PRESS RELEASE – The students at St. Mary Catholic School began their school year with more than just new pencils and fresh notebooks—they started with prayer, song, and activities about Mary, the Mother of Jesus.
At an all-school gathering on the first day, the children prayed for God’s blessing over their school, teachers, friends, families, and activities for the year ahead. The opening prayer asked for courage, kindness, and the guidance of Mary, who is honored as the spiritual mother of all Christians.
The students learned three key lessons about Mary:
1. Mary said “Yes” to God’s plan—a choice that brought Jesus, our Savior, into the world.
2. Mary always points us to Jesus, as she did at the wedding at Cana when she said, “Do whatever He tells you.”
3. Mary is our spiritual mother, given to us by Jesus on the cross.
Through the storybook Our Lady’s Wardrobe, the children discovered how Mary has appeared to people in different places and times, bringing messages of prayer, peace, and faith.
They explored Marian apparitions from Lourdes, Guadalupe, Fatima, Knock, and more—learning about the unique clothing Mary wore and the loving messages she shared.
Interactive activities included poster-making, coloring, song, dressing as Mary, and exploring a large stained glass apparition window in the church to honor various apparitions.
Each child took part in creative projects that reinforced the virtues Mary encourages—kindness, prayerfulness, and trust in God.
Students were reminded that we are never alone – that Jesus and Mary are always by our sides.