MA Newsletter (Spring 2015) 04280847

Spring/Summer 2015
MARYVALE ACADEMY
at work in the valley under our Lady’s guidance and protection
Staff 2014-2015
Mrs. Helena Champion
Celebrating Ten Years of Grace
2005-2015
Principal
Mrs. Mary Lavallée
Kindergarten
Mme. Heather Beaudry
Grade 1/2 English, 3/4 French
Mr. Michael Thompson
Grade 3/4, Phys Ed.
Miss Selina De Luca
Grade 5/6
Mr. Stephen Fitzpatrick
Grade 7/8
M. Andrzej Skulski
Grade 1/2, 5 to 8 French
Board of Directors
Dr. Tim Lau
Chairman
Mr. James Mikulasik
Vice-Chairman
Mr. Chris DuQuesnay
Co-treasurer
Mrs. Kerry Brine
Co-treasurer
Mrs. Sophia McConkey
Director of Communications/
Secretary
Mr. Peter Sinn
Director
Dear Friends of Maryvale,
It is a great joy for me and for all of us at Maryvale
Academy to celebrate our 10th anniversary this year and
to rejoice at the blessings God has bestowed upon us.
Founded on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and
named after our Blessed Mother, the school and all its
works is under her constant protection. We implore her
daily help and seek her intercession as we foster a love for
discovery, and wonder, and the fullness of Truth.
The authentic Catholic education that Maryvale offers
would certainly not be possible without the prayers and
generosity of our founders, past and present families,
benefactors and donors. We are so grateful for ten years
of sacrificial support. A vote of thanks to all who believe in
the work of Maryvale Academy and for the part each one
of you plays in building up the next generation of Disciples.
Gratefully yours in Christ,
Helena Champion
Principal
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Spring/Summer 2015
10th Anniversary Thanksgiving Mass .. December 8, 2014
It was on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception ten
years ago that the founders of Maryvale Academy signed
the documents of incorporation.
Our gratitude to His Grace, Bishop Christian Riesbeck and
Fr. Sean Wenger, CC for con-celebrating and Deacon Allan
Carpen, former principal of the Academy, for serving the
Holy Mass held at St. Mary’s Church, Ottawa.
10th Anniversary Dinner Gala, January 31, 2015
Archbishop Terence Prendergast’s Address
Dear friends and members of the Maryvale
Academy family:
Family. This is a vital topic for the Church
Universal and indeed for the whole world.
The closing propositions of the October
2014 session noted this about family life
and education:
I am delighted to join you for this evening of
fun and fellowship. We are here in support
o f a d a r i n g , fl e d g l i n g
e n d e a v o u r, t h e p r i v a t e
Catholic school placed under
Our Lady’s patronage called
Maryvale Academy.
One of the fundamental challenges
facing families today is undoubtedly
that of raising children, made all the
more difficult and complex by today’s
cultural reality and the great influence
of the media. Consideration, then,
needs to be given to the needs and
expectations of families, capable of
being places of growth in daily life,
places of a concrete and essential transmission of
the virtues that give form to our existence. Parents,
then, are able freely to choose the type of education
for their children, according to their convictions.
You have my best wishes and
prayers in this demanding and
hope-filled enterprise for the
good of souls!
In January 2015, we find ourselves between
the two sessions of the Synod on the
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Spring/Summer 2015
school teachers reinforce the lessons that are
first taught and modelled at home. They build
on the foundation that you laid.
Here in Ontario, the Provincial Government,
led by Premier Wynne, is introducing a new,
mandatory sexual education curriculum. A
consultation process has involved only a
limited number of parents. Many parents,
concerned citizens and religious leaders
already have grave concerns about this
curriculum.
We know that the proposed program threatens
the fundamental right of parents to educate
their children in the moral dimension of sexual
behaviour.
Mandatory instruction in the
classroom will prevent parents from protecting
their children from material they could judge
age-inappropriate or immoral.
Graduates of 2015 presenting a vote of thanks
The Synod Fathers stressed that Catholic
parents should be free to choose the type of
education that conforms to their convictions.
