Bi-Line Newsletter

This semester our Grade 12 retreat programme comes to a close, with the last of five retreats, two overnight experiences and three day retreats ending on May 10th. All of our graduating Grade 12 students have participated on one of the 10 retreat experiences offered this year.

S. O'Keefe ext. 252		“Let us Rejoice and Be Glad!” (Psalm 118) As we continue to celebrate the Easter season, there is much to rejoice about and to be glad for at St. Thomas More. Our school continues to be a community of faith and service.

This semester our Grade 12 retreat programme comes to a close, with the last of five retreats, two overnight experiences and three day retreats ending on May 10th. All of our graduating Grade 12 students have participated on one of the 10 retreat experiences offered this year.		Fr. Charlie Jordan, the pastor at Regina Mundi parish, has made numerous classroom visits this year, talking to Gr. 12 students about his call to the priesthood. During this Year of the Priest, we have continued with our Wednesday morning masses in our Chapel and had a day of Eucharistic Adoration on April 26th to pray for the priests in our Diocese. Meaghan and Sarah O’Connor two Gr. 11students at STM, attended the Serra Club of Hamilton’s 7th annual Celebration of Priesthood and Religious life Dinner on Tuesday April 27th.
		On Thursday February 25th we held MORE Extreme, a charity makeover extravaganza in support of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society. Over 150 students were involved in the production of this amazing display of STM talent. Future fashion designers under the direction of Ms. Susi, had a chance to model their designs; and the Cosmetology classes, under the direction of Ms. Paradisi displayed their talent and skills on our models. The night was a sell out. Over 500 people surrounded the catwalk to support Callum Blackburn (son of STM grad Heidi Priener Blackburn), and to raise $4,000 for CASS.
To mark the season of Lent, a time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving we had four priests offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Thursday February 18th to our school community. This Lent we focused on the Year of the Family as declared by the Diocese of Hamilton. We prayed for our families and named them on banners which hang in our forum. Some of our students participated in the Ecumenical Downtown Social Justice Stations of the Cross on Good Friday. Their station was “Jesus Falls”. The students prepared a reflection examining how the continued increase of HSR fares is detrimental to students and their families who are struggling to make ends meet.
		Bishop Bergie celebrated our Easter Mass with us on Thursday April 15th. One of the highlights of the mass, was the offertory hymn written by one of our Educational Assistants Ms. Cindy Urech. Ms. Urech wrote “Abide in Me” in honour of our spiritual theme for the year, “Abide in me as I abide in you. I am the vine, you are the branches. Go forth and bear fruit, fruit that will last.” (John 15)
Our Development and Peace THINKfast took place on Holy Thursday April 1st with over 100 students participating. We attended the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at Regina Mundi Parish at 7pm before heading back to the school for a night of thought provoking activities and reflection. Over $3,000 was raised to support the work of Development and Peace and a garden project in the Dominican Republic which we have sponsored for the past three years.		May proves to be another faith filled month for us. May 3rd marks the beginning of Catholic Education Week; twenty-five of our students will be participating in the Marian Day mass on that day. May 4th is the City Wide Grad Mass at the Cathedral of Christ the King, all graduating students are encouraged to attend.
On May 11th a speaker from the Free the Children will be here to begin our Brick by Brick campaign. The Me to We group at St. Thomas More will be supporting the MAD 4 Maddie event this year, by encouraging our students to build a medical clinic in Kenya, where Maddison Babineau built a school and well before she passed away from cancer in 2007. The M.A.D. 4 Maddie (Making a Difference for Maddie) 5km fun walk/run will be held on Saturday May 29th at Dofasco Park. Craig Kielberger, founder of Free the Children is the key note speaker. More information can be found at maddieswishproject.com		Our 9th Annual Java Knight Coffee House will take place on Monday May 17th in our cafetorium. Come on out and listen to STM musicians entertain us with their acoustic musical talent, while the audience learns about Fair Trade Coffee . We will be serving Red Hill Coffee Trade coffee, which is roasted right here in Hamilton. All proceeds from this coffee house will go to support the work of Fr. Philippe Jean-Pierre (pastor at Notre Dame parish in Hamilton) and his work in Haiti.