A PRAYER FOR ORANGE SHIRT DAY

Loving God, our Creator,

Help us to be living signs of Your healing love.

Open our hearts to respect, to welcome,

and to include one another.

Give us the courage to stand up for the dignity

of our Indigenous sisters and brothers

and of those with roots in other lands,

all of us created in Your image.

Strengthen us in our walk together.

God of truth,

let honesty guide our steps along

the path of truth and reconciliation,

of healing and friendship.

Grant us wisdom to recognize and celebrate

the beautiful gifts of Indigenous cultures.

May we go forward in humility,

as the children of One Creator

and loving members of the family of God.

Amen.

TERRY FOX SCHOOL RUN - MONDAY!

Forty-six years ago, Terry Fox began his Marathon of Hope. Since then, this humble Canadian has inspired millions of people around the world, and his legacy continues to be celebrated through the annual Terry Fox Run.

Once again this year, students and staff at Holy Family will proudly lend their support to the Terry Fox Foundation by participating in our annual Terry Fox School Run. Our school has registered its event with the Terry Fox Foundation year after year, and we are incredibly proud of our ongoing commitment to keeping Terry’s legacy alive.

Terry Fox is an extraordinary role model who reminds us of the importance of good character and the incredible impact that one person can have on the world. Our students have been learning about Terry’s courage, perseverance, and determination as he embarked on a remarkable journey to make the world a better place for others.

As in years past, we invite families who are able to contribute a Toonie or Two for Terry in support of the Terry Fox Foundation and its ongoing commitment to cancer research. Donations can be made through School Cash Online. Any donation is greatly appreciated.

Our school run will take place throughout the day tomorrow. It is always a wonderful time as we run, walk, and learn together! Thank you for your continued generosity and support as we come together as a school community to honour Terry Fox and carry forward his Marathon of Hope. Together, our Holy Family Owls can make a difference!

ORANGE SHIRT DAY

In Canada, the National Day for truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day is observed on September 30th to honour Residential School survivors, those who did not survive, and their descendants. It is an opportunity for schools to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope.

The origin of Orange Shirt Day is the experience of residential school survivor Phyllis Webstad. When Phyllis was taken to a residential school, she was wearing a shiny orange shirt. The shirt was a gift from her grandmother and she loved wearing it. On her first day at residential school, her shirt was taken away and it was replaced with a school uniform.

Phyllis never saw her shiny orange shirt again,

Phyllis’ experience of having her orange shirt taken has become symbolic of all that was taken from Canada’s Indigenous people as a result of the residential school system. Orange Shirt Day is an initiative “to commemorate the residential school experience, to witness and honour the healing journey of the survivors and their families, and to commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation.”

Please wear an orange shirt on September 30th. Let’s raise awareness and talk about the impact residential schools had on Indigenous communities. For more information, visit www.orangeshirtday.org.

JOIN HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL

We are just starting our fourth week of the new school year and many of you have been asking how you could best get involved in supporting our community. Please consider becoming a member of our Catholic School Council.

What is Holy Family Catholic School Council?

The role of Catholic School Council volunteers is recognized and mandated by the Ministry of Education. One of the requirements of the Education Act is that Catholic School Council elections must take place within the first 30 school days of the new school year. Please take the time to read the following Elections Package and give serious thought to running for a position. You will find it a very interesting and rewarding experience.

We’re holding the election of the Holy Family Catholic School Council on Tuesday, October 6th at 5:30 PM. The meeting will be remote so everyone can participate. If you are interested, please email HolyFamilyOwlsCouncil@gmail.com to ensure that you get the link to the meeting.

CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE AN NOMINATION/EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FORM.

Once the new Catholic School Council is in place we will immediately begin our first meeting of the school year. All parents/guardians are welcome and encouraged to attend our monthly meetings.

PARENT HOMEWORK

Please take a few minutes to make sure you are connected. We don’t want you to miss anything! It can be a bit overwhelming with all of the forms at the beginning of the school year. Please see here for an overview of all the needed forms and links to help you complete them.

Please complete the following as soon as possible.

PILGRIMAGE WITH MONSIGNOR JOSEPH MULDOON

You are invited to join Msgr. Muldoon on a pilgrimage TO Marian Shrines, the Camino and the Pyrenees from March 31 – April 14, 2027. Msgr. Muldoon will serve as the Spiritual Director. Stops will include Lisbon, Fatima, Porto, Santiago de Compostela, León, Lourdes, Andorra, Barcelona and Montserrat. A meeting is scheduled for Sunday, October 25 at 2 pm in the parish hall. For reservations or information, contact Dennis Kam, JBC Travel at 613-569-3888 ext. 3 or email dennis@jbctravel.ca.