Faith and Service
A Source of
FAITH AT AQUINAS
Service is an integral part of the student experience at Aquinas Catholic Schools. Younger grades, including preschool and 4K students, gain greater appreciation of community needs by collecting items to support community agencies. As students grow older, they become more involved in local efforts and extend their outreach to support national and international causes. Many schools sponsor a fellow student at Casa Hogar de Juan Pablo II, an orphanage in Peru.
Each year, middle school students collect over two tons of food during the Thanksgiving season, filling an entire school bus and delivering the items to Wafer.
High school students serve community needs through the National Honor Society and IMPACT, a student-created and student-led service organization. Students in IMPACT alone donate more than 4,000 hours of community service annually.
Students have the opportunity to pray and worship the Lord in many ways:
-
Student-led weekly Mass
-
Rosary Services
-
Stations of the Cross
-
Reconciliation
-
Grade level retreats
-
May Crowning
-
ACS Mass - celebrated on the Feast Day of St. Thomas Aquinas
-
Commencement Mass
-
Baccalaureate
Integration of Religion
Students participate in daily prayer and religious instruction. The pastors and deacons of the La Crosse deanery participate in the faith life of the schools through the celebration of Mass and classroom visits.
Fourth, Eighth, and Eleventh grade students participate in the annual Diocesan Faith Attitudes and Practices Survey as well as the Faith Knowledge Assessment. A priest is assigned as chaplain for Aquinas Middle School and Aquinas High School and actively participates in the life of the school. An Aquinas Middle and High School Campus Minister is responsible for the organization of annual retreats for each grade (7-12), Reconciliation Services during Advent and Lent, and other faith opportunities and events throughout the school year.
Aquinas High School is privileged to work with the diocesan houses of formation for young men and women. Over the last five years,14 Aquinas graduates have entered seminary or religious life.
By integrating the Catholic faith with quality learning experiences, Aquinas Catholic Schools assists students with developing skills for becoming responsible members of our school, faith, and civic communities.
Weekly Mass Schedule
Cathedral Elementary School
9:30am every Wednesday
Blessed Sacrament Elementary School
8:05am every Wednesday
St. Patrick Elementary School
8:00am every Tuesday (Grades K5 - 2)
8:00am every Thursday (Grades 3-6)
Aquinas Middle & High School
10:00am every Wednesday
The Aquinas High School chapel is open throughout the day for reflection and prayer as well as optional daily morning liturgies.
Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation
Each parish is responsible for the formal preparation of children in 2nd grade for First Reconciliation and First Communion. While the parishes take the lead in this sacramental preparation, Aquinas Catholic Schools supports our parishes by giving extra attention to these important sacrament preparations in 2nd grade Religion class.
Each parish is also responsible for the formal preparation of young people for the Sacrament of Confirmation in 10th grade. Aquinas Catholic Schools supports the parishes through the religion curriculum, specifically the 10th grade semester course ‘Sacraments’.
Special Masses
An All-School Mass is held for all students of Aquinas Catholic Schools on the Feast Day of St. Thomas Aquinas (January 28).
The Golden Mass is celebrated by the middle and high school students on the last day of school before Christmas.
Baccalaureate and Commencement Masses culminate school experiences.
Awards
"In My Name" Award
In the spring of 2011, Catholic Charities of La Crosse awarded IMPACT, Aquinas High School's student-led service organization with the "In My Name" Award. This annual award honors the individual and organization that have worked substantially to promote social justice and meet the needs of others in their community.
National Catholic High School Honor Roll
In 2008 and 2009, Aquinas High School was named one of the top 50 Catholic high schools in the nation. The Acton Institute awards this distinction to schools that best promote academic achievement, Catholic identity and civic education.
Supporting Parishes
Aquinas Catholic Schools is fortunate to have thirteen parishes providing financial and spiritual support to our school system. Priests take an active role in shaping our students to be active Christians through our weekly and all-school Masses, and attend many of our school events. Collectively, they fund approximately 33% of the system revenue through parish donations. These supporting parishes are:
Rev. Billy Dodge
Rev. Samuel McCarty
Deacon David Allen
130 Losey Boulevard South
La Crosse, WI 54601
Phone: (608) 782-2953
Fax: (608) 785-1064
Cathedral of St. Joseph, the Workman
Msgr. Richard Gilles
Deacon Joseph Richards
Deacon Thomas Skemp
530 Main St.
La Crosse, WI 54601
Phone: (608) 782-0322
Fax: (608) 782-8228
Holy Trinity
Rev. G. Richard Roberts
1333 S. 13th St.
La Crosse, WI 54601
Phone: (608) 782-2028
Mary, Mother of the Church
Fr. Brian Konopa
Deacon Terrence L. Bell
2006 Weston St.
La Crosse, WI 54601
Phone: (608) 788-5483
Fax: (608) 788-4070
Roncalli Newman
Rev. Billy Dodge
Rev. Samuel McCarty
Deacon David Belland
1732 State St.
La Crosse, WI 54601
Phone: (608) 784-4994
Fax: (608) 784-0230
St. Charles Borromeo
Rev. Daniel Sedlacek
701 Walnut St.
Genoa, WI 54632
Phone: (608) 689-2646
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Rev. James Weighner
515 N. Main St
Holmen, WI 54636
Phone: (608) 526-4424
Fax: (608) 526-3177
St. James the Less
Rev. Robert Letona
Deacon Jason Hutzler
1032 Caledonia St.
La Crosse, WI 54603
Phone: (608) 782-7557
Fax: (608) 796-0086
St. Joseph
Fr. Biju Chennala Kunjukutty
W2601 Hwy 33, RR1
La Crosse, WI 54601
Phone: (608) 788-1646
St. Teresa of Kolkata
Msgr. Jeffrey Burrill
Deacon Robert Zietlow
210 W. Hamlin
West Salem, WI 54669
Phone: (608) 786-0610
Fax: (608) 486-1305
St. Mary
Rev. Joseph M. Richards
Deacon Anthony F. Shay
900 Central Ave.
Coon Valley, WI 54623
Phone: (608) 452-3841
St. Patrick
Msgr. Steven Kachel
Rev. Timothy M. Reither
Deacon Frank J. Abnet
1031 Main St.
Onalaska, WI 54650
Phone: (608) 783-5535
St. Peter (Middle Ridge)
Fr. Biju Chennala Kunjukutty
Box 101, W695 Hwy 33
Rockland, WI 54653
Phone: (608) 486-2180
