Adoption “is” an option at St. Raphael School

by Sr. Therese Collison, SSND Principal, St. Raphael School

As the 2004-2005 school year opened, the students and staff of St. Raphael School in Springfield began the process of “adoption.” Donna Schmitz, Coordinator of the Respect Life Committee of the Council of Catholic Women, invited the children and staff members of St. Raphael School to participate in a national Spiritual Adoption program sponsored by the CCW. On Tuesday, Sept. 7, during a special prayer service, everyone was encouraged to spiritually adopt an unborn child, give the child a special name, and pray for this child every day throughout the school year. Now, each month, a poster depicting the development of the unborn child is displayed and everyone can watch the growth of their spiritually adopted baby. In May, there will be a Baby Shower to celebrate the birth of “our” babies, with all gifts going to an area Pregnancy Center.

As a school community, we also respond to our “brothers and sisters” in the larger global community by adopting a child from another country, such as Africa, Guatemala, or the Philippines. Through our Pennies For The Poor projects we collect money so that our adopted friends will have food, clothing, medicine, and school supplies. We receive pictures of our adopted friends and correspond with them through cooperating organizations.

The school also participates in two other Council of Catholic Women projects - the Water For Life program and in February we purchase valentines to help Guatemalan children through the Mission of Love Project. The purchased valentines are sent to our New Ulm diocesan sponsored Mission in Guatemala and the children there redeem them for food, medicine, and school supplies. The Tsunami disaster has presented another opportunity for us to reach out and help those in need. As a school, we are collecting money to send to Catholic Relief Services.

Locally, students in several of our classes adopt a grandparent at St. John’s Lutheran Home with whom they visit and share activities. This year, students in Mrs. Forster’s fifth grade class chose to give a gift to their adopted “grandparent” rather than exchange gifts during their classroom Christmas party.

Adopted grandparents spend time with students in a variety of ways such as welcoming and greeting students several mornings a week or spending time with them in the gym before the bell rings, or helping them with reading and math. These “adopted grandparents” are very important to all of us at St. Raphael School.

St. Raphael School’s outreach to others will not end here, nor will the generosity of our “adopted” grandparents end in our school. No matter in what way we “adopt” others into our lives, we always enrich ourselves.