Fortunately, in Ontario, we have public
schools— both Catholic and secular, French
and English— as well as private schools of
various types like Maryvale.
Parents are best qualified and have the
greatest interest in working with their own
children to handle this serious topic at an age
and developmentally sensitive time.
More
notably, parents have the fundamental right to
do so— a right the Province appears willing to
usurp without due consideration.
There is a range of options for education in
the faith. Thank you for the one that you have
made in supporting Maryvale Academy. You
support Maryvale by sending your children to
it, by serving on its board and staff, by helping
as a volunteer, and by contributing to this
dinner and its activities.
(to be cont’d)
Maryvale Academy educates our young
people in a faith-filled environment. It nurtures
their spiritual growth as well as their
intellectual formation. But no matter how solid
an academic and spiritual grounding our
children receive from their teachers,
the
formation they receive from their parents
remains indispensable.
Parents, you are uniquely qualified to teach
your children the moral dimension of life. Our
His Grace with Pierre Lemieux M.P. & his wife, Audrey
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Spring/Summer 2015
As currently proposed, Queen’s Park will not
allow Catholic educational institutions to use
our own programs for teaching the moral
dimensions of sexuality.
Instead, the
Provincial Government will force them to adopt
its curriculum.
Second Vatican Council spoke of the family as
the “domestic church”. The family is where
children first learn to know and love God and
to follow His commandments.
Catholic schools have always been unique
and at times counter-cultural, according to the
insights of their founders.
If experience is any guide, and from early
indications, the government’s program
contains material that contradicts Catholic
moral principles.
Furthermore, the
government will
decide how and
when to teach this
material.
This
decision will have
no regard for an
individual child’s
readiness for that
discussion or her
parents’ wishes.
When I wrote my letter of support for
Maryvale, it was
the feast of Saint
M a r g u e r i t e
Bourgeoys.
She
was known as the
“Mother of the
Colony” for her
contributions to
Ville Marie (now
Montreal).
She
offered schooling
to the children of
aboriginals and
I strongly urge all
French settlers.
of you who are parents to Maryvale choir performing with Deo Gratias
Earlier this week, we had
inform yourselves about Ensemble, comprising of alumni and parents
the liturgical memorial of
this imminent curriculum.
St. Angela Merici, who pioneered schools for
Please contact the Honourable Liz Sandals,
girls. This was a radical concept for her time.
Minister of Education, the Premier, and your
local MPP. Tell them your concerns about this
Today, we celebrate the feast of St. John
seizure of parental authority.
Bosco, “Apostle of Youth,” whose love of poor
children was exemplary.
He was an
enlightened educator and innovator.
In the Rite of Baptism for Children, there is a
solemn blessing for the newly baptized child,
the parents, and those assembled to celebrate
this sacrament of new life in Christ. We hear,
“you and your wife will be the first teachers of
your child in the ways of faith. May you be
also the best of teachers, bearing witness to
the faith by what you say and do…” (Rite of
Baptism for Children, no 151).
May the vision of these saints and your own
convictions inspire you to seek educational
ventures befitting our age. I pray that God
reward you for your generosity.
May Our Lady and the saints intercede for
your school to obtain the graces you need to
remain faithful to the mission to which God has
called you.
The family has a special, privileged role to play
in the life of faith of our young people. The
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Spring/Summer 2015
School Life
Cross-country Running Meet
Soccer Meet with St. Timothy
Student vs. Teacher Soccer Competition
Exploration with String Instruments
Hike-a-thon
Fall 2014
Easter Social
April 2015
Swing Dancing
Karaoke
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Lorea, Grade 7
Grade 2
Students’
Corner
Grade 3
Grade 2
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The Annual Public Speaking Contest 2015
Finalists - Julianna, Noah, Isobel, Adam, Owen, Bernice, Victoria, Isabel, Philippa, Clare, Chloe, Abigail, Pius
physician who believes that it is morally
wrong to kill someone will be going against
the CPSO policy. The Supreme Courts ruling
goes against the Canadian Charter of Rights
and Freedom. It clearly states in section 2
that everyone has the freedom of conscience
and religion. The Supreme Court is
legalizing euthanasia by saying that patient’s
rights trump all and that it only matters what
the patient thinks, not what the doctor thinks.
