Critical gifts in play at St. Ignatius

“Recess!” said second-grader Owen Charlot when asked about his favorite subject. Many kids are likely to agree, and research is showing that is with good reason.
Miracle Madi

EUGENE — It’s not every day that a miracle happens in your school. This year, St. Paul School here is celebrating the life of 7-year-old second-grader, Madi McCluskey. Her story is miraculous.
Shaping tomorrow’s leaders

Middle school is a pivotal time when students grow out of childhood and into young adulthood. As middle school teachers at St. Rose School in Northeast Portland have accompanied students through these transitions year after year, they have thought of an additional component to help eighth graders complete their middle-school journeys.
St. Matthew students prepare for Catholic Schools Week

HILLLSBORO — The students, staff, and families of St. Matthew School here are preparing to celebrate Catholic Schools Week Jan. 27 – Feb. 2. Included are fun events created to honor St. Matthew, as well as Catholic schools across the country.
One step at a time

WOODBURN — “We get to walk a mile to show we care!” exclaimed a student during the solidarity walk. In celebration of the feast of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the whole school walked a mile as part of the Share the Journey campaign.
And the survey says: The love Catholic education

SALEM — Students at St. Joseph School here recently were asked to complete an anonymous survey with one of the questions pertaining to what they like most about their school.
Kindergartners learn even smallest things make a big difference

St. Francis said: “It is in giving that we receive.”

St. Clare kindergartners recently experienced that good feeling that comes from doing something good for others when they completed their service project, Chores for Change.
Students assemble kits for needy

MCMINNVILLE — St. James School here collaborated with the St. James Parish peace and justice committee during Advent to create cold weather kits that were donated to a shelter in McMinnville.
On the air

At St. John Fisher School in Southwest Portland, SJF News was created as an elective for middle school students under the guidance of the principal, Merrit Holub, and is taught by the technology and innovation specialist, Jan Tullis.
Giving back

OREGON CITY — Seventh grade girls from St. John the Apostle School here volunteered to organize and decorate Christmas giving tree bags for the residents of Pioneer Community Center.
Houses focus on learning and goodness

MILWAUKIE — “I love Fridays because we get to be in our houses and build things,” said kindergartener Charlie Ploussard.
New design class helps students think outside the box

La Salle Prep senior Max Andrews knows what his grandparents like to do: Play cards.

For Christmas, he wanted to make them wooden cases for their decks of cards.

Problem was, he had no idea how.

So, in La Salle’s new Design Thinking and Tools course, he challenged himself to figure it out.
Making a difference through faith, family, inner values

When it comes to what many people would consider making an extraordinary difference in their community, St. Mary’s Academy junior Olivia DiGiulio credits her faith, family and inner values.
Sacred Heart celebrates strong Catholic identity

MEDFORD — Sacred Heart is the only preschool-eighth-grade Catholic school here. And this year the school is celebrating its 154th anniversary.
STEM students shine at Regis St. Mary

STAYTON — Regis St. Mary strives to provide quality science education for students in pre-K-12. It builds curriculum aligned with national standards, organizes enriching field trips and outdoor school, and provides current technology (including computerized data sensors and a laboratory remodel at the Regis Campus).
St. Anthony School

Townsend Powell, 13, poses with his buddy Logan Bajuscak, age 5, in the St. Anthony School library during this year’s book fair.
St. Agatha brings Christmas cheer to disadvantaged youths

St. Agatha School students donated more than 450 toys to Morrison Child and Family Services Center families as part of the Southeast Portland school’s annual Advent service project. That’s an average of two gifts from every St. Agatha student. Each year the school selects a different charity to focus on during Advent.
Genius Hour at O’Hara

EUGENE — On most Wednesday mornings, O’Hara eighth-graders can be found working in unstructured but collaborative groups as part of a new addition to their schedule: Genius Hour. It’s a concept that comes from Google, where employees are permitted to pursue projects of their own — without specific direction from management — as long as there is a potential benefit to users of Google products.
Getting hands dirty with science

SALEM — “It must have been a great day: You’re good and dirty,” said Carl Mucken, Queen of Peace principal, as the fourth-graders returned from a scientific inquiry adventure at Howard Creek.
A teacher and Jesus’ little disciples

VERBOORT — On the heels of its 10th anniversary, the preschool at Visitation School here will be expanding its “Little Knights” offerings.
Independent Learning Projects build lifelong skills

For Holy Family School eighth-graders, Jan. 2 was the beginning of the home stretch to completion of their Independent Learning Projects (ILPs). Initiated more than 20 years ago, the ILP program represents the Southeast Portland school’s commitment to lifelong learning. Beginning in September, eighth-grade students develop their projects for a presentation in the spring.
St. Andrew Nativity alumnus returns as board member

St. Andrew Nativity School in Northeast Portland recently welcomed Anthony Blake as the first graduate to serve on its board of trustees.
Waste not at Jesuit High

At Jesuit High School in Southwest Portland, students are encouraged to bring their waste back to school. For it to be properly recycled, of course.
Heroes in the making at Holy Redeemer

This year, Holy Redeemer School in North Portland is mindful that they are not only educating students, they are training heroes — heroes of faith, love and academics. The “hero” theme is being woven into the daily life of the teachers and students this year.
‘It’s all about the children’

For more than 50 years, Holy Names Sister Mary Ryan has been bringing children to Jesus in a variety of ways while serving at Catholic schools: as a teacher, principal, bus driver, morning care provider, development director and now as the new legacy giving director for Holy Cross School in North Portland.
Franciscan Montessori Earth School receives new accreditation

The Franciscan Montessori Earth School in Southeast Portland was accredited by the Western Catholic Educational Association following an accreditation visit in November.
Robotics team ranked first in league

In its second year, the De La Salle North Catholic Knights robotics team ranked first in their league after a meet Dec. 14. The team is hoping to make it to the regional finals and perhaps even to the state competition.
Central Catholic Constitution Team prepares for regional competition

The Central Catholic Constitution Team diligently listens to social studies teacher Geoff Stuckart as he covers topics that likely will come up at their competition this month: political parties and voting rights.
A recipe for learning

Every Thursday morning, Joanne Cavill lays out ingredients, bowls, utensils and a recipe. She lines everything up, counts it out and gets ready for her students. Sounds like most standard cooking classes, except for one little thing: These aren’t culinary school students, this is the pre-K class at Cathedral School in Northwest Portland.
Blanchet School announces new campaign

SALEM — As Blanchet School prepares to celebrate 25 years of operation, the school recently announced the Complete the Dream Campaign. This $4.4 million campaign will have a significant impact on several major aspects of the school. Blanchet already has received more than $3.25 million in pledges during the silent phase of the campaign.
Groups seeking a save on Outdoor School grants

The Archdiocese of Portland is working with local organizations to make sure children in private education can keep taking part in Oregon’s beloved Outdoor School.
A priest and a dad co-teach a St. Agatha religion class

At the front of a St. Agatha School classroom, eighth-grade theology teacher Arnaud Prevot begins the day’s lesson on Advent and the sacraments. He’s just a few sentences into his introduction when another voice chimes in from across the room: “Advent comes from the Latin word ‘adventus,’ meaning ‘coming.’”
Pastor celebrates 15 years

On Dec. 27, three days after the Christmas Eve tragedy at Our Lady of Lavang Parish in Northeast Portland, parishioners joined together to celebrate Pastor Ansgar Pham’s 15 year jubilee. The pastor was ordained Dec. 27, 2003, in Taichung, Taiwan.
Send us your funny photo

The life of faith is not all serious. Especially at Catholic schools, we suspect there are hilarious, diverting and comical scenes.
St. Alice embraces perpetual adoration

SPRINGFIELD — Carmelo Varo sits in the parish office, a large five-mystery rosary hanging around his neck. Varo helped kick off a call for perpetual adoration at St. Alice Parish here, offering to man every night shift from 9 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. for 40 nights.
Former UP chaplain listed in sex abuse report

A former University of Portland chaplain, Holy Cross Father James Trepanier, is listed in a report of 18 priests credibly accused of sexually abusing minors in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana. Father Trepanier was chaplain from 1964 to 1967.
Knights build ramp for brother

SWEET HOME — When a long-time St. Helen Parish member and Knight of Columbus here fell ill and needed a wheelchair ramp at his home, his brother knights came to his aid.
Students facing high odds help one another

At Gonzaga University, a first-year student from a farm-working non-college family spoke at the university’s U.N.-sponsored International Day of Tolerance earlier this year.
Annual Jesuit food drive helps hundreds of local families

On Dec. 20, the Jesuit High School student center became a food sorting and distribution hub, with canned food reaching the ceiling, just more than 15 feet.
Filipinos celebrate rich Advent tradition

Holding “parols,” star-shaped lanterns inscribed with words such as “joy,” the organizers for Simbang Gabi Masses around the Archdiocese of Portland processed down the aisle of St. Mary Cathedral in Portland Dec. 15. The commissioning Mass kicked off Simbang Gabi, celebrated in the Filipino community in the days leading up to Christmas.
A parish honors its ‘cornerstones’

A North Portland pastor convened his flock Dec. 15 to honor four parishioners who have gone beyond the call of duty — for a long time.

