Crusader Chronicle

Both the First Reading and the Gospel today focus on faith. We are reminded that, as human beings, we see only a small sliver, a tiny piece, of God's plan. The readings today remind us that faith in God is not about us but about humility and trust in God's plan, which is so much more than the small part that we see. We exist to serve God, and, when we do, we will live in the true faith that is trust in God.'

Since January of this year, we have been hearing about the Trust and Hope Initiative, the vision put forth by Philadelphia Archbishop Perez for the future of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. It started with his pastoral letter in January, and, this week, the next steps in the plan were unveiled. Below, you can see the original pastoral letter and the latest communication from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, including this link to the new ad campaign for the initiative - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eV85hSVgTI

Take some time to read these communications from the Archdiocese. God is calling all of us to trust in Him, especially in this new vision for our Archdiocese. May we hear the words of the prophet Habbakuk from the First Reading today -

"For the vision still has its time,

presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint;

if it delays, wait for it,

it will surely come, it will not be late."

Please see Archbishop Perez's Pastoral Letter and the new letter outlining the first steps in the Trust and Hope Initiative.

Almighty ever-living God,

who in the abundance of Your kindness

surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat You,

pour out Your mercy upon us

to pardon what conscience dreads

and to give what prayer does not dare to ask.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,

who lives and reigns with You

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

• 500 Club First Drawing Winners!
• New Home and School Update!
• Dress Down for Breast Cancer Donation!
• FLAME Youth Grades 7 through 12 Youth Ministry Fall and Winter Events!
• New High School Admission News!
• More new St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish News, including CYO Basketball, CYO Swimming, Youth Ministry, and more!
• New Letter from Archbishop Perez!

The first drawing for the SIS 500 Club was held on the morning of Friday, October 3. Congratulations to our first winners!

$50 - Ticket #115 Mike and Karen Hrabowski

$100 - Ticket #255 Stephanie Grams

$250 - Ticket #088 Ken Driver

$500 - Ticket #043 Chad Durling

Thank you for supporting this fundraiser and be on the lookout for future drawing winners. There are still more tickets available if you wish to purchase more, or would like to forward to friends and family to include them in the fun!

https://tinyurl.com/sis500club

Thank you to our 500 Club Committee!

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women worldwide. About 1 in 5 cases are diagnosed in women under 50, and the risk is higher for those with a family history or certain genetic mutations.

At St. Ignatius, we are committed to doing our part in the fight against breast cancer. From October 1 through October 16, we will be collecting donations to support this important cause.

Last year, thanks to your generosity, our community raised over $1,300 and was recognized by the American Cancer Society as a leading supporter. We are also proud to share that Mrs. Michel is part of a team that collectively raised over $60,000 last year alone. Each year, Mrs.Michel walks in the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event at Point Pleasant Beach, alongside her mom, a breast cancer survivor.

To close out our fundraising effort, on October 16 our school will host a Donation Dress Down Day in PINK to show our support for all those affected by breast cancer.

Thank you for helping us make a difference!

The Pennsylvania State Legislature is expected each year to pass the state budget by June 30. However, this year the state budget has not yet been passed. The state budget, of course, includes funding for all schools in the state. Non-public schools, like St. Ignatius of Antioch, receive funds to buy school books for the year. Because of the budget impasse this year, all schools in the state who use public funds, like we do, to purchase books for the school year have not received the funding yet to purchase books. Both St. Ignatius of Antioch and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia have been ready since August to submit our book purchase orders for the year, but all those purchase orders are delayed due to the budget impasse.

The Archdiocese has advised us that their lobbyists are continuing to work to urge the budget passage, and they have also advised us that contact from parents or other constituents will likely be counter-productive. We ask for your prayers as we continue to wait for the materials we use each year, especially the consumable books. We are able to use the non-consumable textbooks and readers, and we thank all of our teachers for their constant resilience, creativity, and resourcefulness in preparing materials, making copies, and finding ways to teach with the available materials. We are still hoping to hear very soon that the impasse has been resolved and the purchase orders will be processed.

Saint Ignatius Parish will celebrate our annual Forty Hours Eucharistic Devotion with three evenings of prayer, adoration, and reflection - Sunday through Tuesday, October 12, 13, 14, at 7:00 PM each night.

This year’s theme, “The Men of the Blessed Sacrament: Pilgrims of Hope,” will guide us as we reflect on the lives of St. Padre Pio, St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, and St. Carlo Acutis during this Jubilee Year 2025.

