April 2, 2020 An Easter Message from the Head of School Throughout Lent, our Notre Dame community has gathered in prayer to ask for God's healing of a human community broken by the Coronavirus pandemic. We have prayed for the grace of compassion and strength as we care for one another in these difficult times.
As we begin Holy Week, we reflect on Pope Francis' "Extraordinary Moment of Prayer" (27 March 2020) in which he notes that in the face of so much global suffering, we experience the priestly prayer of Jesus, "That they may all be one" (Jn17:21). The Pope continues, "How many people every day are exercising patience and offering hope, taking care not to sow panic but a shared responsibility? How many fathers, mothers, grandparents and teachers are showing our children, in small everyday gestures, how to face up to and navigate a crisis by adjusting their routines, lifting their gaze and fostering prayer? How many are praying, offering and interceding for the good of all? Prayer and quiet service: these are our victorious weapons."
In this spirit, may our Notre Dame community renew and reawaken its Easter faith. May that faith serve as a dawn to our darkness and as light to guide our way.
Judith A. Dwyer, Ph.D. Head of School
Spiritual Resources from Campus Ministry Our virtual community prayer this week focused on Jesus washing the feet of his disciples, and our call to service- including our act of service of staying home. There are certainly many ways for us to continue to serve from home, like sending messages of hope to folks in nursing homes and at Divine Providence Village, and sending thank you messages to hospital staff. Through their Religion classes this week, the girls received a Google Doc with ways they can serve while social distancing.
As Holy Week approaches, we have an extra challenge this year as people of faith. While I know many of us will be missing the beautiful liturgies of Palm Sunday and the Triduum, there are ways to observe this holy season from home. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has several resources available to families during this challenging time, as well as a list of local parishes that are livestreaming Masses. Pope Francis says daily Mass at 12:15 pm EDT, and I have included other resources below.
Know of my prayers for all of our Notre Dame families through the coming weeks! Prayers are especially needed for Patricia McDonough Phillips '89 and her family, as her husband, son, and daughter are all battling Covid-19 at various stages. If you'd like to submit a prayer intention to the Notre Dame Prayer List, please click here.
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has a Palm Sunday Prayer Service that allows for all members of the family to participate! While Palms will not be distributed on Palm Sunday this year, reading through the Gospel and reflecting as a family is a great way to observe the day.
The liturgy of Holy Thursday is called the Mass of the Lord's Supper, a commemoration of Jesus' last supper before his arrest and crucifixion. A ritual that is usually a part of the Mass is the washing of feet, in memory of Jesus' act of service for his disciples. While this ritual will not take place this year, washing each other's feet within your family has powerful significance. Traditionally, at the end of the Mass of the Lord's Supper, altars are stripped. To recreate this experience at home, you could remove religious artwork from the walls, only to be hung again on Easter Sunday.
Good Friday liturgies typically include Stations of the Cross and the Veneration of the Cross, both of which can be done from Home. Busted Halo has virtual Stations of the Cross available to watch and pray along with, and there are many more ways of praying the Stations of the Cross online. If you have a crucifix or cross in your home, you can take some time to reflect on its importance and symbolism, and take a moment to venerate (kneel or bow before it, sometimes kiss) it. Traditionally, Catholics are encouraged to fast on Good Friday and maintain prayerful silence between the hours of 12 and 3 PM in honor of Christ's death on the cross. Reflections on the "Seven Last Words" are often rich resources for prayer.
As we wait with hope for Christ's Resurrection, we think about and pray with the ideas of dying and rising, with the ultimate focus being new life. Take a walk with your family and look for signs of new life in nature, and have a conversation about what habits or choices you need to "die" to in order to live a new life closer to the Good God. If your family typically would attend Easter Vigil Mass, either stream the Mass or take time with the Gospel readings. To recreate the liturgical experience, you could begin in darkness and gradually light candles or add lights to symbolize the light coming into the world in Christ's Resurrection!
Ms. Julia Tully Director of Campus Ministry
News and Announcements New Academic Schedule Announced Students and parents received email notification of the Academy's new daily academic schedule, which takes effect when online classes resume on Thursday, April 16.
