As we begin this beautiful day together, let us remember that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are alive within each one of us. Wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord guide us to become people of compassion, courage, kindness, and deep faith. Piety reminds us to love God with tenderness and devotion and to treat one another with dignity, patience, and care. In a world that can often move too quickly, the Lord calls us to slow down enough to see one another with love.

A friendly reminder about our Organic Soil Sale taking place on May 9 from 10 to 2. Please see the poster for all the details. We are so excited to continue this wonderful fundraiser in support of our Industrial Education Program while also helping families beautify their gardens and yards this spring season. Yesterday, many students and volunteers began preparing and bagging soil, and we are incredibly grateful to everyone who has already purchased and supported this initiative. Thank you for your generosity, your community spirit, and your willingness to help our school continue to grow and flourish.

This Friday, we lovingly encourage everyone to attend the 7:45 AM Mass in the Chapel while some of us will also be attending the Prayer Breakfast. Sometimes it may feel easier to stay home or sleep in a little longer, but gathering together in prayer is one of the greatest gifts we can give one another. Community is built when we come together before Christ. Even if a few of our regular attendees may not be present this time, your presence matters deeply. We are blessed to have Dr. Werner Spangehl helping coordinate the music, and we believe members from Good Shepherd Church will also be joining us. What a blessing it is to belong to such a faithful and loving community. May this Friday be filled with prayer, friendship, joy, and the peace of Christ.

Today we also have our Joint Health and Safety Committee meeting, and we are pleased to welcome WorkSafe. We remain committed to ensuring that our most precious cargo, our students, teachers, staff, and community members, are always cared for in a safe and responsible manner. Thank you to our Joint Health and Safety Committee for the important work you continue to do behind the scenes each day. A heartfelt thank you as well to WorkSafe for supporting safe practices and helping us maintain a strong culture of care and responsibility throughout our school.

A very special shout out to Mr. Benjamin Dee, who we saw yesterday after Mass coordinating and supporting preparations for the Carnival. Mr. Dee is taking the lead in organizing the beverages for the Dublin Beer Garden, and we are incredibly grateful for his generosity, leadership, and willingness to serve our community with such dedication. God bless you, Mr. Dee, and thank you for all you are doing.

Today at 2:00 pm there will be workers in the building testing the fire alarm systems and other safety alarms to ensure everything is functioning properly. There may be periods of noise throughout the afternoon, and we apologize in advance for any inconvenience. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue working to keep our school safe for everyone.

We are also excited to share that Carnival notifications are now being sent out to elementary schools throughout the community to help families save the date and begin registering. A heartfelt thank you to Malou, Italia, and Holly for all of their hard work coordinating these efforts. The Carnival is becoming a beautiful celebration of community, faith, fellowship, and joy, and we cannot wait to welcome everyone together.

This weekend, there will also be pulpit talks promoting both the Golf Tournament and the Carnival. Thank you to everyone who has already volunteered to speak and represent our school community with love and enthusiasm. We are still looking for a few more ambassadors, especially at Good Shepherd Church. If you feel called to help share the mission and spirit of Saint John Paul II Academy, please reach out to Holly. Your voice and witness truly make a difference.

As we close, let us remember the words of Scripture: