On Friday, February 7, our Bishop came to visit our school-All Saints Catholic and our parish-Our Lady of the Mountains. Bishop Kicanas arrived at about 8:45am on this Friday to celebrate Mass with our students PreSchool - 7th grade.
Two of our students played the piano for two of our songs at Mass. The Bishop was very impressed with the involvement of our students in the liturgy.
Our 2nd and 3rd graders did the readings at Mass.
The first reading was the story of David and Goliath. The Bishop chose two students to act the story out as he narrated it with lots of expression.
The Bishop assisted us in congratulating our Diamonds of the Mountains for January.
After Mass, the Bishop took time to visit some of the classrooms. He answered lots of questions, such as: Why did you want to be a Bishop? What do you do in your free time. Do you go to church every day?
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| He also read a story to the first graders and to the PreKindergarteners. |
After reading a story to our 3 and 4 year olds, he knew he was not called to teach this age.
While the students were at recess we had a little time before the Bishop ate lunch with the Student Council. The Bishop asked where the rectory would be built for Fr. Ariel. So the Bishop and I took a walk to the site. The weeds were just removed this week so we all could see where a home for our pastor would soon be built so he would no longer be "homeless" as he always tells us.
Time for lunch!
Because of the special occasion of our Bishop coming, the whole school had pizza from Dominoes'. Parents were on hand to pass it out.
After lunch, it was time to show the Bishop our talent show that would be presented the next night to a sell out crowd of 175 people at our annual Spaghetti Dinner/Silent Auction and Talent Show. Here is a taste of some of the acts.
We started the show with an international flavor. Above, students are doing a Mexican Folkloric dance.
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| Our exchange student from South Korea with her sponsor are playing the Korean drums. |
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| Ballet! |
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| Sister Carol, lining up the next acts and calming their nerves: comedians and a magician. |
Two first grade comedians that brought the house down with their knock-knock jokes and other quips.
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| A budding magician and his assistant. |
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The ramp below the stage is a great place for the little ones to get an up close view of the program.
The final number was performed by our school choir. They did "It's A Hard Knock Life " from Annie. |
That ended our part of the day with the Bishop. Fr. Ariel, our pastor, then took over. He took the Bishop to his "rented house" so he could get some work done before his next Mass at 5:00pm with the parish. I went on to a meeting with my faculty.
5:00pm - the Bishop celebrates a Mass of Thanksgiving for those who gave money to the Bishop's Annual Appeal. Our parish reached its goal for the first time in years. It was worth celebrating.
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| The Bishop blesses the blueprints for the soon to be built rectory. |
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| The Mass is ended as dusk begins to set over the mountains. |
On to dinner with the Bishop and the parish.
My students did a liturgical dance for the meal prayer.
The chef and his crew.
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| Even a puppy came to have dinner with the Bishop. |
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| Deacon Romo greets the Bishop. |
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| We all give the Bishop a blessing before he leaves on his journey back to Tucson. |
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A final picture with the Bishop and a fond farewell.
End of a very busy and long day but a good one. :):) |
