Crusader Chronicle

At this time of year, as we approach the end of the liturgical year and the beginning of the new liturgical year on the first Sunday of Advent, the readings at Mass are more apocalyptic. Apocalypse and apocalyptic are words that refer to "unveiling." Bishop Barron's homily for Sunday, November 16, focuses on what is revealed by the unveiling. In this case, Bishop Barron tells us that the Resurrection of Jesus is what causes the "old world," the old way of life, to be pushed aside, as a new world, in light of the Resurrection, is unveiled and revealed. The Resurrection of Jesus leads to the theme of the last Sunday of the liturgical year, the Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe. By His Resurrection, Jesus is King, and He rules all the universe. He rules all of creation, and He rules in our hearts too. This is the message of the Gospel, the Good News - Jesus has transformed everything, even death, and has remade the universe into something new.

Grant us, we pray,

O Lord our God,

the constant gladness of being devoted to You,

for it is full and lasting happiness

to serve with constancy

the Author of all that is good.

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.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

And let the perpetual light shine upon them.

May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed,

through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Amen.

On January 5, 2025, Archbishop Nelson Pérez launched his initiative Trust and Hope as a response to the stark reality that 83% of Catholics are disconnected from the life of the Church. This Advent, all are invited to pray the St. Andrew Christmas Novena (November 30-December 24) for the intention of the reconciliation of inactive Catholics with the Church, their home. We will especially remember our family, friends, neighbors and co-workers who are part of the 83%. To participate, visit phillyevang.org/novena.

• St. Andrew Novena Prayer
• Click here to sign up for the novena

From CatholicPhilly.com:

"The newly appointed directors of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s five missionary hubs gathered for the first time Oct. 21, meeting with Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center. The gathering follows the Sept. 29 announcement of the missionary hub initiative, a multiyear effort to strengthen outreach to those who feel disconnected from the Church. Each hub integrates pastoral, educational, and charitable ministries to serve the unique needs of its surrounding community.

Each hub is led by a parish pastor and supported by a team of five trained individuals, including the newly named directors (pictured from left to right below):

• Josh Bean serves at the Missionary Hub located at St. Katharine Drexel in Chester and is a member of St. John Fisher Parish in Boothwyn.
• Jeffrey Shields directs the Hub at St. Matthew in Philadelphia and belongs to Our Lady of Hope Parish in Blackwood, N.J.
• Archbishop Perez
• Nina Marie Corona leads the Hub at St. Isidore in Quakertown and is a member of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in Doylestown.
• Mike Hajdak oversees the Hub at St. Alphonsus in Maple Glen and worships at Epiphany of Our Lord Parish in Plymouth Meeting.
• Lauren Joyce directs the Hub at St. Ann in Phoenixville and is a member of St. Norbert Parish.
• Brian McCarthy, chief Strategy Officer for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia

The initiative was shaped by nearly 100 listening sessions held earlier this year, during which more than 15,000 Catholics across the region shared their hopes for the future of the Church.

For more information, visit TrustAndHope.org."

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

• St. Andrew Novena - November 30 through December 24
• Archdiocesan Hubs Directors
• Letter from Archbishop Perez!
• New 500 Club Update - November Winners!
• Update on Car Drop Off and Car Pick Up
• Santa Shop 2025!
• New Catapult Teacher
• New Raise Right Update
• New Home and School Update!
• High School Admission News!
• St. Ignatius Advent Retreat Morning with Deacon Griffen Schlaepfer
• Advent Gift-Giving Mass
• More St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish News, including Turkey Drive, Youth Ministry, and more!
• FLAME Youth Grades 7 through 12 Youth Ministry Fall and Winter Events!

Thank you to all of our families who have made an effort to arrive earlier in the car drop off line. We still have some cars dropping off after 8:30 am, so please continue to make an effort to drop off by 8:15 or between 8:15 and 8:25.

Please read through all these important reminders regarding car drop off and car pick up. These include additional updates due to some incidents that have occurred this school year.

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 do not signal or wave for another car to drive around your car.
• Please pull all the way forward to the farthest pair of cones or to the back of the car in front of you.
• We ask that parents do not get out of the car; if your child needs help, one of the staff members on duty can help your child to exit the car.
• Please drive into the parking lot in time to drop off your child by 8:25 am.
• It is safest for your child to exit on the right hand side of your 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.
• Please do not park in the parking lot between the school and the Antioch Center (on the side of the school where the buses pick up) to pick up your child. It is not as safe for you to walk in between the buses to take your child to your car. If you are unable to wait for the usual exit procedures above, please park on the west side of the church, in one of the spaces on the basketball court side of the parking lot, walk your child to your car, and leave from there.