Our guest preacher will be Father Zachary William Navit, a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, ordained in 1994. Fr. Navit has served as both parochial vicar and pastor in parish ministry and has also worked as a director at various offices in the Archdiocese Pastoral Center. A graduate of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Overbrook, the Columbus School of Law, The Catholic University of America, he enjoys leading pilgrimages, helping others come to know the people and places that form our faith. Fr. Navit currently serves as Chaplain and Director of Pastoral Care at St. Mary Center & Villa in Lansdale, and is in residence at St. Stanislaus Parish, Lansdale. In addition to membership on the Board of Holy Family Home in Philadelphia, Fr. Navit regularly leads the Monday evening World Mission Rosary hosted by the Pontifical Mission Societies.

Please plan to join us for all three evenings as we come together before Our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament, deepening our devotion and renewing our hope.

Please encourage prospective families to join us for Open House on Tuesday, November 11, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. We are welcoming families who are interested in PreK for 2026-2027 and for new families in any grade that is not full for 2026-2027.

Parent-Teacher Conferences are coming soon! Parent Teacher Conferences will be held from 4 to 8 pm on Thursday, October 23, and from 8 am to noon on Friday, October 24. Teachers have sent their links to the parents of their students, but we are also including them here.

Please note:

Ms. Murray will be available only on Thursday, October 23.

Mr. Escandon will be available only on Friday, October 24.

Miss Weight will be available only on Friday, October 24.

Mrs. Hamacher will be available only on TBA

Deacon Rich will be available only on Friday, October 24.

Please look for your child's teacher's name below, click on the link, and choose a time slot that is convenient for you. If you need to make a separate conference appointment, please contact your child's teacher directly.

Mrs. Azara, PreK-3

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094CA8A62AA1FAC70-59147096-mrsaprek3

Ms. Tabeek, PreK-4 A

Ms.T PreK 4-A conference sign up

Mrs. McBeth, PreK-4 B

Pre-K 4B Conference Sign Up with Mrs. McBeth

Ms. Dionne, Kindergarten A

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084AADAD22AAFDC34-59257987-fall

Miss Lynch, Kindergarten B

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A48AEA829ABFDC52-59152589-parent

Mrs. Edwards, Grade 1

Mrs. Ficarro, Grade 2

2nd Grade Parent / Teacher Conferences

Mrs. Montemarano, Grade 3

Conference Sign-Up Genius

Ms. Schmidt, Classroom 4A

Ms. Moore, Classroom 4B

Thursday Oct 23rd: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0545A9AA2EA5FEC52-59304451-msmoores

Friday Oct 24th: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0545A9AA2EA5FEC52-59305105-msmoores

Mrs. Link, Grade 5

Mrs. McBride, Grade 6 Homeroom, ELA Grades 6 through 8

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F48AAA92FABFAC25-59072927-fall

Mrs. Hamacher, Science Grades 6 through 8

TBA

Mrs. Michel, Grade 8 Homeroom, Math Grades 5 through 8

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A45ACA822A2F4C52-59072377-parent

Mrs. Casey, Math Honors

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4BA4A629A0F5CE9-59163830-honors

Deacon Rich, Grades 2, 6, and 7 Religion

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0545AAA622AAFDC34-59201070-parent

Mr. Meade, Social Studies 6

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094CA4AB2BA3FCC34-59303882-mrmeade

Ms. Murray, Art

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094CA9AD2DAAFEC61-59062537-parentteacher

Mr. Escandon, Music

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0845AAA928A1F4C16-59364240-parent

Mrs. Gray, Spanish, Grade 7 Homeroom

Spanish Teacher-Parent Conferences

Miss Weight, Physical Education

TBA

Mr. Seibel, Grades 7 and 8 Social Studies, STEM

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4AADAE23A1FBC52-59202014-conferences

Thank you to our Beef & Beer raffle donors:

Mlodzinski Family

ANEJ Salon (Jena Salzano)

McCaffreys

Emily Stewart Skincare (Emily Stewart)

Home & School Board

St. Ignatius School Staff

Villa Rosa (Capuano, Coppola, Capuano)

Longwood Gardens

Sky Zone

Cramer’s Bakery

Fucich Family

Karen Schmidt

St. Ignatius School Recycle Club

Wegmans

Yeti Donor Families (Files, Palumbo, Hosler, Clancy, Van Wert, Morris, Little, K & C Capuano, Sheddon, Shoudis, Balerno, K & J Wolf, Kelly, McCormick, McAteer, Moleski and Jones)

Thank you again to the Lower Makefield Police for greeting our students as they walked to Mass this past Wednesday. Officer Dave joined us for the October 1 Mass, stayed for our Crusader of the Month Awards, and greeted our students as they returned to the school building after Mass. We appreciate the support of our police!

