Faith, Calendars and Astronomy! Happy Easter everyone! I hope you all receive many blessings from Our Risen Lord this day. As a fun aside, I gathered some research to answer the question, why does the date of Easter always change, unlike Christmas?

 “The date of Easter is determined in each year through a calculation known as computus paschalis (Latin for 'Easter computation'). Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the Paschal full moon (a mathematical approximation of the first astronomical full moon, on or after 21 March – itself a fixed approximation of the March equinox). Determining this date in advance requires a correlation between the lunar months and the solar year, while also accounting for the month, date, and weekday of the Julian or Gregorian calendar. Julian ("Old Style"): Introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 BC; used by some Orthodox churches for religious calendars. The Gregorian calendar is the current international standard, introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII to correct the Julian calendar’s slight inaccuracy. While the Julian calendar adds a leap day every 4 years (days/year), the Gregorian calendar skips leap years on centurial years not divisible by 400, providing a more precise day year. 

The complexity of the algorithm arises because of the desire to associate the date of Easter with the date of the Jewish feast of Passover which is when Jesus was crucified.

It was originally feasible for the entire Christian Church to receive the date of Easter each year through an annual announcement by the pope. By the early third century, however, communications in the Roman Empire had deteriorated to the point that the Church needed a new system that would allow for any clergy to calculate accurately the date to celebrate Easter in their local region.

Calculations produce different results depending on whether the Julian calendar or the Gregorian calendar is used. For this reason, the Catholic Church (which follow the Gregorian calendar) celebrate Easter on a different date from that of the Eastern Orthodox Church (which follow the Julian calendar).

The date of Passover is a complicated thing. Theoretically, the date should be the 14th of the Jewish month of Nisan, and it should correspond to a full moon (the Jewish calendar being partly lunar). In practice, it didn’t always work out that way. The month-moon cycles got out of synch, and sometimes feasts would be held on a “liturgical” full moon even when it was not an astronomical full moon. As a result, rabbis periodically had to announce when Passover would be celebrated.

Christians decided that Easter would be celebrated on the first Sunday after (never on) the Paschal full moon. Theoretically, the Paschal full moon is the first full moon occurring on or after the spring equinox. However, this day can be reckoned in different ways. One way is by looking at the sky, which yields the astronomical spring equinox. But since this shifts from year to year, most people follow the calendrical spring equinox, which is reckoned as March 21st.

On the Gregorian calendar (the one that we use), Easter is the first Sunday after the Paschal full moon, which is the first full moon on or after March 21st. Easter thus always falls between March 22 and April 25.”

(All information was taken from Wikipedia, Google and Catholic Answers)

High Stakes and Handbags: Not your grandmother's bingo!

Join us for our first annual Purse Bingo, an evening of fun, friends, and fabulous prizes! Bring your favorite snacks, grab your drinks (it’s BYOB!), and get ready to play for the chance to win designer handbags you’ll love to show off. Take a sneak peek at the gorgeous bags and purchase tickets HERE!

Summer Camp 2026

We are thrilled to offer summer options for our families.

• We will hold our traditional summer camps for registered Saint Andrew students during the first two weeks of the summer break. Registration is open! 

• Saint Andrew Summer Adventure Camp will be offered for the majority of the remaining summer weeks. Adventure Camp Registration for SA students, their friends, and neighbors in the community is open. 

Baby Bulldogs 

Our Baby Bulldogs program is gearing up for a fun and energetic spring session! Beginning January 22 through April 30, families with infants and toddlers are invited to join us every Thursday from 9:00–9:45am for a morning of connection and play. Each class includes free play followed by joyful music and movement that little ones love. (Please note: no class on March 19.) We meet in the Saint Andrew School Gymnasium, located at the northeast corner of Addison and Paulina. Registration is ongoing.  Come be part of the fun with our littlest Bulldogs!

Discover the Difference with Saint Andrew School! 

Are you seeking a nurturing and enriching educational environment for your child? Look no further than Saint Andrew School, where Catholic Education comes to life through faith, excellence, and community. Our dedicated faculty inspires students to achieve their full potential academically, spiritually, and socially. At Saint Andrew, we blend rigorous academics with character-building values, fostering a sense of purpose and belonging. Experience our vibrant campus, where every student is known, loved, and challenged to grow. Choose Saint Andrew School today and invest in a brighter future for your child. Enroll now and join our family! Sign up for a tour here: schedule a tour New student applications for the 25-26 can be found here: New Student Application