Acts 2 reminds us that at Pentecost the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and united people from every nation, language, and background into one family through Christ. This weekend at Good Shepherd Church we witnessed such a beautiful outpouring of faith as many entered fully into the Catholic Church through Baptism and Confirmation. What a joyful reminder that the Holy Spirit is alive, moving, and continuing to call hearts home to Jesus Christ. May God bless all those who received these beautiful Sacraments this Pentecost weekend.

This past weekend we celebrated our wonderful inaugural Saint John Paul II Academy Carnival and what an absolutely extraordinary blessing it was for our entire community. It was truly a day filled with laughter, music, friendship, celebration, and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

From the beautiful Gospel singers that opened the day to Kevin Dagenais and the incredible “Hot Takes” band that entertained us throughout the afternoon, the entire school grounds were alive with joy and celebration. The mariachi band brought such wonderful energy and excitement to the day and our Grade 11 entrepreneurship class amazed everyone with cotton candy, popcorn, deep fried Oreos, treats, and so much creativity and enthusiasm.

Thank you to Mr. Walters, Dr. Wilkie, and all of the students who courageously stepped into the dunk tank and made everyone laugh all afternoon long. The petting zoo was such a beautiful addition and seeing Mr. Band from Star of the Sea out on the field creating giant bubbles while children played in the sunshine brought such happiness to families everywhere.

The food was absolutely incredible. Lina Barone and Karl served wonderful hamburgers and hot dogs and of course our amazing friends from Sal y Limon blessed everyone with their delicious tacos. Inside the dining hall the community came together with vendors selling flowers, honey, pickles, spirit wear, beautiful rosaries, handmade items, and so many wonderful treasures.

Throughout the day families sold raffle tickets for the electric bicycle, balloons for the paddleboard draw, and people were singing, dancing, laughing, and embracing one another in friendship and joy. The Holy Spirit was truly present among us.

All week long the forecast threatened rain, clouds, and storms and yet our community stood together under beautiful sunshine all day long. It reminds us that when people come together in faith, community, sacrifice, and love, God always provides far beyond what we could ever imagine.

Psalm 118:24 reminds us:

Everything we do at Saint John Paul II Academy is for the glory of God through Jesus Christ under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Our school is built upon faith, sacrifice, courage, service, and love and this past weekend you saw that spirit shining throughout the entire campus.

There were thousands of hands that helped make this beautiful event possible and today we would like to thank them.

A very special thank you to our Carnival Chair, Italia Prieto. God bless you Italia for your tremendous leadership, dedication, and countless hours of hard work.

Thank you also to:

Holly King

Jenn Kudryk

Malou Antazo

Phung Pham

Dr. Vincent Tighe

Hana Hayer

Melissa Banovich

Robyn Delorme

Melissa Brum

Kim Hikichi

Ben Sears

Erica Castaneva

Adriana Basantes

Lina Barone and Karl

Lily Bi

Alejandra Ruis

Fern and Daniel Cole

Benjamin Dee

As well as the many volunteers, students, families, and supporters who worked tirelessly for months preparing for this incredible celebration. Thank you and may God richly bless each one of you.

A very special shout out to Mr. Mark Addison and the Grade 11 entrepreneurship class for the tremendous creativity, energy, excitement, and joy that you brought to the Carnival. Thank you also to Dr. Vincent Tighe for supporting and encouraging the entrepreneurship class throughout this initiative.

We would also like to thank all of the vendors, community partners, sponsors, and flea market participants for supporting Saint John Paul II Academy and helping make this event such a tremendous success.

And finally, a heartfelt thank you to Kevin Dagenais, John Higgins, and the incredible “Hot Takes” band. We are so grateful for the joy and music you brought to the community yesterday. You truly elevated the spirit of the entire Carnival.

A very special thank you as well to the Saint Nicholas Workshop Gospel singers, Eric, Timon, and Gino, who beautifully opened the day and filled our hearts with praise and worship.

Saint John Paul II once said:

That is exactly what we did yesterday.

We opened the doors to Christ through Catholic education.

We opened the doors to Christ through service.

We opened the doors to Christ through friendship, sacrifice, family, and love.

Well done to our entire Carnival Committee. May God bless each and every one of you.

We would also like to congratulate one of Dr. Wilkie’s former track students, Veronica Dee, for her extraordinary performance this past weekend at the NCAA Division 2 National Championships in Kansas. Veronica placed 4th in the nation in the 800 metres with an incredible performance and represented Canada and Simon Fraser University with tremendous courage and excellence. We are so proud of her accomplishments and the example of perseverance, humility, and determination she continues to demonstrate. Congratulations Veronica and may God continue to bless your journey and talents.

As we continue into the summer season, we are also asking for the support of our wonderful community. We are currently looking for students, parents, and volunteers to assist with summer groundskeeping and field maintenance at Saint John Paul II Academy.

This is a beautiful opportunity to complete Parent Participation Program hours, graduation volunteer hours, spend time outdoors, care for our school property, and enjoy fellowship with our community. Grass cutting, field maintenance, gardening, beautification, and campus cleanup support will all be needed throughout the summer months.

Please connect with Adriana Basantes regarding Parent Participation Program opportunities and volunteer scheduling. Double participation credits may also be available for summer volunteer service.

What a beautiful way to spend the summer by serving together, caring for God’s creation, building friendships, and preparing our campus for another incredible school year.

As we celebrate Pentecost, let us remember that true community is born when people gather in the Holy Spirit with hearts open to Christ and willing to serve one another in love.

May the Holy Spirit continue to guide our school, strengthen our families, bless our students, and unite our community in faith, joy, and purpose.

Come Holy Spirit. Fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

Wishing everyone a beautiful, peaceful, and blessed week ahead.