Tomorrow is Family Day, a good day to pause and thank God for the gift of our families. We know that parents and those who act as parents in the lives of our students can be models of wisdom.
Loving God,
You gave us the commandment to honour our father and mother.
In Your loving kindness hear our prayers for parents,
and for those who play parenting roles in the lives of our students.
Give them long lives and keep them well in body and spirit.
Bless their work; keep them always in Your care.
Bless them generously for their loving care for our students.
May we always be their support and comfort;
May we all experience the joy of together praising You forever.
Amen.
Carnaval Week
What an amazing Carnaval week, at St. Mark CES!
We thank M. Isada for planning a wonderful week of Carnaval inspired learning activities, theme days, and fun events! We look forward to next year!
Vive le Carnaval!
St. Mark Parish Upcoming Events
St. Mark Parish is pleased to share some special events coming up at the church in March.
His Eminence Frank Cardinal Leo, Archbishop of Toronto and His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins will visit St. Mark Parish in March.
Cardinal Leo will celebrate the 11:00 a.m. Mass at our parish on Sunday, March 1st and a reception will follow in the parish hall.
Cardinal Collins will lead a lenten retreat at our parish on Saturday, March 14th. He will celebrate the 9:00 a.m. Mass and the retreat will follow in the parish hall from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. To participate in this lenten retreat, register online: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeF4pMDpsovMehD9dFD1yJrXpO9Unth6TIXto7eTijvy31j6A/viewform
Another exciting event will take place at St. Mark’s Church on PALM SUNDAY, March 29, 2026 at 3:30 p.m.
St. Mark’s Parish will proudly present “The Cross of Christ,” an original oratorio based on the seven last words of Christ on the cross performed by a symphony orchestra. This sacred musical work written for four operatic voices and orchestra, was entirely composed, by Romulo Delgado, one of Canada’s top tenors, region finalist at the Hans Gabor Belvedere International Opera competition in Vienna, Austria. Tenor Romulo Delgado will perform his original work along with the following guest artists: Andrew Tees (bass-baritone), Sara Papini (soprano) and Lillian Brooks (mezzo-soprano).
This wonderful event is a powerful expression of devotion and culture.
On the threshold of the Holy Week 2026, this Lenten concert is a catechetical musical presentation of Christ’s suffering and of his tremendous love for us, meant not only for an audience that expects to enjoy some beautiful music, but also as an aid in one’s personal journey of faith, a true preparation for the upcoming Paschal Triduum.
Tickets are $50 per person.
Tickets can be purchased at St. Mark’s Parish Office 905-640-6954, online at http://bit.ly/4q1zANq or by scanning the QR Code below.
Kindergarten Registration
Don’t forget, the 2026-2027 Kindergarten registration at the York Catholic District School Board is open! We invite you to share this information with friends and family who have children of Kindergarten age in our St. Mark CES community.
Parents and guardians are invited to register online at: www.ycdsb.ca/admissions.
Catholic School Council (CSC) Fundraiser
Tomorrow is the last day to purchase BIG boxes in support of St. Mark CSC’s fundraiser! Students are encouraged to use their paper order form to collect orders and payments from friends, extended family members, and coworkers. Parents and guardians can then submit them online through School Day. It’s that easy!
Choose from the following BIG boxes:
All Occasion Card Box – $35
Birthday Card Box – $35
Holiday Card Box – $35
Big Box of Candles – $40
Don’t forget, if our school sells…
– at least 75 boxes, there will be a pizza party for the top selling class per division;
– at least 150 boxes, the top selling individual student per division will win a $25 gift card;
– at least 400 boxes, the top-selling individual student will receive a Samsung 8” Tablet!
Visit www.school-day.com to place all orders by tomorrow, Monday, February 16th at 11:59pm!
Thank you for all your support of this fundraiser!
Shrove Tuesday
A reminder that on Shrove Tuesday, February 17th, our Catholic School Council is sponsoring whole-grain pancakes (snack-size) with syrup, prepared by Kid’s Kitchen (https://www.kidskitchen.ca/), a nut-free kitchen. For students with egg and/or dairy allergies, an alternate waffle snack will be provided. Students will receive this special treat during first snack.
Please see the attached information for ingredients and nutrition information.
Pancake Ingredients_Feb2026PC Original Waffles_Feb2026
Syrup Ingredients_Feb2026
Please contact the main office if you have any questions or do not wish for your child to receive this snack on Shrove Tuesday.
We thank our Catholic School Council for arranging this special treat for our students!
Primary Theatricks Drama Program
Due to unforeseen circumstances, last week’s Primary Theatricks Drama Program session on Tuesday, February 10th was cancelled. This session will be rescheduled on Tuesday, February 24th.
Thank you for your understanding.
Next Week’s Activities and Events
Here is a look ahead to next week…
Monday, February 16th:
– Family Day (no school)
Tuesday, February 17th:
– Shrove Tuesday snack-size pancakes (waffle for egg and/or dairy allergies), delivered to students for 1st snack; sponsored by CSC
– Theatricks Drama Program, Grades 1-3 classes, make up class (January 6th)
– Praying with the Rosary Apostolate, all classes
Wednesday, February 18th:
– Ash Wednesday Service at St. Mark Parish, 10:10am; all families are welcome to attend
Thursday, February 19th:
– HERO program, facilitated by St. Mark Parish Youth Minister
> Grade 5 (Bufalini), 12:10-12:50pm
> Grade 6 (Mc Ginnes), 12:50-1:30pm
> Grade 6 (De Acetis), 1:45-2:25pm
Friday, February 20th:
– Grade 6 (De Acetis) STREAM Centre Visit at All Saints CES, all day
Upcoming Activities and Events
February 24th: Theatricks Drama Program, Grades 1-3 classes, make up class (February 10th)
February 25th: PINK Shirt Day
February 27th: Coby Anti-Bullying Magic Shows
March 3rd & 5th: Dairy Farmers of Ontario Presentations
March 6th: Virtue Buddies: A Focus on Perseverance
March 12th: Board-Wide Lenten Mass (Virtual), 1:45pm
March 16th-20th: March Break (no school)
March 24th: Praying with the Rosary Apostolate, all classes
March 26th: HERO program, facilitated by St. Mark Parish Youth Minister
> Grade 5 (Bufalini), 12:10-12:50pm
> Grade 6 (McGinnes), 12:50-1:30pm
> Grade 6 (De Acetis), 1:45-2:25pm
March 27th: Stations of the Cross, 12:30pm in the gymnasium
Closing Prayer
In February, we celebrate the virtue of wisdom, one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Let us close with the Serenity Prayer:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Amen.
St. Mark, pray for us.
Wishing you a fantastic week!
Sincerely,
C. Quadrini, Principal