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'Service' theme of this year's catholic schools week

Story and photos by LIZ QUIRIN
Messenger editor

“I don’t have a million dollars, but I can sort toys.” That’s what Waterloo’s SS. Peter and Paul teacher, Judy Haberl said. For the past 25 years she has, with help from the fifth grades, organized a rummage sale during Catholic Schools Week.

Although snow and ice storms played havoc with schedules for Catholic Schools Week throughout the diocese, all managed to compress or otherwise creatively adjust to a different schedule.

The rummage sale was scheduled Jan. 28 but was held Jan. 29. Other schools rescheduled their events as well, with Holy Childhood in Mascoutah holding their Mission Carnival on Jan. 30th instead of the 27th. At St. Agatha’s in New Athens, their activities were also modified, but their Mission Carnival was held on the 30th as scheduled.
At St. Agatha, money from the carnival will go to the parish’s sister parish in Guatemala and to a Peace Corps worker from St. Libory who is building a library in a village in Africa.
Students are also collecting toothbrushes for a former teacher whose husband serves in the military. The toothbrushes will be sent to villages in Iraq.

“Youngsters don’t think about not having a toothbrush,” St. Agatha principal, Charlotte Newbold said. This gives them a chance to learn about other parts of the world while they are doing a service for others.
Proceeds from Holy Childhood’s carnival will be split between Catholic Urban Programs in the diocese and another organization that works with the victims of war.

SS. Peter and Paul sends the proceeds of the rummage sale to a number of different organizations, and each year, Judy Haberl said it is more difficult to choose because there are so many worthwhile causes and not enough money to go around.

Other Catholic schools also continued traditions of service to the poor, to their communities and their parishes. In the following pages, some of these activities are highlighted along with information that the schools sent to The Messenger.

The photos remind everyone that the commitment to quality education and service lasts all year long. To see all of the photos and stories about Catholic education in the diocese, become a Messenger subscriber today. Call 233-8670 for details.