Society of Christ Father Piotr Dzikowski had the parish hall set with tablecloths and a classic Polish buffet as a tribute to two couples — Velma and Pat Conte and Margot and Miroslaw Zychla.
UP mock trial team triumphs

The University of Portland mock trial team competed in the University of Oregon’s annual tournament Nov. 17-18, and for the first time in program history, U.P.’s A team won the tournament, with the B team taking third.
Students facing high odds help one another

At Gonzaga University, a first-year student from a farm-working non-college family spoke at the university’s U.N.-sponsored International Day of Tolerance earlier this year.
Apparition Re-enacted

Luis Heredia, dressed as St. Juan Diego, and Erika Tafoya, dressed as Our Lady of Guadalupe, pose for a shot after an apparition performance in honor of the Guadalupe feast day celebration at St. Matthew Parish in Hillsboro.
Oregon parish and African school ‘walk’ with each other

LAKE OSWEGO — Members of Our Lady of the Lake Parish are walking side by side with Tanzanian nuns, teachers and students who want to empower girls to help their east African nation.
Dancing for Our Lady

Men participate in a traditional danza de los viejitos, Spanish for dance of the old men, as part of the Guadalupe feast day festivities at St. Alexander Parish in Cornelius. The danze de los viejitos is a traditional folk dance in Michoacán, Mexico.
Faithful consecrate their lives to Mary

BEAVERTON — Dressed in white and holding their scapulars and miraculous medals, men, women and children of all ages sat in St. Cecilia Church here during the Spanish Mass celebrated for the Immaculate Conception of Mary Dec. 8.
Major decision: When and how to pick your field of study

When Danielle Teague enrolled in college, she had a plan. She was going to be a doctor.

A few premed classes in, however, and physical therapy seemed like a better fit. So, she changed her major to kinesiology. Not long into an internship, she had another revelation.
Western Catholic colleges

Interested in attending a Catholic college in the west? We've got the facts for you.
Volleyball season comes to close

Catholic Youth Organization wrapped up the 2018 volleyball season Nov. 17. The final day included amazing games that showcased hard work from coaches and players. The Spike Championship games were held at Valley Catholic School in Beaverton.
Money magazine says UP tops for value in Oregon

The University of Portland was named the best college in Oregon for value in an annual ranking by Money magazine.

U.P. ranked 115th nationally for value, up from 173th two years ago. Other Oregon schools featured in the rankings include Oregon State University, ranked at 312th; Lewis and Clark College, 441th; Reed College, 565th; and George Fox, 570th.
Table of remembrance

When Father Rodel de Mesa came to Holy Family Parish in Southeast Portland five years ago, he brought a longstanding Filipino tradition with him — a table of remembrance.
Singing Marian prayers

Men and women sat and kneeled in the pews surrounding the altar at St. Juan Diego Parish in Northwest Portland as Aaron Thompson brushed the keys of the piano, creating the notes for his song. Thompson, a parishioner at the parish, sang an arrangement of the rosary, which he’d composed himself for the bimonthly sung rosary here.
Hot Shots hoops: Learning and fun

Catholic Youth Organization completed another fall Hot Shots season on Nov. 10. Hot Shots is the CYO basketball program for first- and second-graders.

Eight of the nine teams chose to play in the end-of-season tournament. There were two tournament pools, one at Holy Family Parish in Southeast Portland and the other at Holy Redeemer Parish in North Portland.
Making a difference one sandwich at a time

The Holy Family cafeteria was abuzz with activity Nov. 20 as third- and seventh-grade students packed 120 sack lunches for Willamette Women’s Shelter. Each month, two grades at the Southeast Portland school work together to make the sandwiches, which they then place in brown bags along with fresh fruit, granola bars and bottled water.
Catholic schools out in football

Top-ranked Lake Oswego High knocked both Central Catholic and Jesuit out of the Oregon 6A prep football bracket. Central Catholic went down to the Lakers 35-24 on Nov. 16 and Jesuit lost 24-14 in the Nov. 23 semifinal.
Regis St. Mary community prepares meals for the hungry

STAYTON — On Oct. 26, the Regis St. Mary community gathered to help feed hungry children. Teachers, administrators, parents, grandparents and students ranging from kindergarten to high school took part in two-hour packing sessions to prepare meals for children around the world.
The power of mercy

Charlotte Dorsey, a longtime volunteer with the St. Vincent de Paul Society through Our Lady of the Mountain Parish in Ashland, works to see Christ in the people she helps. “And as we go out, we’re being Christ to others, at least the best we know how. I like thinking about that going on around the world.”