We are a little over a month into the school year, and by now, I hope your family is settling into a good rhythm of routines: packing lunches, signing planners, navigating drop-off and pick-up, and everything in between. But here’s another routine worth checking in on:
How is your Sunday Mass attendance routine?
If that question gives you a little gut-check, you’re not alone! Between sports, family activities, and the general busyness of life, it can be easy to let weekend Mass slip down the priority list. Yet, all that hustle doesn’t always bring us the peace, joy, and fulfillment we’re searching for.
In full transparency, 86% of our school families identify as Catholic, and the majority of our remaining families identify with another Christian faith. Those are encouraging numbers, but what does faith look like in practice? Are we making time to prioritize our relationship with God and grow in faith together as a family?
Bishop Ricken has called us to “Reclaim Sunday” as a day of worship, rest, and service, and I’m personally inviting our Notre Dame of De Pere community to embrace this call. Making weekend Mass a priority as a family is an opportunity to step away from the busyness, reconnect with God, and refocus on what matters most. When we make time for Him, we create space to listen, discern His will, and move forward with greater purpose.
Our K–8 students have the opportunity to participate in and pray the Mass together every week at school. Now, let’s work toward carrying that same intentionality into our homes and weekends. Let’s reclaim Sunday as the Lord’s Day and make faith a priority in our family routines!
Introducing Our Weekend Mass Punch Cards!
To support this goal and encourage intentional conversations about faith at home, we are launching weekend Mass punch cards this week. Each student will receive a card to bring home. Here’s how it works:
- Attend Mass: Bring your punch card when your family attends a weekend Mass.
- Get your card punched: If you attend Mass at St. Francis Xavier or St. Mary, drop your card in the clear box at the Scrip table labeled NDDP Mass Attendance Cards. The parish will punch or initial the card and return it to school for your student before the following weekend.
- Attending another church? Simply ask the pastor, deacon, or another minister to initial the punch area on your card. Bringing a pen along may be helpful! If you’re unable to get an initial at church, stop by the school office on Monday morning, and we’ll be happy to sign it.
- Earn a NUT card! Once your student fills their punch card, they can turn it in to the school office for a No Uniform Today (NUT) card and receive a new punch card to continue the routine.
Eight weekend Masses will fill a punch card. My hope is that these eight opportunities will become more than just a completed card or a NUT day. I hope they help our families build a lasting habit of worship, strengthen our relationships with God, and create meaningful time together.
Let’s commit to making Sunday about more than the next activity on the calendar. Let’s make it a day to worship, rest, serve, and grow together in faith.
Molly Mares, Principal
Pray Hard. Work Hard. Dream Big.
Notre Dame of De Pere School is part of the Green Bay Area Catholic Education (GRACE) School System. It is a private Catholic school serving Preschool and Elementary through 8th grade (PK3-8) with open enrollment. NDDP provides an individualized education in a faith-based environment. Each child is supported not only academically, but spiritually. The best way to learn more about NDDP is to visit! Click here to schedule a tour.
