On Friday, 21st April our school held an open evening for prospective students and their parents.  After a short prayer, the Headmaster presented the school’s educational vision offered to our students.  Parents and children were afterwards invited for a tour around the school.  We would like to thank all those who welcomed our invitation and showed interest for their son’s education.

 

Year 8 and 9 students from our school took part in a competition organised by Heritage Malta about the Roman Empire in Malta.  Our students, with the help of our History and Art teachers designed artistic posters and graphical videos which can be displayed in the Heritage Malta portal.  We congratulate all the students who participated, especially those who made it to the finals.  The certificates of participation were awarded in the museum of St Pauls Catacombs. We would like to thank Mr Nathan Buttigieg and Ms Laura Cachia who guided our students throughout this competition.

We have recently received a receipt of €770 from the Don Bosco Foundation, for a donation we had made for the Salesians who are working in Aleppo, Syria.

Aleppo is the city who suffered most during the earthquake which occurred last February.  In Aleppo, the Salesians have schools who first, suffered during the persecution from the ISIS and now with damage caused by the earthquake.

As a school, our policy is that we do not collect money, but in this circumstance we thought it would be a good deed to donate the profits collected from hot dogs sold during Sports Day to the Salesians in Aleppo.  Our Year 10 students offered this donation to Fr Jake SDB when we visited the Don Bosco Oratory in Dingli for lenten spiritual exercises.

We would like to thank all members of staff who prepared and sold the hot dogs.

On Friday, 21st April at 7pm we shall be organising a meeting for the boys and parents who are in the process of choosing a secondary school for their children.  After the meeting there will be time to go around the school premises.

In the meantime, we invite you to watch this video: https://bit.ly/2XRTf9b

Further information can also be accessed through the following links:

– Website: https://www.stmichaelschool.edu.mt/

– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stmichaelschoolmalta/

– YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/SaintMichaelSchoolSantaVeneraMalta

It is our pleasure to meet you and we hope to see you all at school.

Thanks and peace to all.

“Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said.” (Matthew 28: 5-6)

Alleluia! He is risen! This is the most joyous feast of the year. Christ’s death and resurrection is the foundation of the Christian Faith.

The church is now filled with the spirit of Jesus and with His Light. It is no longer silent as we join our songs of praise with the choirs in heaven.  We are reminded of Christ’s promise “I will give you a joy which no one will take from you.” (John 16:22). Easter is the beginning of our new life with Christ. Although our Lenten Journey is complete don’t forget to create times of prayer in your daily lives where you can spend time with our Risen Lord.

As we reflect on today’s readings, especially the Gospel, let us ask the Risen Christ for courage and strength we need to take His Light into the world.

————————————————————————————————-

Holy Saturday, Morning Reflections

Most families gather together after a funeral. It is a time to console one another, share memories of the deceased one, and offer one another support during the healing days ahead.

O Jesus, Son of God, You were born in a stable and died on the cross for our salvation.

Say to your heavenly Father at the hour of my death: “Father, forgive them.”

Say to your loving mother: “Behold your daughter, behold your son.”

Say to my soul: “This day you shall be with me in Paradise.”

“My God, my God, do not abandon me” in that hour.

“I thirst,” my God, yes, my soul thirsts for you, the fountain of living waters.

My life passes like a shadow. Yet a little while and “it is finished.”

So, my Savior, from this moment and for all eternity, “Into your hands, I commend my spirit.”

Lord Jesus, receive my soul. Amen

.————————————————————————–

GOOD FRIDAY

“But He was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins; upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes we were healed. We had all gone astray like sheep, each following his own way; but the Lord laid upon Him the guilt of us all.” (Isaiah 53:5-6)”

Since the altar was stripped bare and the Eucharist removed from the Tabernacle on Holy Thursday, in the past Good Friday was sometimes called “Long Friday.” The church seems empty and we again feel a sense of waiting. One of the most beautiful traditions of this day is the Veneration of the Cross. “While we bend down in body before the cross we bend down in spirit before God.” If possible, try to attend Stations of the Cross at 3pm. Many parishes also begin the Divine Mercy Novena on this day.

As we reflect on today’s readings, especially John’s recount of Christ’s Passion, let us try to keep an awareness of Our Lord’s suffering in our hearts throughout the day.

 

THURSDAY OF HOLY WEEK

“Let us live Lent, then, as a “Eucharistic” time in which, welcoming the love of Jesus, we learn to spread it around us with every word and deed.”  (Pope Benedict XVI’s Message for Lent 2007)

On Holy Thursday we celebrate the institution of the “source and summit” of our Catholic Faith – The Holy Eucharist.

On the night of the Last Supper, Jesus celebrated the Passover meal with His disciples: “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:26-28)

As we reflect on today’s readings, especially Paul’s remembrance of the Last Supper, let us ask for the Graces we need to truly believe in Christ’s presence in the Eucharist and to approach the altar with reverence and awe.

This week the new football poles were delivered and installed in our school ground.  These poles were bought with funds collected during the Marathon Walk.  We would like to thank those students who committed themselves to collect money for these poles.  We thank Mr Carmel Caruana and Mr Mario Debattista who installed the football poles in place.

On Friday, 24th March our Year 7 students who learn French at school participated in an educational activity at the Alliance Française de Malte – Méditerranée.  Our students had the opportunity to meet French nationals and discuss with them the importance of the French language and culture nowadays.  They also took part in a quiz and one of our students won the prize which consisted of a set of French songs for children CD.  It was indeed an enjoyable and appreciated experience.

We would like to thank Ms V Monseigneur, our French teacher who organised this outing and Ms C Falzon Jones who accompanied her.

The last live-in for our Year 11 students kicked off on Friday, 31st March.  At 08:30 our students met at the Ċirkewwa terminal and left with the ferry for Dar Lourdes, Għajnsielem, Gozo.  The theme of this live-in was FROM NOW ON.

The first day of the live-in was characterised with reflection time, sharing of experiences, discussions, prayer, long walks and obviously ample time to eat!

The following day our students spent time touring the Ċittadella, the Cathedral, the Cathedral Museum and in the afternoon they set for a long walk which ended in the Għajnsielem Museum Centre playing football.  There they enjoyed a delicious pizza for dinner.

On Sunday, after breakfast our students took part in the Palm Sunday celebration with the community of Għajnsielem.  Soon after, they divided themselves in groups and had a photo hunt in the streets of Għajnsielem.  Back at Lourdes home they found a delicious lunch waiting for them.  After lunch they packed their belongings and boarded the ferry back to Malta were they found their parents waiting for them at school.

Parents and students all gathered in the school hall to share the enriching experience of this live-in.  The headmaster congratulated the students for their behaviour and for the way they experienced this live-in and other occasions during the past years at school.  He urged them to pass on to others all the love and kindness they received during these years at St Michael School.  Mr D’Amato thanked Mr Tabone who co-ordinated this live-in with the help of Mr Aloisio for his guidance.  He also thanked Mr Bugeja, Mr Savona and other members of staff who joined this live-in and spent some of their time with our students.

This live-in ended in the most beautiful way.  We all shared the food the parents brought along and had time to eat and talk informally.  This was the last activity before the graduation.  These experiences for sure are an added asset to the education our school offers to students and their parents.

On Thursday, 30th March at school we celebrated the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows.  During mass we prayed for those members of staff, parents and students who are going through a difficult moment in their life.  After Holy Communion, we watched a touching video featuring an experience by Marc Mero.  Our Chaplain gently reminded our students to always show love and respect towards their parents.  Finally, the Headmaster addressed our students urging them to always appreciate the persons who show us love.  After thanking all the members of staff for their continuous work he wished everyone a blessed Easter and happy holidays.

  

This year we wanted to give a fresh new look to our school gym.  For this purpose, at the beginning of this scholastic year, we decided that the funds collected during the Marathon walk which was held last December would be used to finance new gym equipment.  We would like to thank all those who worked on this project, especially our PE teachers who proposed and co-ordinated which equipment should be bought.  A big thank you goes to our students for their commitment to collect money for this project.  We are now waiting for new football poles for the ground and LED bulbs for the gym.