Gospel Reading
Luke 16:19-31
Jesus tells the parable of the reversal of fortunes between the rich man and the poor man, Lazarus.

Background on the Gospel Reading

A major theme in the Gospel of Luke is the importance of the care of the poor in the life of discipleship. In the parable found in today's Gospel, Jesus contrasts the life of a rich man and the poor man, Lazarus, who lives in the shadow of the rich man and his wealth. Both die. Lazarus finds himself in heaven; the rich man in the netherworld. The rich man asks for assistance from Lazarus in his torment. But Abraham reminds the rich man of the good things he had in his life and describes the current situation as a reversal of fortunes. The rich man then asks that Lazarus be sent to warn his family, but this is denied with the reminder that Moses and the prophets have warned of judgment for those who neglect the care of the poor.

In the context of Luke's Gospel, this parable, delivered in the presence of a crowd of listeners, is part of Jesus' response to some Pharisees. These Pharisees are described in Luke's Gospel as “loving money.” (Note: The Pharisees were followers of a sect of Judaism active before, during, and after Jesus' lifetime. They taught an oral interpretation of the Law of Moses as the basis for popular Jewish piety. They put less emphasis on Temple worship and more on applying the law to everyday life. Though they are often portrayed negatively in the Gospels, they shared many of Jesus' and the early Church's concerns about the law.) Jesus observed that the actions of some Pharisees betrayed misplaced priorities: they spoke one way, but acted in another. The story of the rich man and Lazarus demonstrates the importance of the care of the poor and is a reminder to those who would follow Jesus of the unimportance of wealth in the eyes of God.

ABJ School Calendar 25/26

Scots Athletic Calendar

Upcoming Events:

Please see the athletics calendar above for all practice information.

September 29

Orange Shirt Day
Orange Shirts will be on sale at lunch - all proceeds will go to the orange shirt society
Linking Generations - mandatory meeting @ lunch
Senior Girls VB @ Edmonton Christian 5:30pm
Gr. 9 Girls and Boys VB @ Haythorne

September 30

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation - NO SCHOOL

October 1

Early Dismissal 2:15pm
HELA Overnight trip - Outdoor Ed 10
Submissions for the GrACE contest due today - see below
Sr Girls and Boys VB vs MMM - HOME GAME
Cross Country City Championship Meet - Gold Bar @ 4:30pm

October 2

Strathcona County Civic Engagement presentation - SS 30
Jr Boys VB vs Paul Kane @ 5:30pm HOME GAME
Sr Football vs O'Leary @ 5pm - HOME GAME

October 3

PD DAY - NO SCHOOL
Sr Volleyball teams @ Leduc VB tournament

Please note:

Oct. 9 - Photo retakes

Oct. 10 - Gr. 9 retreat

The newsletter is organized based on our four school assurance priorities for this year.

Faith Integration
Learners and Learning
Systemic Wellness
Community Engagement

OLPH Website

October Faith Formation:

October is the month of the Holy Rosary!
The month of October is dedicated to the Rosary in the Catholic Church. In 1571, Pope Pius V instituted October 7th as the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary after the Battle of Lepanto when Christians credited Mary’s intercession through the Rosary for their victory. Over time, praying with beads developed as a way for people to meditate on Scripture, especially when many could not read the Bible. The Rosary as we know it took shape in the Middle Ages when St. Dominic promoted it as a powerful prayer for conversion and peace. Later, St. Pope John Paul II added the Luminous Mysteries in 2002 to help us reflect on Jesus’ public ministry.

The Rosary isn’t just an old prayer--it’s a way to walk with Jesus and Mary as we contemplate the big moments in Christ’s life. This month, we’re invited to pick up our rosaries and pray a decade each week for peace in our world, for our families, and for our school community. Each week, we will focus on a different Luminous Mystery at ABJ. Mary, Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!

You can learn more about the Biblical roots of the Rosary with Fr. Mike Schmitz here.
First Luminous Mystery: The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan
Matthew 3:13-17
When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan river, the heavens opened, the Holy Spirit descended like a dove, and God’s voice declared, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” This mystery reminds us of the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry and the importance of baptism in the Catholic Church. Through baptism, we are welcomed into God’s family, filled with the Holy Spirit, and called to live as beloved sons and daughters of the Father.

Fruit of the Mystery: Openness to the Holy Spirit
We are encouraged to be open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives. Just as Jesus allowed the Spirit to lead him, we are called to listen to God’s voice, make choices that reflect our faith, and act with courage and love.

Grade Level Retreats

The Grade 9 and 10 retreats at Birch Bay are completely full. There are still 17 spots left on the Grade 11 retreat and 3 spots left on the Grade 12 retreat. You can register and pay under your “Fees” section on PowerSchool. This will fulfill your Christian Actions Hours regardless of whether you are registered in religion class this semester or next semester. Please see Miss Fichter for more details!

GrACE Conference

See poster below and please see Miss Fichter in room 137 for a permission form. You must submit a permission form AND complete registration via the poster if you wish to attend. A bus has been booked to bring you to OLPH from ABJ and back at the end of the day.

GrACE Contest

A Celebration of Catholic Education

2025/2026 Theme: Growing Together in Christ’s Love, “I am the vine; you are the branches… bear much fruit, and become my disciples.” John 15:5,8

GrACE exists to inspire, invigorate and embolden the spirit of Catholic education in order to unite, engage, educate and communicate with one voice on its behalf. GrACE, in partnership with the REAL Foundation, is happy to present this contest to EICS students.

We invite EICS students of all grade levels to submit work reflecting the importance of, and their experience with or contribution to Catholic education. This year, our theme is Growing Together in Christ’s Love. Entries need to reflect this theme. It is often helpful if students include a few sentences to go with their entry on how it is connected to this year’s theme.

