Memorial Day
May 31, 2022
Principal Desk

As our nation pauses this weekend to remember those in the military who have given their lives for freedoms we enjoy, we pray You would have us all look to You for strength, comfort and guidance. Be with all who serve in our Armed Forces. Bless them and their families. Grant Your loving protection.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

 

Dear HFCS Families and Friends,

As the month of May finishes, let us all look to Christ for blessings on our military and those that have served our country. God bless you all and keep you safe this beautify Memorial Day Weekend. Enjoy your time with family and friends – especially taking time to thank God for our many gifts.

Pax et Bonum,

Sue Styren, M.Ed.

MAY CROWNING – WEDNESDAY MAY 18TH
May 17, 2022
Current Families, Events, Faith, Principal Desk

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To you do I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.

One of the most treasured traditions at Holy Family Catholic School is the ritual of honoring Mary the Mother of God with May Crowning Mass. May is the month traditionally dedicated to the devotion of our Blessed Mother. This event celebrates and recognizes Mary as Queen of Heaven. All students are encouraged to bring flowers tomorrow for Mary.

This year May Crowning will be held on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, at HFCS. The second grade class will lead the Mass presided by Father Sleeva and attended by the whole school, many parents, and parishioners. The Mass includes a procession of our second grade First Communicants dressed in their Communion attire, as well as First Communicants from other grades, and the crowning of The Blessed Mother with a floral wreath by our eighth grade crown bearers, Amelia Dach and Ian Rocha. Mary is crowned to symbolize the dignity and beauty God bestowed on her as our Heavenly Queen and Spiritual Mother. A reception for our First Communicants and 8th graders will follow in the Commons.

Congratulations to all of our students that have received their First Holy Communion. We pray for your journey in faith and celebrate your milestone. We are thrilled to have a few students making their First Communion, tomorrow during our May Crowning Mass. Blessings to all our families during this holy month of May.

Missoula Children’s Theater is in full swing. Students will be working on the production all week. We hope you will join us for one of the two performances at the end of the week, Friday and Saturday, more information can be found below.

Thank you again to all our sponsors and volunteers that helped to make the Auction a fabulous success.

Pax et Bonum,

Sue Styren, M.Ed.

CONGRATULATIONS 2ND GRADE
May 3, 2022
Current Families, Principal Desk

Congratulations to our 2nd graders that recently made their 1st Eucharist! Over the course of the next few weeks, our sweet 2nd graders will be receiving their 1st Eucharist. We are so excited for them and pray for them all. On May 18th we will celebrate as a school with our May Crowning. God bless you all on your personal faith journeys.

The Annual HFCS Gala and Auction is this coming Friday. Have you taken a moment to browse the class projects on display in our foyer – and the Pre-Funk Silent Auction tables? There’s some beautiful items to get your bidding excitement going this week. I hope you will be joining us for this fabulous community event. Thank you to our Auction Committee, Chairs and Volunteers, who have been working tirelessly to bring back this in-person event for all of us. They are an amazing team who have accomplished a tremendous feat!

Thank you as well, to our Healthy Hawk Week Committee for their stellar job putting together a week filled with wonderful presentations and activities to keep us all healthy as we move through spring and into summer. Does your family have a favorite healthy recipe? Make sure to send it in by Friday – the student with the winning recipe will be allowed to join our fabulous Kitchen Team and prepare the meal for the school.

Healthy Hawk Week Agenda

  • Monday, May 2nd: Hydration
  • Tuesday, May 3rd: Healthy Habits
  • Wednesday, May 4th: Mental Health
  • Thursday, May 5th: Healthy Eating
  • Friday, May 6th: Exercise

Pax et Bonum,

Sue Styren, M.Ed.

5TH WEEK OF LENT
April 6, 2022
Events, Faith, Principal Desk, Social

I cannot believe that we are already are in week 5 of Lent. This is a great time to reflect on our Lenten Journeys, make corrections to our course as necessary and finish up strong with our best Lent ever.

Loving God,

You have heard my complaints, my impatience.

Sometimes I become frightened

when I move away from you.

Guide my heart back to you.

Help me to think beyond my own wants

and to desire only to do you will.

Thank you for the many blessings in my life

and for the ways I feel your presence.

Today, HFCS was blessed to have a wonderful Penance Service hosted by our 2nd graders. Our fabulous parish priests, Fr. Sleeva, Fr. Len, and Fr. John, spent the majority of the day with us leading us in prayer, hearing confessions, and being with our students. Today was the first day our 2nd graders were able to participate in an all school Penance Service. The children were reverent and glowing. I’m so very proud of each of them – and their teachers who inspire them in their faith each day. Thank you to all the parents that made the 2nd grade reception so lovely and to Mrs. Murphy for facilitating this event.

If you have not already purchased tickets for the Gala on May 6th please purchase your tickets now. They are going fast! Thank you to all our volunteers that help make this event possible.

Blessings to all of your families as we continue through our Lenten season.

Pax et Bonum,

Sue Styren

3rd Week of Lent
March 22, 2022
Principal Desk

Dear HFCS Families,

I can’t count how many times I’ve quoted or paraphrased the Gospel for today:

Gospel – Matthew 18:21-35

21 Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?”

22 Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.

Especially in this Lenten season, we are reminded to look inward and assess ourselves, how have we strayed away from God, and more importantly, how do we draw closer to Christ. As we pray The Our Father, we ask God to “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” Sometimes, the hardest person to forgive is ourselves. As we journey through this season, let’s help each other to look towards Christ through the Sacrament of Reconciliation to not only ask for forgiveness but to forgive ourselves – and help our children learn how to forgive.

Congratulations to all our second graders who recently have received or will soon receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Our prayers are with you as you grow in faith!

Please feel free to join us Monday and Fridays at 8 am for Adoration in the gym or Wednesdays for Mass at 9:30 am and Adoration following. Our chapel is available for prayer most days – just let us know if you’d like to visit.

Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;

teach me your paths,

Guide me in your truth and teach me,

for you are God my savior.

Psalm 25:4-5

 

Pax et Bonum,

Sue Styren

HAPPY 1ST WEEK OF LENT
March 8, 2022
Faith, Principal Desk

Happy 1st full week of Lent! Our students are looking forward to our almost daily Adoration. Their prayers and reverence in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament is joy to participate in. I hope this Lenten season finds you and your family enjoying increased opportunities for family prayer.

Bless you and your family as we all journey through this wonderful Lenten season.

O gracious Master, infuse in our hearts the spotless light of Your Divine Wisdom and open the eyes of our mind that we may understand the teachings of Your Gospel. Instill in us also the fear of Your blessed commandments, so that having curbed all carnal desires, we may lead a spiritual life, both thinking and doing everything to please You. For You, O Christ, our God, are the enlightenment of our souls and bodies; and to You we render glory, together with Your eternal Father, and with Your all holy, life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

 

Pax et Bonum,

Sue Styren

Family & Community Building
February 15, 2022
Admissions, Current Families, Events, Faith, Principal Desk, Prospective Families, Upcoming Events

Thank you to all the families that turned out for our Annual Parents’ Night Out last Saturday evening. And special thanks to Fr. Len McMillan for his mini-retreat on Grit and Sacrifice. It was an amazing evening of faith, fun, and community. If you were not able to attend this year, I hope you will be able to join us next year. This spring, our Annual Gala and Auction, Denim and Diamonds, is shaping up to be another opportunity for parents to join together for a fun evening in support of the school. I hope you’ve made space on your calendar to attend.

Part of what makes HFCS so special is the parent volunteers that turn out to help in a variety of ways throughout the year. In order to volunteer, adults are required to take the diocesan sponsored Safe Environment Course. St. Thomas the Apostle Parish is offering a class Wednesday, February 23. 2022 at 5 pm in the Mission House. If you would like to register, please reach out to: [email protected] Registration is also available on the CMG Connect website.

We look forward to the remainder of our school year and have begun planning and preparing for 2022/2023. Please be sure to reach out to the office with any questions you may have regarding applications for new students and registration for returning students. More information can be found by clicking here.

Exciting plans are underway with regards to the feasibility of a Northern Idaho Catholic High School here in Coeur d’Alene. We invite you to come hear more about this endeavor and ask questions the afternoon of February 22, 2022 at 3:15 pm in our HFCS gymnasium. Please RSVP if you plan to attend, by clicking here.

Prayer for Community

Embracing Father,
You grace each of us with equal measure in your love.
Let us learn to love our neighbors more deeply,
so that we can create
peaceful and just communities.
Inspire us to use our creative energies
to build the structures we need
to overcome the obstacles
of intolerance and indifference.
May Jesus provide us the example needed
and send the Spirit to warm our hearts for the journey.
Amen

 

Pax et Bonum,

Sue Styren

Reflecting On Our Faith
February 9, 2022
Admissions, Principal Desk, Prospective Families

As I read through the mass reading and gospel for today, I could not help but reflect on humbly embracing all of the truths that God has revealed and making them the foundation of our lives. I think we know that if we do this, all else will flow forth in love and worship. It can be difficult to see through the challenges of the modern world and focus on the teachings of Christ in our lives. But as we do this, we help model for our children the rich experience of living a truly Catholic way of life.

Lord of all Truth, help me to love Your holy and divine law. Help me to embrace it with my whole heart. I do believe in You and in all that You have spoken through the ages. I believe in what You speak to my heart regarding my own life. Give me the grace to embrace Your holy will and, in that embrace, to be transformed both internally and externally. Jesus, I trust in You.

With Christ in our hearts, we look forward to the remainder of our school year and begin planning and preparing for 2022/2023. Please be sure to reach out to the office with any questions you may have regarding applications for new students or look at our how to apply page.

Exciting plans are underway with regards to the feasibility of a Northern Idaho Catholic High School here in Coeur d’Alene. We invite you to come hear more about this endeavor and ask questions the afternoon of February 22, 2022 at 3:15 pm in our HFCS gymnasium. Please RSVP if you plan to attend, using this link: https://bit.ly/NorIDHS

I want to also thank our PIE volunteers, Student Council, students, families, and teachers for an amazing Catholic Schools Week last week. I’m so proud to be a part of this wonderful school community.

Pax et Bonum,

Sue Styren

Using Our Talents to Help the Community
January 20, 2022
Principal Desk, Service

Listening to the Homily this weekend, I was struck with the concept of using our talents, given by God, to the benefit of our community. I needed to take inventory, and I encourage you to do the same. Our parishes and school are in need of volunteers. Please think about the talents you have and what a wonderful gift they are for our whole community. There are a number of ways in which you can volunteer at school – even from home.

Are you interested in sharing your time and talent with Holy Family? Click here to complete a form with your contact information and areas of interest and we’ll be in touch!