Senior Slay: Mekenna McDonald

This week's Senior Slay is Mekenna McDonald. Mekenna has attended Seton since Kindergarten. Mekenna stated that her favorite memory at Seton is, "when I was in confirmation class and went on the retreat. I learned a lot on that retreat and opened up so much that it brought me closer to God. Another memory is all the sleep overs that Bella and I had during the school year, and waking up and barely making it to swim practice." Her advice for younger students is "take time for yourself, your personal well being is so important for you to succeed in so many aspects of life. Staying true to yourself and focusing on yourself is what makes you a good person and student." She plans to attend Miami University in Oxford, Ohio to study pre-med with a focus on pediatrics. Mekenna has been playing volleyball for four years and baseball for one year while also being the manager of the baseball team for two years. She was also on the track team and swim team for one year. Her favorite class is Student Media. She said her "most slay moment in high school was when I got first in fly.... there was nobody else I was competing with." A fun fact about Mekenna is that she can do a cartwheel.

Winter Break

A time of rest and celebration for all. Winter Break was a fun time for everyone, whether you stayed in bed, or you went to Florida. Winter break was a time of rest, and celebrating our Savior's birth. Being off from school, and spending time with loved ones is what makes winter break fun (also we celebrate two holidays!) We hope you had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I interviewed some people about their winter break- and here is what they did over break:

Mary Daoud: "Over winter break I enjoyed spending my free time with my family."

Sophia Coyner: “My best friend was back from California. I had a new years party, it was super fun, and that’s about it!” 

Jack Fraley: “Spent some time with my family during Christmas and made sure to get in the spirit of the season. I spent time with friends and went to a midnight mass.”

Tryson Tremain: "I went to baseball practice and the Wettig tenement in Richmond."

Mckenna McDonald: “Hung out with Bella, worked a lot, had Christmas with family and Bella spent the night on Christmas.” 

Bella Diehl: "I had Christmas with McKenna. My family and I wore matching onesies. I had swim meets.” 

What a wonderful break everyone had. So we hope you had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Candlemas 2/2

What is Candlemas?

Candlemas, also known as Feast of the Presentation of Jesus, is a Christian holiday. It takes place forty days after Christmas, making it take place on February 2. Candlemas is the

blessing of candles, which were traditionally made from beeswax. After the priest sings the five orations prescribed, he will sprinkle the candles three times with holy water. The choir and parishioners sing the hymn "Aspérges Me". The priest will then distribute candles to the clergy and laity while the choir sings "The Canticle of Simeon". Following the procession, the participants carry the lighted candles and the choir sings the hymn “Adorna thalamum tuum, Sion” (“Adorn the bridal chamber, O Zion”) composed by St. John of Damascus.

The solemn procession represents the entry of Christ into the Temple of Jerusalem. Although processions are held inside the church now, during the Middle Ages the clergy left

the church and visited the cemetery surrounding it. Upon the return of the procession, a priest, carrying an image of the Holy Child, met it at the door and entered the church with the clergy. As the church was entering the sanctuary, the choir

would sing a hymn in honor of the Blessed Virgin.

What does Mosaic Law say?

According to the Mosaic law, a mother who had given birth to a son was considered unclean for seven days. On the eighth day, the son was circumcised. The mother continued to stay at home for thirty-three days for her blood to be purified

If a woman had given birth to a daughter, her time outside the temple was doubled, making it eighty days. Once the mother's time was over, the mother and father would come to the temple for the rite of purification. Which included a sacrifice: a lamb for a holocaust (burnt offering) and a pigeon or turtledove for a sin offering. Then the priest would pray for her and she would be cleansed.

Forty days after the birth of Jesus Christ, Mary was complied with this precept of the law. She recovered Jesus from the temple and was purified through the prayer of Simeon and in the presence of Anna the prophetess (Luke 2:22).

The importance of faithful parents.

As we consider the feast of the Presentation, we must remember that our parents offered us at the church for our baptism. We were then dedicated to God and given the

honorable title: Christian. We have also received a lit candle, from the paschal candle, to which the priest said, “You have been enlightened by Christ. Walk always as a child of the light and keep the flame of faith alive in your heart. When the Lord comes, may you go out to meet Him with all the saints in the heavenly kingdom.” Therefore, as a light, each of us must bear witness to the Lord our God. We must be the beacon that guides our lost brothers and sister to Christ. We must also realize that we reflect a light onto our faith, so we must do good things through Christ and try to live our lives through him.