A small Catholic school with a student enrolment of just 70 students raised eyebrows at the 2022 Fraser South Track and Field Championships, with five first-place finishes, seven second place, five thirds, and several other top 10 results.

As a board member of the Saint John Paul II Academy Foundation I have watched this high school in White Rock continue to grow in its faith, academic, community, and athletic endeavours. I can say that the 19 student athletes from SJP2 Academy who competed in 23 events may have arrived at the meet as unknowns, but they left with lasting memories of their high-level competitiveness and achievement.

Coached by Mark Wilkie, the team was predominantly made up of Grades 8, 9, and 10 boys and girls, with just one senior athlete competing.

 Junior girls athlete Lucie King clears a hurdle.

Leading the charge for the girls was Lucie King whose 28 total points were earned by winning both the junior girls steeplechase and 1500-metre race, and finishing second in the 3000-metre race.

The boys’ results were helped by Matthias Dee with a second-place finish in the junior boys 300-meter hurdles, a third place in long jump, and a fifth in the high jump.

SJP2 junior boys runner Matthias Dee, right.

In the Special Olympics division, grad 8 student Abeti Gutsche finished second in both the boys 100- and 200-metre sprints, while Joh Diego finished third in the shot put.

rade 8 boys Special Olympic athlete Abeti Gutsche (#878).

In the team sprints, the SJP2 Academy girls won the Grade 8 4×100 metre race and the junior girls 4×400  metre, and finished second in the junior girls 4×100 metre race.

Mia Beliveau (#860) and Mya Bernett racing for SJP2 Academy.

Grade 8 sprinter Mya Bernett won the 100-metre race while fellow SJP2 Grade 8 sprinter Mia Beliveau finished fourth. These two combined to finish second and third respectively in the 200-metre race.

Ken Prout is a member of the SJP2 Academy Foundation Board in White Rock.

A grotto for a Mother

At Church of Ascension in Parksville, Mother’s Day was not only a day to pay tribute to the blessings given to mothers, it was also a day to celebrate the work of parishioners who devoted their many talents to a singular mission – the completion of an impressive Marian grotto on the church grounds.

Dedication of the new Marian grotto at Church of Ascension, Parksville. (Church of the As

Started two years ago after a request by Father Mike Favaro, a committee led by long-time parishioner Dennis Beliveau managed budgeting, research, architecture, communications, contractors, and volunteer labour. 

After the 10:30 a.m. Mass and under clear skies, a dedication ceremony was led by Father Favaro and current pastor Father Thomas Chinnappa. Those gathered prayed a decade of the Rosary and sang hymns and were later joined for a blessing by Victoria Bishop Gary Gordon.

The grotto grounds are adorned with plants, comfortable benches (that seat up to eight) and grey brick to house and protect the stunning five-foot-high statue of the Blessed Virgin. 

From Rome with Latin

When Latin class students at Traditional Learning Academy asked teacher Cameron McManus if there is anyone alive who actually uses Latin fluently, he told them about the popes, who compose papal encyclicals first in Latin before they are translated into other languages. 

Traditional Learning Academy students holding the letters they received in Latin from Popes Francis and Benedict XVI. (TLA)

The thought occurred to the students that they could write to Pope Francis in Latin, and since we also have pope emeritus in Benedict XVI, they could double their chances of getting a reply.

Both men are enthusiastic Latinists – Pope Francis publicly encourages children to study it, and Pope Benedict when speaking to a group of international cardinals  once suggested he speak to them all in Latin to save time (as opposed to translating into each language). They turned down the suggestion.

So each student in Grades 5-8 Latin wrote a letter covering a wide range of topics, from telling about their families and asking about the popes’ interests, to promising and requesting prayers.

Students were ecstatic when they received replies from both Pope Francis and Pope Benedict. Below are sample student letters and the papal replies.


Christianus Janek, discipulus Academiae Disciplinae Traditionalis, Scholae Catholicae in Coquitla, Canada: Papae Francisco.  

