Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • September 27, 2024 19 Father Lalo joined students at dismissal for one of our favorite traditions on the Elementary campus, the Blessing of the Backpacks! Thank you, Father, for this special blessing to help us start our school year! Bendición de las mochilas. Cada año al comenzar el ciclo escolar los estudiantes reciben una bendición especial. Al final de la celebración los estudiantes recibieron un pequeño detalle para recordarles que Dios está siempre con ellos para protejerlos y cuidarlos. Blessing of the Backpacks at RCES and SHP RCS Senior Theology students will once again be packing and delivering bags each week for Back- pack Buddies to the public schools in Pascagoula. This has become a favorite service project for RCS seniors. Colleen Larsen, president of Backpack Buddies of Pascagoula , talked to the students about why she became involved with this valuable program 19 years ago and why it is still so near to her heart. Thank you, Nurse Larsen, and to the students for giving your time to help the children of your community! Backpack Buddies R esurrection C atholic S chool , P ascagoula Resurrection Catholic Elementary and Middle/ HS students, staff, and families celebrated Mass together as one. Communal Mass is a meaningful and time-honored tradition at RCS. In his homily, Father Adam Urbaniak told students that our school is a treasure full of experiences that shape who we are. As students at RCS, all are blessed with so many to help them become who God wants them to be. He spoke to students from Pre-K2 to twelfth grade when he encouraged them to give thanks to the Lord for allowing them to be a part of this school and to cher- ish their time together. RCS is especially grateful for Father Adam, Father Lalo, Father Arockia, Father David, Father Emmanual, and Deacon Joe McIntyre for celebrat- ing this special Mass. It is certainly a blessing when we can all join together to celebrate the Lord. Communal Mass O ur L ady of F atima P arish S chool , B iloxi Scholars Forum Marianne Schmidt and Ashlie Herbert from the Diocese of Biloxi Office of Youth Ministry were the inaugural speakers for the new OLF Scholars Forum. The OLF Scholars Forum program is designed to bring commu- nity members to our school to share their personal stories and real-world experiences with our students. Schmidt and Herbert kicked off our morning with a great game of Egg-Chicken-Dinosaur which is Rock-Pa- per-Scissors with a twist! Our speakers told us about themselves and gave a wonderful overview of their jobs in youth ministry. Their deep love for the Lord was apparent as they both recounted how they were formed in faith by their families and communities. The OLF students in attendance were engaged and asked excellent questions of our guests. We are very grateful to these two ladies for spending time with us today!