***Please instruct anyone else who is dropping off your child or picking up your child about the above guidelines for both car drop off and car pick up.

Thank you once again for following these procedures to keep all of our students and parents safe.

Santa’s Secret Shop is coming to St. Ignatius!!

The online shop will be open from 11/25 to 12/4 at 8PM. In person shopping will be 12/8-12/9! We will be collecting NEW (with tags) pajamas in all sizes on Monday, 12/9. Keep an eye out for early holiday sales. Students who donate will earn a holiday theme dress down pass.

We need many volunteers to make this event a success, but Santa says you must have

your clearances up to date to help during school hours. If you are interested in helping set up the weekend before the shop opens or at the shop for a morning, an afternoon, or a whole day, please contact Jen Wiggins (jeh243@gmail.com) or Nicole Kloc (nicolekloc@gmail.com). Come help us get into the holiday spirit!

The Pennsylvania State Legislature passed the state budget last week. We are beginning to receive word that the funds for school districts, schools, and, especially, school books will be released very soon. Once all the funding has been completed, our St. Ignatius of Antioch book orders will be submitted through the Archdiocese, and we will begin to hear from the publishers that the books have been shipped. We will update you as we receive more information.

We are welcoming another new face to our St. Ignatius of Antioch Family.

We had already introduced Dylan Auslander, our Fall IT intern, and Nelson Perez, our First Property maintenance supervisor. On Friday, November 14, our new Catapult teacher began her time at St. Ignatius. Her name is Tara McKeever, and we welcome her to St. Ignatius. Ms. McKeever will be working with our students who are eligible for Catapult services.

We started Winter Uniforms for the current school year on Monday, November 3. For boys this means a transition from shorts to long pants.. For girls this means a transition from khaki skort/ shorts to jumper/kilt/ or long pants. For the gym uniform all students will be transitioning from shorts to sweat pants. The gray St. Ignatius School quarter zips are the only approved sweatshirts that may be worn during the school day.

The second drawing for the SIS 500 Club was held on the morning of Friday, November 7. Congratulations to our November winners!

$50- #275 Bridget Hosler

$100- #046 Danielle Van Wert

$250- #298 Henry Zerella

$500- #012 Gary Gorecki

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! Our next drawing will be in early November!

https://tinyurl.com/sis500club

Thank you to our 500 Club Committee!

The St. Ignatius School 500 Club December drawing is next! We have sold 306 numbers to alumni, parishioners and school families. It is not too late to purchase a number or two. There are 194 lucky numbers available and each number has 32 chances to win! Please consider supporting your school. Thank you!

Saturday, November 22 - Crusaders Care (see Home and School section for more details)

Wednesday, November 26 - Asynchronous Half Day of School

Thursday, November 27 - Thanksgiving Day - No school

Friday, November 28 - Thanksgiving Break - No school

Tuesday, December 2 - St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish Advent Gift-Giving Mass

Friday, December 5 - Last Day of the First Trimester

Monday, December 8 - Feast of the Immaculate Conception - All Classes attend 9:00 Mass

Monday, December 8, and Tuesday, December 9 - In-Person Santa Shop!

Please see our latest 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.

St. Ignatius School 500 Club!

Thank You ..

Over 300 tickets sold!

90 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!

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!

Please see this new information from Nicole Kloc, Raise Right Coordinator:

Thank you all for participating in the RaiseRight program this year. Thanksgiving is just around the corner. As you all know shipping delays may still occur this year, especially as we approach Christmas. Below you will find a list of the RaiseRight deadlines in order for delivery before the holidays. Please reach out to me if you have any questions.

As a reminder, I typically place orders for physical gift cards on Tuesdays with delivery through students on either Thursday or Friday of the same week. Please place your orders by 11:00 am on the date they will be submitted to ensure a timely delivery. If you need something by a specific date, please let me know so I can ensure it will get to you in time.

RaiseDays - November 2025

RaiseRight is running their semi-annual promotion with increased bonus rebates on November 13-14th & November 20-21st of this year. Increased bonuses are only valid on e-gift cards & reloadable gift cards. See the attached flier or the app/website for more information.

Holiday/Upcoming order dates:

11/18 Last Day to order for delivery before Thanksgiving (delivery on 11/21)

12/2

12/9 **Last day to order for delivery before School Christmas parties (think - teacher/staff/bus driver gifts!)

12/16 **Last Day to order for delivery before Christmas Break (delivery on 12/18-19)

Teacher Gift Orders

If you plan to order gift cards as teacher gifts, please plan ahead and order on 12/9 to ensure that you will have them to wrap the weekend before any holiday parties!!