Ave Papa. Nomen mihi est Christianus. Amo meam familiam, canes, et ursas. Amabo te, ora pro Matre mea et Patre meo: quia laborant devote pro me, meis fratribus, et sorore. Habeo II fratres, sororem, canem, et II aves. Ora autem pro mea schola, amabo te, ut non terminetur. Deus te benedicat.

 

(Christian Janek, a student of Traditional Learning Academy, a Catholic school in Coquitla, Canada: to Pope Francis.

Hail, Pope! My name is Christian. I love my family, dogs, and bears. Please pray for my Mom and my Dad, because they work very hard for me, my brothers, and my sister. I have two brothers, a sister, a dog, and two birds. Please pray also for my school, that it may not cease to be. God bless you. )

 

Benedictus Choy, discipulus Academiae Disciplinae Traditionalis, Scholae Catholicae in Coquitla, Canada, Christianus et Catholicus: Papae Emerito Benedicto XVI. 

Ave, quid agis hodie? Sum bene. Habeo quinque fratres et sorores. Sunt Braedenus, Bernardus, Brendanus, Catharina, et Clarissa. Habeo XII annos. Es laetus papa? Puto quod es laetus papa. Es pius et bonus papa. Oro pro te. 

(Benedict Choy, a student of Traditional Learning Academy, a Catholic school in Coquitlam, Canada, a Christian and Catholic: to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. 

Hail, how are you? I am well. I have five brothers and sisters. They are Brayden, Bernard, Brendan, Caitlin, and Clarisse. I am 12 years old. Are you happy as Pope? I think you are happy as pope. You are a holy and good pope. I’m praying for you. )

 

Eduardus Li, discipulus Academiae Disciplinae Traditionalis, Scholae Catholicae in Coquitla, Canada: Papae Francisco.

Ave, Papa Francisce. Sum Eduardus Li. Sum in Gradu V in Canada. Sum solus filius. Habeo nullas sorores, nullos fratres. Ora pro me, quia non possum ludere cum amicis meis propter coronavirum. Sed vita non erit sic in aeternum. Vale Papa. 

(Eddie Li, a student of Traditional Learning Academy, a Catholic school in Coquitlam Canada: to Pope Francis.

Hail, Pope Francis! I am Eddie Li. I am in Grade 5 in Canada. I am an only child. I have no sisters or brothers. Pray for me, for I cannot play with my friends because of the coronoavirus. But life won’t be like this forever. Goodbye, Pope! )


Replies in Latin from Popes Francis and Benedict.

Egregie Magister, dilecti Discipuli,

               ad Summum Pontificem Franciscum epistulae vestrae, Latino sermone diligenter perscriptae, pervenerunt. Ipse non solum pro hoc urbanitatis signo sed etiam pro precibus vestris gratias vobis amanter persolvit eodemque tempore a Deo, intercedente Beat Maria Virgine, copiosa dona vobis expostulat.

               Summus Pontifex vos omnes ad crescendum in fide ac in operibus bonis erga proximos horatur, dum omnes, tum praeceptores tum alumnus scholae vestrae, precibus suis prosequitur atque Apostolicam Benedictionem paterne impertitur.

               Haec pro officio meo vobis scribens, comiter vos saluto.

               A. Robertus CONA
               Assessor Secretariae Status

 

 Egregie Magister, dilecti Discipuli,

               Papa Emeritus Benedictus XVI nuper accepit epistulas vestras sermone Latino perscriptas. 

               Ipse imo ex pectore plurimas vobis agit gratias et vos omnes ad fiduciam in Deo ponendam necnon ad stadium linguae Latinae benigne adhortatur.

               Interea Papa Emeritus vosmetipsos, familias vestras una cum praeceptoribus praepositisque vestris, precibus suis prosequitur et prosperitates omniaque bona ominatur.

               Haec pro officio meo vobis scribens, comiter vos saluto.

               A. Robertus CONA
               Assessor Secretariae Status