You may also read the email on our Online Learning page, under "Recent Communications from the Academy, April 1, 2020."
Senior Division History Day Winners Recognized Congratulations to all of our Upper School students who participated in the 2020 Senior National History Day hosted by the Chester County Historical Society. This year's theme was Breaking Barriers, a fitting one for a competition that saw many unique challenges with social distancing and schools going online. The new digital format did not faze Notre Dame, which excelled in the regional upper school competition. Congratulations to Annabelle McDonald '23 (left) who placed first for her exhibit entitled "Sandra Day O'Connor: Breaking Barriers on her Rise to the United States Supreme Court." Joining Annabelle in the virtual State Competition in May will be Abigail Rowley '22 (center) who placed third for her exhibit "Welcome to the Rock: Breaking Boundaries on the Edge of the World." Congratulations to Catherine Chapman '22 (right) who received an Honorable Mention for her website "Alice Paul and her Pioneering Work for the Women's Suffrage Movement."
Middle School Student Places in Junior National History Day Competition Congratulations to eighth grader Hannah Downing for her third place recognition in the Junior Division of the 2020 National History Day competition. Her individual website, "Susan B. Anthony Breaks a Barrier," advances her to the State level competition in May. Five middle school students participated in this year's regional competition. We are very proud of these students for their hard work and flexibility during this competition. Great job!
Important Reminders Use of Outdoor Facilities is Not Permitted as Mandated
Notre Dame's campus is closed, including the fields, track, and parking lots. This is for the protection of the entire community.
Online Instruction Resumes on April 16
There will be no classes on Friday, April 3 and the Academy will be closed for the Holy Week/Easter break. Notre Dame will continue to provide quality teaching/learning within our online environment when classes resume on April 16, as we comply with all federal, state, and county health directives concerning COVID-19.
Visual Arts Students Create Photography Journals Students in Ms. Kara Luzi's Introduction to Visual Arts online class have been working on daily photography journals. Over the course of 15 days, the students received a daily photography prompt. Above, Fiona Amos '23 captured the beauty in nature close to home.
Order Your Cozy ND Blankets! Here is the perfect gift for your special ND grad - custom ND blankets! Available in two designs, these blankets are made in the USA of 100% soft natural and recycled cotton. Each blanket is approximately 50"x 60", weighs about 4 lbs, and are machine washable and dryer safe. You can customize with your student's name and year ($145), or without personalization ($115).
Online ordering is available through April 20. Blankets will ship to homes the week of May 11.
Health and Wellness for the ND Community Health and Wellness Collective brought to you by the ND Physical Education and Counseling Departments:
The practice of self-care is vital to maintaining a healthy mind and body. Especially during times of stress, it is important to take time for yourself each and every day! With Easter break upon us, here are some ways to care for yourself while practicing social distancing.
Get physically healthy: Focus on family time! Enjoy a family walk, do Just Dance videos, take the "flip the switch" challenge and make a family TikTok, try a new sport or activity you have never done...March Madness may have been cancelled but just think, a nice healthy family competition is good for everyone!
Get mentally healthy: Sticking with the focus on family- make an effort to step away from all devices (TV, phone, computers) each day and enjoy time with one another. Try out some new recipes together, eat meals as a family while the rush of after school practices and responsibilities is on hold, and appreciate that life has slowed down a bit to be able to enjoy each other's company. Think back to when you were a young child and what games you liked to play, anyone up for a family game night?
Still in need of ideas? Here's a list of 50 ways to stay SANE (strong, active, neighborly, and energetic) during this time. Ten Percent Happier is also offering a free live guided meditation and virtual break from social distancing every weekday at 3:00 pm, be sure to add it to your calendar here!
Enjoy this Gift from ND's Dance Company! ND's creative dancers have prepared this video for you.
Video credit: Sarah Joslin '22
The next issue of ND Weekly will publish after our first full week of school, Friday, April 24. Stay safe, Notre Dame!
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