Our Academic Decathlon team is ready to go. The team will be culminating a year of hard work on Saturday, March 10 at the L.A. Sports Arena. These students prepare all year for this one day event. They study during lunch and even on Friday afternoons. There are 100 Catholic schools from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles competing in the “big” day. Every school competes in eight individual events and two team events, the Logic Quiz, and the Super Quiz. We couldn’t be more proud of these kids and also their coaches, Mrs. Kristy Vena and Mrs. Debbie Marquez.

After much preparation, our sixth grade will be competing in History Day, L.A. 2012 at Azusa Pacific University, also on March 10th. Given this year's theme, Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History, students researched grade level topics such as Irrigation, Roman Government, Akhenaton, Greek Philosophy, Map Making and Specialization. Holy Name of Mary's entries will include five group websites, five group documentaries, and five exhibits. These projects will be judged by community members and social science professionals.  Participation provides opportunities for our students to meet content standards and improve academic achievement. I am so proud of the 6th graders and thank Mrs. Abraham for writing a grant for these students to participate and for preparing them so well.

And just in case there isn’t enough happening on Saturday, March 10, our track team will participate in the annual track meet held at Damien High School and sponsored by our Knights of Columbus. We thank coach Ralph Militello.

Two months into 2012 and we’re already facing Lent. With everything already on your plate, how might you give top priority to these six weeks of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving? Maybe it’s time to stop focusing on “giving up” things and instead, focus on Lent as a new way of looking at life with a Lenten outlook.  A Lenten outlook doesn’t worry about piling up good deeds, but rather seeing each family activity as an opportunity to ask God’s blessing on it and on each family member. It’s not about “accomplishing everything on a Lenten to-do list, but rather about seeking God in the everyday things we do.

May this be a time of family renewal in your home… a time of recommitment to family prayer, to the readings of scripture, and to the appreciation of the gift you are to each other. You can find the Gospel in your weekly family bulletin along with some discussion questions. You are invited to join us each Wednesday at 2:30 for the Stations of the Cross. Lenten Soup Nights or reading the Little Black Book received at Church, offer opportunities to come together as a family. We join you in spreading the Good News of Lent, as we draw strength from our Catholic faith.

May God bless your family in this sacred time,
Candice Kuzmickas