Welcome Back to our Raise Right program for the new school year. Raise Right is a program that helps us to raise money for St. Ignatius through the use of gift cards and everyday purchases. Mrs. Nicole Kloc is our Raise Right coordinator; please see her contact information below. Local orders of physical gift cards will be delivered to the school for your child to take home, or you can make arrangements with Nicole for other collection of physical gift cards. See the attached list of supporting retailers for more information.

E-gift card orders

You can purchase e-gift cards that are available immediately (within a few minutes of order) in your "wallet" of the RaiseRight app at any time while you are out shopping. This is a great tool that is available at many national restaurant & retail stores.

Local Gift Cards Available

As a reminder, local business gift cards available are:

Cafe Antonio (10%)

Capt'n Chucky's Crabcakes (8%)

Carlucci's Grill (10%)

Continental Tavern (8%)

Delorenzo's Yardley (10%)

Giant - St. Ignatius (5%) (be sure to search St. Ignatius Giant to get the best rebate amount)

McCaffrey's (5%)

Shady Brook Farm (10%)

Wegmans (5%)

Thanks for supporting SIS & using RaiseRight. Please feel free to share with grandparents or other friends/family members that may be interested. As a reminder, if they are ordering physical gift cards, please enter the student's name so I will know who to send physical gift card orders home with. I hope you and your kids have a great year!

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me.

Nicole Kloc

St. Ignatius RaiseRight Coordinator

(609) 954-2248

See the flyer below for more information.

Please read these procedures for car drop off and car pick up.

Kindergarten through Grade 8 car drop off:

• Please stay in the drop off line and do not drive around the car in front of you.
• Please wait until the car in front of you pulls forward before you pull forward.
• We ask that parents do not get out of the car; if your child needs help, one of the staff members on duty will help your child to exit the car.

Kindergarten through Grade 8 car pick up:

• Please park in one of the parking lanes between the church and the playground.
• Please wait near the lines of cars until your child exits the school building and comes to you.
• When all your children have come to you, please take them to your car and wait.
• Please wait until the school staff member gives the signal for your line of cars to pull out and drive out of the parking lot before starting to drive away.

For Pre-K drop off and pick up:

• Please use the long parking lanes between Reading Ave. and the big field behind the Pre-K building.
• Please leave the lanes with cones at the end of the lane empty for parents to drive out once they have walked their Pre-K students to the Pre-K building.
• Please take extra care as you are driving, parking, and leaving after Pre-K drop off and pick up.

500 Club Update!!

Look Who’s Back … St. Ignatius School 500 Club!

Thank You ..

235 Tickets SOLD

265 Tickets Available

54 School Families Supported 500 Club

95 Alumni and Parishioners Supported 500 Club

Coming to you back by popular demand, this club not only allows families to work hard to raise money for their school, but also provides an opportunity to win money each month!

Each ticket is $100.

tinyurl.com/sis500club2025

Beginning in October 2025, winning numbers will be pulled!

*minimum of 108 ticket sales needed to begin drawings

The club runs through June 2026 - that means 36 chances to win $!!!

Each month there are 4 chances to win - prizes of $50, $100, $250, and $500.

Winners will be notified by phone/email, and winning numbers published in all of our usual platforms - church bulletin and weekly school newsletter.

Please know this will only work if we have your support -

the goal is at least (2) tickets per family.

Every gift matters and brings us closer to our school goal.

Our goal is to sell 500 tickets

This is a great way for neighbors, co-workers, alumni and parishioners

to support St. Ignatius School.

Be on the lookout for weekly published updates!

Please email sis500club@gmail.com with any questions.

Thank you in advance for your SIS support!

Thank you to all of our parents who have helped so far this trimester with cafeteria and recess supervision. Your presence has been a tremendous help. Lunch Duty Supervision scheduling through November 2025 has been completed and was emailed to all families in Kindergarten through 8th Grade on August 4 through Option C. The information included Instructions for Lunch Duty Supervision, a Substitute List, as well as the 3-month schedule.

Please refer to the Instructions sheet that will answer questions on scheduling, substitutions, and swaps. If you have any questions regarding the process or scheduling, you may contact Jaimee Hynes at jaimeerocco@hotmail.com.

Please remember to notify Jaimee Hynes of any and all substitutions and swaps in order that we may properly maintain the schedule.

We thank you for your cooperation.

The Home and School Board

Please follow these procedures for PreK drop-off and pick-up:

Upon arrival, please pull into the “Pre-K parking lot” which is directly across from the golf course and to the far left of our campus. The entrance to our parking area looks directly straight back to the yellow door of our Pre-K building. Please pull all the way forward in the designated parking lanes, leaving exit lanes empty and available. Exit lanes are marked with cones to indicate that cars are not allowed to park there. Park your car and walk your child to the Preschool yellow front entrance (“map area”).

