Advent

Dear Academy Families,

Thank you to all who remembered me in their prayers last week. My precautionary quarantine was punctuated by an unambiguous “negative” on Sunday. It has been good to be back.

There are signs all around us of Advent excitement for the coming of our Savior (and for coming of the two-week holiday scheduled in honor of his birth!). Last week, Saint Nicholas visited the Lower School; this week, students from all levels will help prepare our hearts for Christmas through music; finally, next week, Middle and Upper scholars will enjoy an Advent ritual that is somewhat less-celebrated, despite its proven ability to provoke anticipation—semester exams!

Looking ahead to January and the spring semester, Father Lewis and Father Jenkins will be available for only one school Mass per day. We will continue to hold Mass at 9:00 a.m., but there will no longer be a 12:50 p.m. school Mass. This will prompt the following adjustments:

1) For the first week of the spring semester (January 4th-8th), only PreK-5th scholars will attend the 9:00 a.m. Mass. They will sit in their normal seats. Though it is optional, parents of 6th-12th graders are encouraged to bring their older scholars early in order to join parishioners for the 7:00 a.m. Mass for this week.

2) If we do not see any signs of a possible outbreak during our first week back, we will plan to transition to an all-school Mass the second week of the semester, beginning Monday, January 11th. We will accomplish this safely by a) maintaining a “buffer” pew between each grade-level cohort, b) utilizing the narthex, both cry rooms, and the choir loft for student seating.

3) This will mean that during the first week of the semester (January 4th-8th), Middle and Upper scholars should bring their rosary, bible, journal (optional), and a volume of spiritual reading for use in their classrooms during their normal Mass period. (This might be a nice excuse to buy your teenager The Imitation of Christ, The Seven Storey Mountain, or The Way for Christmas…)

4) As you might have anticipated, the change of Mass time will have an effect on the Lower School academic schedule. We are working this out and plan to publish an update prior to the break.

Even in more normal times, we take seriously the trust you place in us to educate your children and keep them safe. In times like these we are humbled by it. If you have any questions or concerns about this adjustment to our Safe Return Plan, please do not hesitate to contact me or Dr. Tovar ( health@atonementonline.com).

Keep moving. Let us continue to pray for one another. 

Our Lady of The Atonement—pray for us!

Your servant,


Matthew David Watson
Head of School