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Lady of Grace, Author at Our Lady of Grace Private Catholic School - Fredericton, NB
Get ready for a week filled with fun, laughter, school spirit, and community! Our Lady of Grace Carnival Week will take place from Monday, May 4 to Friday, May 8, and we have exciting activities planned for students each day.
This special week is a wonderful opportunity for students to celebrate friendship, culture, creativity, and joyful school memories together.
Let’s Make It a Week to Remember!
We are looking forward to a joyful and memorable Carnival Week at Our Lady of Grace. Thank you to our Student Representative Council and the entire school community for helping make this week special for our students.
This year’s All Saints Day celebration at Our Lady of Grace School was nothing short of inspiring. Walking into the school that morning felt like stepping into a living tapestry of the Church’s most cherished heroes. Everywhere you turn, you see young faces glowing with excitement, dressed in the garments of saints who have shaped our faith across centuries and continents.
From the quiet strength of St. Kateri Tekakwitha to the joyful humility of St. Francis of Assisi, and even the radiant purity of Mary, Mother of God, our children represented a beautiful, wide-ranging communion of saints. What was moving was not just the creativity of the costumes but the thoughtfulness behind each choice.
During our classroom presentations, every child had the chance to give a short introduction about the saint they chose. It was heart-warming watching them speak – some shyly, some boldly – about courage, sacrifice, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and unwavering trust in God. In those moments, it was clear that they weren’t just dressing up as saints; they were learning to look up to them. And truly, that’s what this celebration is all about.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without our wonderful parents and guardians, whose support in helping the children research their saints, prepare their outfits, and embrace the meaning behind the day is a gift not just to the school but to each child’s spiritual journey. We are thankful to them for being partners in nurturing hearts that seek God.
Standing and watching our “little saints” sing and laugh together, one can’t help but feel an overwhelming gratitude for the community we are building here at Our Lady of Grace. A community where faith is lived joyfully, where children feel encouraged to grow in virtue, and where families walk hand in hand with us in leading their children closer to God.
May the example of the saints – young and old, known and lesser known – continue to inspire our children throughout the year. And may God bless every family that makes this school a place of light, love, and grace.
This past Monday, I was outside while the children from Our Lady of Grace School were at recess. While some played a loose version of soccer, many more were engaged in sweeping, raking, and shovelling up the masses of fallen pine needles in our parking lot and depositing them on the grassy area near the playhouse. Their goal was to create a “giant pile that we can jump into”! You have never seen such industry, such concentrated effort – and all in the name of fun.
A few others were skipping and singing some of the old songs to accompany that. One child was at the edge of the cemetery and gently touching each headstone. I told her I do that too. She led me over to the columbarium and asked me what it was. She nodded seriously at my brief explanation but stayed there for a bit. When Dr Barry rang the bell to bring them in again, my fellow cemetery devotee put her little hand on the cool granite of the columbarium, patted it, and whispered, “Goodbye, everyone in there. I’ll be back later,” before happily hopping back to class.
This autumn season, we have been walking through the stories of what it is to be a neighbour, what it is to love our neighbour. How wondrous it is to have this school, Dr Barry, and the teachers, but mostly the children, as our neighbours. In a world that is full of screens and disconnect and all manners of treachery, they reminded me that day of the great gift that is play; that a moment with one can remind you that the veil betwixt this world and the next is gossamer thin; and that even a church parking lot can become a sacred place.
With so much love and thanks for you all, in this season and always.
Rev. Dr. Kelly Burke
We…Give thanks to Your Name forever… Psalm 44:8b (CEB)
The end of the school year was a beautiful time of faith, community, and reflection for the families of Our Lady of Grace Catholic School. As we gathered in fellowship, we were reminded of the strength and unity that define our school community.
Many of our students, staff, and families attended Mass officiated by the Bishop in the school, where we joined in prayer and celebrated the Word of God.
Then we had a beautiful ceremony where students presented beautiful music and presentations. Our students have worked diligently, grown in their faith, and created lasting memories together. And on Sunday, June 15th, we closed out with a fun and interactive potluck that had students, parents, teachers, and even past students in attendance. It was a wholesome time to play games, share various culturally inspired meals, and relax.
As we look back on the year’s achievements—academic successes, spiritual growth, and community service—we are filled with pride and gratitude.
At Our Lady of Grace, we strive to instill in our students a commitment to kindness, compassion, and service. Whether through small daily acts of love or larger community projects, we encourage everyone to carry these values into the summer months.
We are thrilled to share exciting news from our Our Lady of Grace School community! On October 19th, 2024, the Local Knights of Columbus Council hosted a Hockey Challenge Competition, and one of our very own students, Prince J, emerged as one of the winners! This event was a fantastic display of skill, sportsmanship, and community spirit, and we couldn’t be prouder of Prince’s outstanding achievement.
This victory is a personal achievement for Prince and a moment of pride for our entire school community. It reflects the values we strive to instill in our students: dedication, teamwork, and the courage to pursue their passions. We are grateful to the Knights of Columbus for providing such a wonderful opportunity for young athletes to shine and for fostering a sense of camaraderie and sportsmanship among participants.
Congratulations once again to Prince on this incredible achievement! We look forward to seeing more of your accomplishments in the future. Go, Prince, and go, Our Lady of Grace!
Stay tuned for more updates on our students’ achievements and upcoming events. Let’s continue to cheer on our young stars as they make us proud in all their endeavors!
Every year, our students have the opportunity to enter a drawing contest run by the Knights of Columbus. Churches, schools, and individuals may enter. The theme was “Keep Christ in Christmas,” and our students proved they have wonderful artistic ability because there are always winners from our little school every year!