For safety purposes, our parking area is a ONE WAY zone. All cars should exit via the

driveway to the farthest end of our campus. No car should ever back-up to exit. There is NO PARKING along the grass leading up to our building nor in the main parking area

in front of the big school. Please pass this information along to anyone who may do

drop-off or pick-up for you.

Parking Lot:

For the safety of ALL, it is imperative to abide by the arrival and dismissal procedures

stated above. All cars must enter, pull all the way forward down the designated parking lanes of the

preschool lot, and exit via the farthest driveway. We appreciate your support with this.

Please see the map below as a visual representation of the guidelines above.

Please see the attached letter below for more information on pre-school, including parking guidelines, drop-off times, and other important information.

CARES is our Before and After School program for parents who are looking for child care. Please note that, if you have used CARES in the past, we have a new email address for you to use to contact CARES. Please see the document below for more information.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram for great photos and updates on our school activities, including Summer 2025 photos! Email pictures to Mrs. Crozier at hcrozier@sischool.org for all of us to enjoy on our school Instagram!

Follow us @sischoolofyardley

Thank you to Mrs. Crozier for her great work in keeping our Instagram account up to date!

We wanted to introduce two new faces to our school community.

The first is Dylan Auslander, a senior at Holy Family University, who will be working at St. Ignatius of Antioch Elementary School as an IT intern from now until December. Welcome, Dylan!

The second is Nelson Reyes, who is employed by First Property Management, the company that manages the St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish property. Nelson has been at St. Ignatius a few times before, covering for Luis, but Nelson will be at St. Ignatius permanently now. Welcome, Nelson!

We would like to remind all families about the required vaccinations, dental exams, and medical exams for all students in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Please read the requirements below:

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has mandated that all children entering Kindergarten or First Grade present documented proof that the following immunizations have been received:

DT (Diphtheria/Tetanus) - 4 doses - one after the fourth birthday

Polio - 3 doses MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) - 2 doses - one dose after 12 months Hepatitis B - 3 doses - last dose after 6 months 11

Varivax (Chicken Pox) - 2 doses (or documentation of live disease)

After the basic series of 3 Oral Polio Vaccine, Diphtheria and Tetanus, boosters shots are due between four and six years of age. For students entering 7th grade, one dose of tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) is required if it has been more than 5 years since the last tetanus immunization and one dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV) is also necessary. Please inform the school nurse/health office, in writing, when boosters are given. Other immunizations may be required. Students who do not have proof of immunization will not be permitted to attend school at St. Ignatius of Antioch School until those records are given to the school nurse

Immunization Policy from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia

The policy of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia with respect to vaccinations, requires all children to be vaccinated against a wide variety of diseases. Exceptions are not granted, except for medical reasons. Click here for the Immunization Policy for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Dental Exam and Physician Exam Reports are required for students entering Kindergarten or any student entering from out of state. Subsequent examinations and forms are required from the Dentist in grades 3 and 7 and from the Physician in grade 6 (scoliosis exam is also due at this time.)

Please see the forms attached below for dental and medical exams.

Please see our new 2025-2026 School Year Calendar. We will continue to update the calendar as new dates are added or as adjustments are made. The calendar is below.

Sunday, October 12 through Tuesday, October 14 - St. Ignatius of Antioch 40 Hours Devotion

Friday, October 17 - Feast Day of St. Ignatius of Antioch; All Classes Attend 9:00 Mass

Thursday, October 23 - Half Day of School - Dismissal 12:15 pm

Thursday, October 24 - Parent-Teacher Conferences from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Friday, October 24 - Asynchronous School Day at Home; Parent-Teacher Conferences 8 am to noon

Friday, October 24 - Trunk or Treat!

Friday, October 31 - Halloween Parade and Classroom Parties

Our new parish seminarian, Camilo Andres Escobosa, will be visiting the parish and the school from September to May on Thursdays. We welcome Camilo back to our community!

Look What's Coming Up!

(Scroll Down for Additional Details!)