The question is, “How will limiting
physicians’ rights to freedom result in less
discrimination or better patient care?” The
answer is ‘it won’t’. How is killing a patient
good patient care? There was a time in
Canada when suicide was looked on as
illegal, and extremely wrong. Now it is in the
process of being legalized, and there are
people out there who will help you do it.
Doesn’t it scare people to go to the hospital,
knowing the person curing you could help
kill you? The elderly are scared to go to the
hospital, even when they are dying, because
they do not want to be treated by people who
could easily kill them. And what can we do?
(to be cont’d)
Speech - Isobel, Grade 7
Freedom of Conscience is the right to
follow one’s own beliefs in matters of
religion and morality. Conscience is an inner
feeling or voice viewed as a guide to the
rightness or wrongness of one’s behavior. As
Canadians, we need to know this, especially
after these past few weeks.
We need to know this right now because
on Friday the sixth of February, the Supreme
Court legalized doctor assisted suicide, or
euthanasia; something that a physician, who
disagrees because of moral reasons, will not
perform. Also, the CPSO, or the College of
Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario recently
put forward a draft policy, “Professional
Obligations and Human Rights,’ which will
limit physicians’ freedom of conscience and
religion. It states that, “If a physician cannot
perform a service because it conflicts with
his moral or religious beliefs, he must refer
the patient to another doctor who can
perform the service.’ It also says that, “A
physician must provide any medical services
in an emergency situation, even if they
conflict with religious or moral beliefs.’ A
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Spring/Summer 2015
There are many ways we can try to stop what
is going on. There was a recent letter
campaign which tried to get thousands of
letters to the College of Physicians and
Surgeons of Ontario before February 20th.
Many campaigns like this are going on around
us. Every spring, thousands of people gather
for the March for Life, a campaign to stop
abortion. Every October, the Life Chain takes
place outside of hospitals all over Ottawa, also
in hope to stop abortion. There are many
people who have set a good example of
standing against the things that are wrong, for
instance, Jerome Lejeune. Jerome Lejeune was
the doctor who discovered how to identify
down syndrome, Trisomy 21. He was also one
of the nominees for the Nobel Prize, the
greatest award. On the night before his Nobel
Prize speech, he learned from an eager young
student that his discovery would be used to
eliminate down syndrome children, to kill the
people he loved so much. That night he
changed his speech, beginning with, “To kill
or not to kill, that is the question.’ He went on
to say sarcastically, that, “There should be a
special Institution for Research and Applied
Eugenics created: The National Institute of
Death, in place of the National Institute of
Health.’ He went home, knowing he had lost
the Nobel Prize. His speech earned him the
ostracism of the scientific community. Jerome
Lejeune died of cancer on Easter morning
April 3, 1994. We need people like him today,
when so much is going wrong. We need
people to stand up, people who are not afraid
to be ridiculed. Jerome Lejeune’s daughter,
Clara, wrote a book about her father called,
“Life is a Blessing,’ and I encourage you all to
read it. Jerome Lejeune is one of the many
great Catholic heroes who stood up for what is
right, and was ridiculed for it.
Freedom of Conscience is a matter of great
discussion, especially after the Supreme
Court’s ruling and the CPSO’s, “Professional
Obligations and Human Rights” policy. We
must pray for help in this time of trouble in
Canada.
Winners: Abigail, Victoria, Bernice & Isobel
YES! I want to help provide authentic Catholic education to our children!
We invite you to prayerfully consider contributing to Maryvale Academy in the following ways:
• become a monthly donor
• give a one-time gift
• become a volunteer - we are currently looking for help in various academic and administrative areas.
One particular need is someone to do maintenance work around the school.
Come & discover all that Maryvale has to offer at our open houses!
Please visit www.maryvaleacademy.ca
https://www.facebook.com/MaryvaleAcademyOttawa,
2191 Benjamin Ave, Ottawa, On, K2A 1P6 (613) 321-2186
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