During Advent, schools across the Diocese of Columbus are helping students prepare their hearts for Jesus’ coming.
Columbus St. Andrew
For several years, students at the school, preschool and parish school of religion have hosted an Advent service project to benefit the Run the Race Center in Columbus, where inner city children can go after school and on weekends for tutoring, homework help, sports, activities and more.
Students collected items, packaged them and held a prayer service to bless the gifts before they were delivered to the center for Christmas.
Columbus St. Charles
Columbus St. Charles Preparatory School has been honoring the season of Advent with a number of special liturgies, activities and student initiatives.
Principal Jim Lower starts each school day by reading a special Advent Prayer over the intercom as the candle is lit on the large Advent wreath in main hallway’s foyer.
On Dec. 5, priests from across the diocese helped conduct a daylong series of Advent penance services in the school’s Mother of Mercy Chapel attended by every student during their scheduled religion class period that included prayers, silent reflection time, and confessions.
The St. Charles Student Council is also sponsoring a Cardinal’s Spirit of Giving campaign that provides three opportunities for our students to “be our brother’s keeper” and help others who are in need: collecting gifts for the Toys for Tots program, a “Giving Tree” with gloves, mittens, scarves, and hats donated to the families of Columbus Holy Spirit Church and a day of service at the Toys for Tots in Columbus.
Columbus Bishop Hartley
On Nov. 30, Columbus Bishop Hartley High School students participated in an Advent penance service with confessions heard by the school chaplain and priests from feeder parishes.
Also during Advent, students decorated the House System display cases with Nativity scenes using their artistic talents. On Dec. 1, students spent time after school decorating each doorway, locker and hallway to spread Christmas joy.
Chillicothe Bishop Flaget
On Nov. 30, the school held an Advent retreat led by the seventh- and eighth-grade students. Students from preschool through grade six moved through various stations to learn more about special traditions and people who help us in our celebration of Advent.
Students designed their own Advent wreath, sang the antiphons, learned about the liturgical calendar, put together a puzzle of Our Lady of Guadalupe, traveled the hallways looking for “room in the inn” in the Las Posadas tradition, decorated Jesse tree ornaments and heard the stories of Sts. Andrew, Lucy, Nicholas and Juan Diego and the Immaculate Conception.
Columbus Bishop Watterson
The student council again coordinated two major giving drives for the holiday season in an annual event dubbed “Season of Giving.” A monetary collection raised more than $4,580 to benefit the St. Lawrence Haven toy drive, while a food drive collection generated 7,350 non-perishable items to be donated to the St. Francis Center in McArthur.
Columbus Our Lady of Bethlehem
In December, Mike and Joy Dattilo, parents of kindergarten teacher Jenna Yanko, brought 35 pieces of their 500-piece Fontanini Nativity collection from Cincinnati to share with the students. The Dattilos immersed the students in the story of Jesus’ birth through the pieces.
Columbus St. Catharine
On Dec. 6, students received treats in their shoes in celebration of the Feast of St. Nicholas. Eighth-graders helped fill the shoes and served as ELVES for younger students.
Columbus St. Agatha
As part of the school’s year-long service to the community, fifth- and eighth-graders helped make “magical reindeer food” of oats and glitter to be distributed to sick children and their siblings at this year’s NC4K (Nellie’s Champions for Kids) Christmas party.
NC4K supports kids fighting cancer so that “no kid fights cancer alone.” This project is near and dear to school principal Veronica Stemen because her son, Troy, battled and beat leukemia six years ago.
Dublin St. Brigid of Kildare
Following a morning visit on Dec. 6 from St. Nicholas on horseback, the school community made prayer bracelets for the children and families served by the Columbus-based non-profit A Kid Again. The service project was planned by the eighth-grade service committee.
Gahanna St. Matthew Pre-K
Students created Advent wreaths after learning about the meaning and colors of the season.