• Volunteer Survey! See the link below!
• Home and School General Assembly- Wednesday, October 15th in the school cafeteria
• Pink Donation Dress Down Day- for Cancer Research on 10/16 see info and note from Mrs. Michel below
• Parent Teacher Conferences- October 23rd (4-8pm) and October 24th (8-12pm)
• Asynchronous School Day on Friday, October 24th. Students will not be in school.
• Trunk or Treat- Friday, October 24th. Registration IS OPEN and is required for participation! See details below
• Picture Retake Day- Wednesday, November 5th (school uniform)
• Crusaders Care Day of Service- Saturday, November 22nd. Details to come, but donation collection will begin at Trunk or Treat. See details below.
• CYO Basketball- Registration is open! See details and link to register below

Registration:

Trunk or Treat! The St. Ignatius Home and School Association invites you to our annual Trunk or Treat! Come out and celebrate with candy, costumes, music with live DJ, 50/50 raffle, friends, and lots of fun! Friday, October 24th (rain date Sunday, October 26th) in the St. Ignatius parking lot. This event is for Current Registered St. Ignatius School Families. All families must register on google form below. The lot will open at 5:30 and the event will start at 6 pm. No cars will be permitted after 6 pm. The event will end at 7:30. Spaces are limited! Register TODAY!

https://forms.gle/vCS8QUo5iNGYWwDK9

CYO Basketball! The wait is over—basketball season is here! Registration for St. Ignatius CYO Basketball is now open, and we’re excited to welcome back returning players while inviting new parish members to join our Crusader family. Please note: Participation in CYO programs requires active membership in St. Ignatius Parish. All programs will begin in early to mid-November, so register soon. Parish families—please help spread the word in the parish community so everyone has a chance to join the Crusaders! Teams available for all ages PreK through adult! Register today! https://stignatiuscyo.sportngin.com/

Donations and Volunteers!

Volunteer Survey! https://forms.gle/jodsCpbhj6VRyH6j9

Our Home & School Association has many wonderful, community-building events planned for the upcoming school year and we need your help to make them a success! Please consider contributing your time and talent to create a fun and engaging year for our school children and families. We have such great resources among our parent community!

*** Please note that all event chairs and parent volunteers will need to have proper clearances on file prior to volunteering***

If you have any questions, please contact H&S Volunteer Coordinator: Rebecca Kasper (rh.5.pope@gmail.com)

As always, we appreciate all your support throughout the year!

American Cancer Society Collection: A note from Mrs. Michel

Breast Cancer Awareness at St. Ignatius

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women worldwide. About 1 in 5 cases are diagnosed in women under 50, and the risk is higher for those with a family history or certain genetic mutations.

At St. Ignatius, we are committed to doing our part in the fight against breast cancer. From October 1 through October 16, we will be collecting donations to support this important cause. Last year, thanks to your generosity, our community raised over $1,300 and was recognized by the American Cancer Society as a leading supporter. I am also proud to share that I am part of a team that collectively raised over $60,000 last year alone. Each

year, I walk in the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event at Point Pleasant Beach, alongside my mom, a breast cancer survivor. To close out our fundraising effort, on October 16 our school will host a Donation Dress Down Day in PINK to show our support for all those affected by breast cancer. Thank you for helping us make a difference!

Crusaders Care Day of Service! Our 4th Annual Crusaders Care Day of Service is coming up in November! The first opportunity to donate will be during the Trunk or Treat event on 10/24. Donations of one or more of the following items would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Diapers (sizes 4,5,6)

Baby Wipes

Toothpaste

Toothbrushes

Laundry Detergent

Full Size Shampoo

Bar of Soap

Deodorant

Upcoming Event Details:

Home and School General Assembly- Wednesday, October 15th is our first general assembly meeting of the year and will be held in the school cafeteria. Please enter the school through the blue canopy. All in attendance will earn their child(ren) a free dress-down day. We encourage everyone to join us!

Parent Teacher Conferences are scheduled for Thursday, October 23, from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm, and for Friday, October 24, from 8:00 am to 12 noon. Be on the lookout for an invitation from the homeroom teachers to sign up through Sign-Up Genius. The school will also be sending separate communication for Grades 6 through 8 teachers as well as for Enrichment teachers. Mr. Meade will be including all the Sign-Up Genius links in the Crusader Chronicle.

Trunk or Treat- Save the date! Our annual St. Ignatius Trunk or Treat will be held on Friday, October 24th. Registration is OPEN! See above link to register!

When: Friday, October 24th from 6PM to 7:30 PM (rain date Sunday 10/26)

Arrival time: 5:30 PM - 6 PM *** NO ENTRY AFTER 6 PM ***

Where: St. Ignatius School Parking Lot

Cost: $20 per family

What to Bring: Approx 600 pieces of candy (we'll have over 200 kids trick-or-treating), food and drink for your family, and chairs/blankets if you’d like to sit outside your car and relax. Please note that we will also be selling 50/50 raffle tickets at $20 each!

Registration and Payment Due: NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 22nd!

*** REGISTRATION/PAYMENTS ARE NOT ACCEPTED UPON ARRIVAL! YOU MUST REGISTER YOUR CAR THROUGH THE REGISTRATION FORM AND PAY PRIOR TO ARRIVAL. NO EXCEPTIONS!***

Please understand this is a safety issue; stopping to take payment stops the flow of cars/traffic and creates a dangerous situation on Reading Avenue.