Student Submissions could include such things as (but not limited to):

A work of art
A poster
A formal or informal essay
Original music
Poetry
A presentation (video or otherwise)
Ect. Be Creative!

*Please note, all digital submissions need to be able to be freely accessible and placed into a slide presentation.

Contest Rules

Deadline: All ABJ GrACE contest entries must be submitted to Miss Fichter (Lindsay.Fichter@eics.ab.ca) by Monday, September 29th at the absolute latest

Prizes will be presented October 19th 2025 in each community’s parish (The week of Catholic Education Week, October 18-24 ). There will be 14 prizes!

K-8 students = 50 dollar prize in the form of a gift card
9-12 students = 100 dollar prize in the form of a gift card

Communications

Google Classroom

In addition to Google Classrooms for each course, there is also a grade-level Google classroom.:

Google Classroom link: https://classroom.google.com

Students Google Classroom Code:

Grade 9’s - ouuintpx

Grade 10's - ghmwc6bz

Grade 11's - e6gp335f

Grade 12's - tpojzrkq

Parents will also be invited and are urged to accept the invitation as well.

Grade 12 Important Dates

Grade 12 brings along with it many important dates! The Counsellors have put together a comprehensive list of things that are happening in and around ABJ this year that students can take part in to plan for life AFTER High School. Please click here take a look and talk with your teen about what they might want to take part in so everyone can stay in the know! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Glass (sarag@eics.ab.ca)

GRADS! Its time to start looking through your baby photos.

Each year, the grad committee puts together a slideshow for the class. Each student will have a slide that includes a grad photo and a baby picture. This slideshow will be playing before the mass in the morning and throughout the evening program.

Please look through your old photos and find a picture of you between the ages of 0-5 years. Then, include it as an attachment to this assignment. Please include your first and last name in the name of the file you submit.

Thank you on behalf of the grad committee.

***PLEASE NOTE! Your picture must be submitted in jpeg. format.*** Photos must be submitted by November 21 in order to be included in the slideshow.

New Updated Individualized Support Plans:

Over the past year, our Division has been working closely with parents, students, and staff to refine and improve our Individualized Support Plans (ISPs). Parent and staff feedback have guided this work, and we are excited to share the next steps as we launch an updated ISP process, designed to better support students and strengthen our partnership with families. Individualized Support Plans include these formats: Regulation Support Plans, Instructional Support Plans, PUF (Program Unit Funded) ISPs, and Flexible Pathways Program Plans (formerly called Competency Report Cards).

If your child is on an Individualized Support Plan, you will receive a letter from our Collaborative Response Coordinator (CRC) with important updates and information about the new Individualized Support Plans (ISPs). Throughout September, our Collaborative Response Coordinators (CRCs) and teachers will be trained in the new ISP template and process. Once training is complete, your child’s CRC or teacher will connect with you to review the updated plan, gather your input, and help confirm it reflects your child’s needs, strengths, and goals. Thank you for your continued partnership.

Cafeteria Menu this week

MONDAY
ASSORTED PIZZA
CRISPY CHICKEN BACON RANCH WRAP

WEDNESDAY
CHICKEN FINGERS AND FRIES
PEROGIES AND SAUSAGE

THURSDAY
BEEF BURGER
CRISPY CHICKEN BURGER
ONION RINGS

FRIDAY
FRENCH FRIES
POUTINE
GRILLED HOT DOGS

Terry Fox @ ABJ

Congratulations to all of our Scots who raise $7717 for cancer research through the Terry Fox Foundation! A big shout out to UFO pizza who donated a pizza party for the winning class - Fichter's Hooligans who raised $2702!

Glenrose Family to Family Calendar

Happy September!

Our Family 2 Family calendar includes September’s session titled From Worry to Wellness: Empowering Parents to Help Children Navigate Anxiety with Dr. Kirsty Choquette. In October, we will be joined by Dr. Lonnie Zwaigenbaum for Medication Use for Emotional – Behavioral Issues: A Guide for Parents and replay of the previously recorded Sexuality Matters: Teaching Privacy, Consent and Boundaries at Any Age. Finally, in November we are joined by Dr. Jessica Zvonkovic and Dr. Anahita Shokrkon for Behavior: Tip of the Iceberg. For dates, times and session content please see the attached calendar.

This winter our Transition series for parents of children 12 years of age and older, will be on Thursday evenings. This five-session series is offered twice per year (January – May and September – November) providing guidance on the tasks and considerations to be made as their child transitions from youth to adulthood.

All the above information sessions are free and held virtually through Zoom.

Have a Great Day,

Charlene Prochnau

Family Centered Care Coordinator

Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital

ABJ Scots Week at a Glance (SWAG)

September 29 - October 3, 2025

Upcoming Events:

October Faith Formation:

Grade Level Retreats

GrACE Conference

GrACE Contest

Communications

Grade 12 Important Dates

New Updated Individualized Support Plans:

Cafeteria Menu this week

Terry Fox @ ABJ

Glenrose Family to Family Calendar

Upcoming Events:

Organization of the SWAG Organization of the SWAG

Faith Integration Faith Integration

October Faith Formation:

Grade Level Retreats

GrACE Conference

GrACE Contest

Learners & Learning Learners & Learning

Communications

Grade 12 Important Dates

*New* Updated Individualized Support Plans:

Systemic Wellness Systemic Wellness

Scots Flag Football Team takes BRONZE at the Sturgeon tournament! Scots Flag Football Team takes BRONZE at the Sturgeon tournament!

Cafeteria Menu this week

Scots Athletics Scots Athletics

Community Engagement Community Engagement

Terry Fox @ ABJ

Glenrose Family to Family Calendar

New Updated Individualized Support Plans: