Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic School

THE NAVIGATOR

A Note from Fr. Tommy

Dear Mariner Family,

By the grace of God and your faithful adherence to the safety protocols that we have set in place for our school, our first quarter of the school year in person has been a great success!  Thank you to all our students, faculty and parents for following the COVID precautions that our COVID taskforce has recommended.  I understand the great personal sacrifices that you all have had to make and am truly grateful to you for doing them.  I know that for our teachers and older students, wearing a mask the whole day is not that comfortable.  Some of the other protocols of taking daily temperature and sanitizing surfaces and handwashing disrupt the daily conveniences that we used to enjoy and take for granted.  While we are mainly getting accustomed to this "new normal," sometimes we may become annoyed by the extra precautions that are asked of us.  So, what do we do?  If we find ourselves becoming frustrated with safety protocols, I invite us to step back and remind ourselves of our Lord's command to love our neighbors as ourselves.  Then, we can remember that practicing the COVID precautions can be a concrete expression of our concern for the good of our neighbors.  You may not personally like the protocols, but you can still make the choice to practice them for the sake of others.  And when we can do that, then the sacrifices of comfort and of convenience that we make during these times, as our community is still trying to gain a good handle on the pandemic, become a fulfillment of our Lord's command to love others: to look out for the good of others beyond our own personal likes and dislikes.  

If you have not yet returned to Sunday Mass in person, I do want to invite you back!  The general dispensation from the Sunday obligation that Bishop Cahill had granted since March is now expired and all Catholics in the Diocese of Victoria are obliged to return to Mass in person, unless you have serious medical conditions that would prevent you from doing so safely.  I want to assure you that we are following very careful protocols in all our Catholic churches in Calhoun County.  Face masks are still required in our churches.  Social distancing is maintained in the churches.  And here at Our Lady of the Gulf, you may even sit outside in the fresh air to participate in the Mass on the front porch of the church and clearly hear the Mass via the outdoor speakers.  As Catholics, the central act of worship that we give to God and that defines who we are is the weekly Sunday offering of the holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  Why is the Mass essential?  Because by the Mass, we participate in our Lord's saving death on the cross and His glorious resurrection from the dead.  In the holy Mass, we are able to receive the sacrament of salvation which is the holy Body and precious Blood of our Savior Jesus Christ.  We can't do that anywhere else.  For the believer, the holy Mass is the only way for us to be nourished and remain spiritually alive in God.  Therefore, don't starve your soul any longer.  Come back to Sunday Mass!  

Let us continue to pray for one another as we cooperate with God's grace to bring about His kingdom "on earth as it is in Heaven."

Fr. Tommy 
Pastor 

Up and Running!

• We have been in face-to-face classes since August 11th.

• Students are doing a great job of washing hands, wearing masks, and social distancing.
• Royal blue or grey, 3-ply cloth masks are still available for order through the school office (361.552.6140 X6). 
• The school office also has t-shirts and ties for sale.  Just call to place your order and we will send them to you and bill fax (as applicable).

Raffle
Bonus for the teachers

Current Activities

Morning Dropoff

We continue to screen all students, faculty, and visitors to our school.

The day starts with morning drop-off, where students are screened and greeted.

Mass

All grades take turns attending Mass in order to maintain social distancing, and each grade attends at least once a week. Those not attending in the church have a Liturgy of the Word service in their classrooms.

 

Academics

Students completed the First Quarter and continue to work hard in their classrooms.  The Student Advancement in Learning (SAIL) program also started up in the First Quarter to assist students with reading. The Math SAIL program will begin 2nd quarter.

 

PE

Students enjoy their time outdoors each day.

 

Building Construction

The 4th grade has a new wall, making a much-needed improvement in the room (and no more leaks when it rains).