December News

We have been preparing for Christmas here, decorating the house, buying babki, and attending different Wigilias at the parish. The babki, Polish sweet bread, is baked by one of our sisters, and is a favorite traditional food during the holidays. Sr. Frances and I made the drive to Connecticut to pick up the babki and to stop at a gift shop in the area; we met up with some of our other sisters from Massachusetts who were in Connecticut for the same errands! The different parish groups invite us to their Christmas functions, and we've been to two Wigilia meals so far. The latest one was for the St. Joseph's Society men's group. They have a laid-back approach and fun games that make theirs more fun than the others. I've noticed that men's groups and religious communities have more enjoyable parties than women's groups do. I think it's because they are more relaxed about things.

We've been celebrating Advent at the school, lighting the Advent wreath, reading Scripture, and doing art projects. I really try to focus on this liturgical season before celebrating Christmas with them. We're exploring the Jesse tree symbols during Religion class, through the use of the Bible and coloring the images. This week we're going to read about John the Baptist more.

We've really been affected by the Connecticut shooting. It's shocking to hear about the deaths of so many innocent people, especially so many children. They were all 6 and 7 years old! It will be sobering to return to school and to respond to the concerns of the students in my class. My prayers are with those who have died and those who have lost loved ones.