holy spirit school

Holy Spirit Pre-K Students Bring Gifts for Baby Jesus

By Kirk Kramer
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the Issue of 12/21/06)

Cathy Gagnon’s pre-school students at Holy Spirit School in Annandale brought gifts to a class birthday party on Dec. 15. The guest of honor was Baby Jesus. The gifts were chosen in His honor with other babies in mind: the babies, and their mothers, at the Mariah Center, a crisis pregnancy center in Alexandria.
Gagnon’s students took a lively interest in the project.
Maureen Ashby, Holy Spirit’s physical education teacher, is also the mother of one of those students.
“Patrick was excited to go to the store and decide what he thought the baby would need,” she said. “He picked out trucks.”
The children were eager to tell a visitor to the birthday party what gifts they had chosen. Besides a toy tool box, “Love My Lips” lip balm and Patrick’s trucks, the presents included diapers, pajamas and other clothes, bottles, baby formula and hand-made blankets.
The original inspiration for the party came to Gagnon several years ago when she was a teacher at St. Bernadette School in Springfield.
“I saw a story on TV about students at the public schools in Arlington who were making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the homeless,” she said. “I thought, we should be doing that, so we started making sandwiches for Martha’s Table [a homeless shelter in Washington].
“I feel that especially in Catholic schools — even at 4 and 5 — the children can learn to help other people, even in a small way. When you ask the kids from my old school what was their favorite thing about St. Bernadette’s, they will say making sandwiches for the homeless.
“These children are too young to do something on their own, but when they are 17 or 18, they will remember. That little seed has been planted. This is an important part of a Catholic education — service to others.”
The lesson Gagnon sought to teach her students at Holy Spirit with the party for Baby Jesus appears to be taking root.
Asked the reason for the party and the gifts, young Matty LeClercq had a ready answer.
“For the babies that don’t have much,” he said.
Matty also noted that he helped his mother make cupcakes for the party. Before digging into them, the children sang “Happy Birthday” to Baby Jesus.
Holy Spirit Principal Sarah Schmitt praised the efforts of Gagnon’s students.
“This helps to focus the children’s celebration of Christmas on its real reason, which is Jesus,” said Schmitt. “It gets them thinking beyond gifts for themselves, to other babies who are in need.”
During Advent, the school week at Holy Spirit begins with a prayer service.
“At the service, we talk about the preparation of our hearts, that we be prepared spiritually,” said Schmitt.
The day of the party began with Mass in the parish church, attended by the children of the school. The reverence and prayerfulness of the children — their silence in God’s house before, during and after Mass — gave testimony to the power of the example and the lessons taught by their teachers.
Mary Wargel, mother of three students, praised the school.
“My husband is retiring from the Navy soon,” she said. “This school is why we’re staying here instead of taking a job in another part of the country. When our daughter was ill last year, the school supported us so much.
“When it comes down to it, this school is a family.”
Also helping at the birthday party for Baby Jesus in Gagnon’s class were teachers Megan Bonitatibus and Kara Barger, eight parents and Holy Spirit parochial vicar Father James Searby.\

To make donations to Mariah Center, call 703/370-4774, weekdays between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.