St. Ignatius of Antioch Elementary School was once again been honored by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia as a 2024 School of Distinguished Instruction. Schools of Distinguished Instruction are determined by their Terra Nova test scores. This year St. Ignatius was one of only three schools that scored 100% in the "Potential" category, meaning that 100% of the grade levels that took the test scored higher than expected, based on the InView scores. Thank you to our teachers, our parents, and our students for this achievement!

Father Brownholtz will hold an altar server training session on Thursday, October 16th from 4pm-5pm for any child interested in becoming an altar server as well as anyone who would like a refresher course. The training will take place in the church and will include a tour of the church and sacristy, a lesson on all the items used in Mass, and step by step instructions on how to serve a Mass. RSVP for the training to Maria LaMantia at mlamantia@stignatius.church .

CYO Regional Swim Team (ages 5 - 15 years old)

The swimming season is from October - March. The Regional Swim Team will compete in the Catholic Youth Swim League.

We are looking for swimmers, aged 5-15, that want to have fun and improve on their personal skills.

Practices will take place twice a week at the Richboro Swim Club Pool (recently enclosed in a dome) and George School Pool.

Practices will be held one weeknight TBD and Sunday afternoons.

We will participate in seven (7) meets throughout the season, which normally take place on Sunday afternoons.

Our program is open to any boys or girls of the following parishes or schools: St. Andrew, St. Bede, Assumption (that attend St. Katharine Drexel), St. Ignatius, Nativity of Our Lord, St. Vincent de Paul, SJR and Our Lady of Good Counsel.

This is not an introductory skill learning activity. Those who would like to participate must be able to swim the length of the pool (25 yards) without holding on to the wall or lane ropes.

https://go.teamsnap.com/forms/493204

Interested in Becoming Catholic?

Our parish will soon begin the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA/formerly RCIA)

Whether you are:

● Unbaptized

● Baptized in another Christian tradition

● A Catholic who has not completed the sacraments of Confirmation or Eucharist

…we welcome you to explore the Catholic faith with us.

��️Information Session Wednesday Sept 10, 2025

�� Location: St Ignatius Antioch Center

�� For more information, contact Rectory 215-493-3377

Email: ocia@siparish.org

God may be calling you to something beautiful.

We would like to congratulate the new deacons who were ordained in June for the Archdiocese. The seven men include, from top left: Charles H. Cappelli; Thomas G. Cipolla; Declan J. Cole; Alexander B. Cross; (from bottom left) Dominic W. Mirenda; Jude Ugochukwu Opara; and Griffen T. Schlaepfer.

Special congratulations to Griffin Schlaepfer and Jude Opara. As you know, Griffin is a member of St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish, and Jude served as a seminarian at St. Ignatius of Antioch. Let us pray for all of our seminarians, our new deacons, our priests, and our bishops.

St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish has a parish-wide subscription to FORMED, a Catholic website with diverse Catholic movies, audio books, podcasts, shows, and more. You have free access to the content. Simply go to formed.org/signup, type in St. Ignatius of Antioch, look for the Yardley address on Reading Ave., click NEXT, type your name and preferred email address, and you will have access to the vast amount of content on FORMED.

The attached pastoral letter above was sent to all families on Friday, January 10, 2025. We encourage all parents, parishioners, and interested parties to read this letter and to consider becoming involved.

Archbishop Perez issued a new letter that explains the next steps in the Trust and Hope Initiative. That letter is attached below.

May God our Father pour His tender mercy upon the departed and hold them forever in His loving embrace. May the Lord comfort their parents, family members, and friends. May God heal those who are injured and seized by emotional trauma. As we lift our hearts in thanksgiving for the bravery of the law enforcement officers and medical first responders who responded to the scene in Minneapolis and who work to protect our cities throughout the country, may our Blessed Mother wrap them in the mantle of her protection. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Below is a letter from the Office for Communications re:

The Jubilee of Hope in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Dear friends,

In response to Pope Francis’ call to the Catholic Church around the world, parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Philadelphia will begin the local observance of the Jubilee Year 2025, with the theme Pilgrims of Hope. All are invited to participate in events of the Holy Year in their homes, in their local parishes, and at shrines throughout the region, and at the Mother Church of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia—the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul.

Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez celebrated the opening of the Jubilee Year with Mass at the Cathedral. That celebration of the holy Eucharist marked the culmination of a pilgrimage of families traveling from throughout the Philadelphia region to the Cathedral.

The goal of the Jubilee Year 2025 is to offer pilgrims in their own local area opportunities for reconciliation, indulgences, and prayerful opportunities to receive the sacraments, strengthen their relationship with Jesus Christ, and enrich their lifelong faith journey.

Resources and information on upcoming events for the Jubilee Year 2025 in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia may be found here: https://archphila.org/holyyear/

Father in heaven,

may the faith you have given us

in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,

and the flame of charity enkindled

in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,

reawaken in us the blessed hope

for the coming of your Kingdom.

May your grace transform us

into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.

May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos

in the sure expectation

of a new heaven and a new earth,

when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,

your glory will shine eternally.

May the grace of the Jubilee

reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,

a yearning for the treasures of heaven.

May that same grace spread

the joy and peace of our Redeemer

throughout the earth.

To you our God, eternally blessed,

be glory and praise for ever.

Amen.

This Year of Parish Revival is about falling deeper in love with the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus and following him more closely. Mirroring this internal journey with an external one is a beautiful way to connect body and soul in the pursuit of Christ.

The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage is not one event or a road trip—it is an exciting opportunity for American Catholics everywhere to physically embody our nation’s journey of Eucharistic Revival. Whether you are on the shores of Hawaii or in the mountains of Alaska, needing to stay close to home or deployed overseas, you are invited to be a part of this journey.

Visit: https://www.eucharisticpilgrimage.org/plan-your-own-pilgrimage

Thank you to Mrs. Michel, Mrs. McBride, Mrs. Hamacher, Mrs. Link, Deacon Rich, Mrs. Casey, Mr. Seibel, Mrs. Gray, and Miss Murray for spending last Wednesday evening at St. Ignatius for our Grades 5 through 8 Roster Night. Thank you to Fr. Brownholtz for joining us, leading us in prayer, and supporting us. Thank you to the Home and School Board for their presence, their presentation, and their support. Thank you to Mrs. Crozier, as well as Mrs. Kasper and Mrs. Hosler, for setting up the High School representative tables, the volunteer sign-up sheets, and the refreshments. Thank you to the representatives from Conwell Egan HS, Notre Dame HS, Holy Ghost Prep, Villa Joseph Marie HS, and Mount St. Joseph Academy, along with some of our St. Ignatius of Antioch alumni, for joining us as well. Thank you to all the parents who were in attendance. We hope to continue to make Roster Night better every year!

Thank you to our PreK through Grade 4 teachers, as well as Mrs. Casey, Miss Murray, Mrs. Hastings, and Mrs. Gray, for a wonderful Back to School Night last Wednesday night. Special thanks to Mrs. Crozier for arranging all of the set-up for the cafeteria and the hallways by the cafeteria, refreshments, and coordinating with Home and School for volunteer opportunities. Thank you to all the parents who joined us.

On Sunday, September 21, Fr. Brownholtz was honored by the Little Sisters of the Poor at their annual fundraising gala. Father received the St. Jeanne Jugan (founder of the Little Sisters of the Poor) Award, along with two other Archdiocesan awardees. Fr. Brownholtz was recognized for his many years of support for the Little Sisters of the Poor and their work with children and the elderly, celebrating Mass for the Sisters regularly, and promoting their ministries. Congratulations, Fr. Brownholtz!

Here is our faculty and staff for the 2025-2026 school year:

PreK and Kindergarten:

Mrs. Azara - PreK-3

Ms. Tabeek - PreK-4A

Mrs. McBeth - PreK-4B

Mrs. Beck, Mrs. Garcia, Miss Herbine, Mrs. Morrison, and Mrs. Stasse - PreK aides.

Ms. Dionne - Kindergarten A

Miss Lynch - Kindergarten B

Grades 1 through 5

Mrs. Edwards - Grade 1

Mrs. Beck, Mrs. Garcia - Grade 1 Aides

Mrs. Ficarro - Grade 2

Deacon Rich Malamut - Grade 2 Religion

Mrs. Montemarano - Grade 3

Ms. Schmidt - Grade 4A

Ms. Moore - Grade 4B

Mrs. Link - Grade 5

Mrs. Casey - Grade 4 and 5 Math Honors

Middle School

Mrs. McBride - Grades 6 through 8 ELA

Mrs. Hamacher - Grades 6 through 8 Science

Mrs. Michel - Grades 6 through 8 Math, Religion 8.

Deacon Rich Malamut - Grades 6 and 7 Religion

Mrs. Casey - Grades 6 through 8 Math Honors.