There are categories divided by age and grade, and this year, we had seven winners!
First place: Macy (K), Kailey (gr.2), and Clara (gr.4)
Second place: Pascal (K), Eva (gr.1), and Ukachi (gr.4)
Thirdplace: Monica (gr. 2)
We are thankful to the Knights and so proud of our students!
This year has been extraordinary in many ways. Up until yesterday (January 20) when we entered the red zone, we have for the most part been untouched in any way by COVID. Yes, we have missed out on a few field trips. But, we have still been able to have Mass once a week at the school.
We have had gym. We even had a Christmas concert, or rather two concerts, to accommodate the fifty-person limit. In November, we had a wonderful visit from Bishop Christian Reisbeck which the children thoroughly enjoyed, and we had the continued blessing of our volunteers who help the children learn to read. We had been able to do almost all of the things we normally do. And most important of all, our students have been happy, productive, learning and delighted to be in school.
We are praying and have every hope that the Red Zone will be speedily removed as the children are starting to worry more and they miss all of the things mentioned above that we normally do. But no matter the Code color, and despite the restrictions we have been under since September, oddly enough our staff and our families as a whole have never been closer or more supportive of each other and the school.
We wanted to include a few of the happenings since the beginning of the school year as a way of showing our appreciation for your prayers and financial support. There are no words to describe how grateful we are to you.
OLOG student Imogen receives “Most Improved Student Award from the Learning Disabilities Association of New Brunswick. Imogen is pictured with principal Carolyn Barry. November 2020Middle school students dressed up as their favorite saint or Bible figure in honor of All Saints’ Day.
The Bishop gives Holy Communion to students at Our Lady of Grace during his November 2020 visit
(Photo taken from November 20, 2020 New Freeman article by Natasha Mazerolle) “Bishop Riesbeck encouraged the children to come before Jesus saying, “I want to be your missionary disciple! I want to follow you and I want to tell others about you, because that’s where they’re going to be totally happy and fulfilled, is in a relationship with you. So are we ready to say yes to that?” he asked them. And a sea of tiny voices responded, “Amen.” – Quote from New Freeman article by Natasha Mazerolle.
Students performing in the Christmas play.
Students participating in winter survival training.
Students’ drawings for the “Keep Christ in Christmas” Contest (Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus)
THANK YOU!
Our Lady of Grace wishes to thank our faithful sponsors for their support over the years, but especially now, as our fundraisers have ground to a halt. Please know you are in our prayers every day.
By NATASHA MAZEROLLE Correspondent The New Freeman, September 25, 2020
NEW MARYLAND — After six long months, students of Our Lady of Grace Catholic School in New Maryland, were finally able to return to classes on September 8, and it was an occasion of joyous reunion. “[the students] are just so excited, they can’t stop talking to each other,” Dr. Carolyn Barry, principal, said. “We’re thrilled to be back, the kids are easy and great, and it’s wonderful.”
When asked how they feel being back to school, the students were joyful in their responses. “The school is a family, I love it!” one said. Another said, “I love doing lots of work again,” while a third responded, “the teachers are the best in the world.”
NEW MARYLAND — Teacher, Heidi MacLean (back left) poses with her elementary students at Our Lady of Grace Catholic School in New Maryland. (Natasha Mazerolle photo)
“Students love being back in the classroom praying and working together,” Ms. Barry said. “ And they are eager to play — recess and noon hour have never been more fun!”
For their part, teachers are happy to return to school as well. “I think our teachers realize anew, because we were distanced from students for so long, what a privilege it is to be part of a child’s life and that learning is a precious thing both from the student and the teacher’s point of view,” Ms. Barry said. “We see the courage and the labour parents expend in building up each individual family, and their generosity to each other and the school is overwhelming.”
Ms. Barry shares that adapting to the new government protocols has not been as difficult as she anticipated. “We thought there were going to be a lot, but the government kind of simplified things, and it’s really very doable,” she said. “You just have to get your mind in the right direction.”
Our Lady of Grace School prioritizes smaller class sizes in order to give individualized attention to each child, and these small numbers have worked in their favour: the whole school is able to function with only two bubbles, one for the younger children and one for the older ones. Ms. Barry shares that while this inconvenience is minimal, the children still feel the separation. “The older kids really miss the younger ones. They’re asking everyday, ‘can we go see them? Can we play with them?’ They love each other,” she said.
Despite the challenges, Ms. Barry remains positive. “It’s what works and it allows us to be open, so it’s good,” she said. “K-1 was hard in the beginning, it was disruptive for them. But it really worked well for the older children. They were very lonely [during the lockdown], and they’re very happy to be back.”
This year the school saw an increase of 60% in enrollment, which Ms. Barry insists is not only because of the pandemic, but also the Christian values that are fostered at the school. “It’s a nice positive thing,” she said. “Some have said that it’s because of Covid and it’s partly that. But I think it’s also because we do give kids such individual attention. And I think people are looking for a little bit of God in their lives, and that’s who we are.”
The school’s motto, Our Best for God, is a constant reminder to the children and the teachers that Jesus is in control, and everything is for his glory. “We put [our motto] at the top of our page, and if we forget the kids remind us,” Ms. Barry said. “That’s who they’re working for, and just to have them build virtuous lives one day at a time, just like the rest of us.”
Ms. Barry is passionate about the role of schools in society, and is hopeful they will be able to remain open for the entire school year. “We’re hoping and praying that we can continue,” she said. “I think it’s healthy for our teachers, our students, and their parents, our community and our province to have schools open. We’re just praying that we’ll be safe and that the province will continue even if we do have some cases to keep schools open.”
Natasha Mazerolle is a correspondent for The New Freeman. She can be reached at natasha @ maz-family.com.§
