Elementary schools in the Waterloo Catholic District School Board are always looking for ways that they can incorporate sustainable practices into their teaching and St. Paul’s School is no different.  As pandemic restrictions eased this spring, the students at the school were eager to create a vegetable garden in their courtyard. 

With some plants and seeds provided from our parish garden, the students made a plan.  Father Raphael came on planting day and blessed the garden, the gardeners, the tools and the plants.  He also taught them about St. Fiacre, the patron saint of gardens. Fiacre was a skillful user of healing herbs.  As he earned fame for his knowledge of plants, disciples flocked to him. The school custodian, Mr. Ward is going to care for the plants over the summer. When the students return in the fall, they will have tomatoes, celery, beans and pumpkins to harvest.  The students plan on sharing the harvest with the students at the school to supplement their snack program.