Mr. Meade - Grade 6 Social Studies

Mr. Seibel - Grades 7 and 8 Social Studies

Enrichment Classes

Mr. Seibel - PreK through Grade 8 STEM

Mrs. Gray -PreK through Grade 8 Spanish

Miss Murray- PreK through Grade 8 Art

Miss Weight - PreK through Grade 8 PE

Mr. Escandon - PreK through Grade 8 Music

Mrs. Casey - Library

Learning Support

Mrs. Hastings

Administrative and Support Staff

Mr. Meade - Principal

Mrs. Michel - Assistant Principal

Mrs. Crozier - Admissions and Advancement Director

Mrs. Chapuis and Mrs. Perini - School Office Administrative Assistants

Mrs. Kriger and Mrs. Petrillo Health Office Nurses

Mrs. Goring and Mrs. Crozier - CARES Directors

Congratulations to the St. Ignatius of Antioch Elementary School Class of 2025, who graduated this past Wednesday, June 4. We are so proud of their many accomplishments, and we wish them God's blessings as they enter high school! Congratulations to all of their parents, and thank you to all the teachers who have guided them along the way. Thank you especially to Mrs. Michel for guiding them through 8th Grade this past school year. Many blessings to the Class of 2025!

We would like to thank all of our parents, guardians, grandparents, faculty, and staff for another wonderful school year. Thank you to our amazing students. Thank you to Fr. Brownholtz and the parish staff for all their support. We are blessed to be a part of the St. Ignatius Family. We pray that everyone has a safe and very enjoyable summer!

We would like to take a moment to thank Ms. Hensler for her four years of teaching ministry at St. Ignatius, and we would also like to thank Mr. Spadea for his two years of teaching ministry at St. Ignatius. Ms. Hensler will be pursuing new opportunities that have been presented to her and plans to travel. Mr. Spadea will be working as the general manager and head pro of a local golf course. We wish both of them many blessings and pray for God's grace in their new endeavors.

Thank you again to Mrs. Fogelstrom for coordinating our Spring Service Project, where our students and parent volunteers wrote cards and gift bags for veterans, as well as gift bags for mothers who are being helped and supported by Legacy for Life.

Please see the letter below from the Commander of the local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post, thanking our St. Ignatius family for our contributions and the video message we sent them to thank them for their service.

During Catholic Schools Week, we celebrated the achievements of our students and commended the contributions made by our faculty and staff. We are grateful for the sacrifice made by families to support their children’s Catholic education and recognize that any adjustment in tuition can impact families differently. We are blessed that the parish continues to support the school financially with a significant subsidy.

We continue to invest in our teachers by adjusting their compensation levels. In addition, maintenance and repair expense as well as spending on key instructional items are driving the need for higher tuition dollars. After carefully reviewing the budget for the 2025-2026 academic year, it was determined that a $350 tuition rate increase was prudent. Considering the tuition rates for all grades Prek-8th, this translates to an average increase of 6-7%.

We appreciate your support and remain dedicated to ensuring that your children receive the highest quality Catholic education.

Please see the attached Tuition Rate Schedule and Tuition Policies memos for more information.

Please read the attached letter from Dr. Andrew McLaughlin, Secretary of Education for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, regarding the Elementary Schools 2025-2026 Salary Increases.

Thank you to Fr. Brownholtz, Mrs. Ficarro, Mrs. Liebreich, and all of the PREP teachers, for a beautiful First Communion last weekend. Our St. Ignatius of Antioch students were well-prepared, well-dressed, and very reverent during the First Communion Mass. We are very proud of our Grade 2 class, and we congratulate them on receiving their second Sacrament of Initiation!

Congratulations to the 82 Seventh Graders, including our St. Ignatius of Antioch School Seventh Graders, who were confirmed on March 8 by Bishop Deliman. Thank you to Mrs. Liebreich, our parish PREP Director, Fr. Brownholtz, the PREP teachers, and all our St. Ignatius of Antioch School teachers, for all their work in preparing all the students for Confirmation. May the gifts of the Holy Spirit continue to grow in all the Confirmandi!

Thank you to the following Handbag Bingo Business Donors:

Anej Skin Studio

Andy’s Brick Shop

Carlucci’s Grill

DeLorenzo’s Tomato Pies

Jules Pizza

LaStalla

Leonardo’s

Luxe Lash & Beauty Bar

Rocco’s at the Brick

The Salt Cave

The Well at the NAC

TOPGOLF (Northeast Philadelphia)

Villa Rosa

Thank you to the following for their “Gifts in Kind”:

Meredith Barger

Brzezinski family

Megan Dougherty

Capuano family

Clancy family

Coon family

Coppola family

Crozier family

Egner family

Fucich family

Sheila Gallagher

Gonzalez family

Hosler family

Hosgood family

Kilcoyne family

Longo family

Tina Meade

Moleski family

Jill Napolitan

Pennsbury Falcon Cheerleading

Salzano family

Suann Sims

Tallman family

An extra special thank you goes out to our PreK-4, 2nd, 3rd and 8th grade families for their generous donations!