our students on understanding the Catholic faith and knowing that all we do is centered in the person of Jesus Christ. Throughout the year, the catechetical theme is incorporated into our weekly schoolwide prayers service, classroom activities and family groups. This past year’s theme was “Come Be My Light.”
During the course of the year the school community will gather to celebrate the various liturgical seasons, especially Advent and Lent. There are two goals concerning the liturgical seasons. One is to encourage and support a prayerful atmosphere at the school. The second is to introduce and practice the traditional, meaningful activities of our Church through these seasons.
Throughout our country and here at St. Paul, Catholic schools celebrate Catholic Schools Week. This annual event has been established by the National Catholic Education Association. During this week, students will participate in activities that celebrate faith, academic excellence and service.
Called to live the Catholic faith in tangible ways, St. Paul Parish School participates in a wide range of outreach programs. Providing food for the hungry through the Can-a-Week program, raising money to support the homeless through Project Starfish, and collecting money and items for the St. Vincent de Paul Homeless Hospitality program are some of the annual schoolwide activities.
Individual classrooms also provide outreach to others. Preschool, Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students annually participate in the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital Trike-a-thon. Third and seventh grade students volunteer at the Grassroots Community Garden. In fifth grade, students collect soda can tops for the Oregon Dialysis Center.