RaiseRight will still be available for eGift card purchases throughout the Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks and physical gift card orders will resume on January 6th for delivery later that week.

Local Businesses

The following local businesses are stocked regularly but may be difficult to find on the website/app. Please search them by name in the search tool. If there is a local business you'd like to see here, please reach out & I'll see what I can do to add them.

Cafe Antonio (10%)

Capt'n Chucky's Crab Cakes (8%)

Carlucci's Grill (10%)

Continental Tavern (8%)

Delorenzo's Yardley (10%)

GIANT - St. Ignatius (5%)

McCaffrey's (5%)

Shady Brook Farm (10%)

Wegmans (10%)

Local GIANT Reminder:

As we have a lot of new families to the program, I want to remind everyone if you select "Giant," you will likely receive a Stop & Shop Gift Card that is still valid at Giant food stores, however the rebate is only 4%. To receive the St. Ignatius Giant cards with the 5% discount, you must include St Ignatius in the search bar when looking for them. (See attached screen shots from my app as to what the local Giant screen looks like after typing in "St Ig").

I recommend that you save it as a favorite to avoid future mixups! If you have any trouble finding this or any other local retailers, please reach out to me & I would be happy to walk you through it.

Do you have friends/family interested in joining RaiseRight?

Send them the link below to have them join our program and start earning today!

https://tinyurl.com/SISRaiseRight2024

Thank you and have a Blessed Thanksgiving!

Thank you to all of our parents who have helped with cafeteria and recess supervision. Your presence has been a tremendous help. Lunch Duty Supervision scheduling through February 2026 has been completed and was emailed to all families in Kindergarten through 8th Grade this past week 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

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!

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!)

· Crusaders Care Day of Service- Saturday, November 22nd at 1pm in the school cafeteria. Please see the important note below!

· Santa Secret Shop is Coming! Online shop 11/25 to 12/4 and in person 12/8 and 12/9. See Below for more details!

· Asynchronous School Day- Wednesday, November 26th. Students will not be in school

· Thanksgiving Break- Thursday, November 27th through Sunday, November 30th

· Milk and Cookies with Santa! Save the Date! December 6th

· Yardley Christmas Parade! Registration is open! December 6th

· Christmas Concert! Save the Date! December 11th

· Middle School Social at Shady Brook Farm! December 12th Registration now open!

Registration:

Yardley Christmas Parade Please join us for the Yardley Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 6th. If you plan on attending, please sign up on the Sign Up Genius https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040D4DADA829ABF49-60520716-yardley so we can get an idea of numbers.

Middle School Social at Shady Brook Farm (This is NOT a drop-off event, a parent MUST stay on site) Please use this link https://forms.gle/kJzP6CfqJzpzVxkUA to register your middle schooler. Each student will need a separate registration. See below for additional details.

Volunteers

Santa Secret Shop Volunteers! We need many volunteers to make this event a success, but Santa says you must have your clearances up to date to help during school hours. If you are interested in helping set up the weekend before the shop opens or at the shop for a morning, an afternoon, or a whole day, please contact Jen Wiggins (jeh243@gmail.com) or Nicole Kloc (nicolekloc@gmail.com). Come help us get into the holiday spirit!

Middle School Social at Shady Brook Farm Parent chaperones needed! We need a minimum of 4 parent chaperones to join the students on the hayrides. Please indicate in the registration form above if you are able to help. Parent chaperones must have up to date clearances on file with the rectory! See form for more details.

Donations

Crusaders Care Donations! Thank you to everyone who has donated thus far! Items will continue to be collected from November 3rd to November 20th! For those who would still like to contribute, we are most in need of the following:

Pantry items:

· Cereal

· Pancake Mix

· Syrup

· Cans of Soup

· Jelly

Self-care items:

· Full Size toothpaste

· Full Size toothbrushes

· Deodorant

· Laundry Detergent

· Baby Wipes

· Diapers (Sizes 4 through 6)

Santa Secret Shop is collecting pajamas! We will be collecting NEW (with tags) pajamas in all sizes on Monday, 12/9. Keep an eye out for early holiday sales. Students who donate will earn a holiday theme dress down pass.

Upcoming Event Details:

Crusader Care Day of Service will be held on Saturday, November 22nd in the SIS cafeteria from 1-3pm. See the message below from our organizers:

Thank you to those who have donated ahead of our event! We are quickly gathering all of the necessary items ahead of our day of service. For those that would still like to contribute we are most in need of the following items:

· Cereal

· Pancake Mix

· Syrup

· Cans of Soup

· Jelly

· Full Size toothpaste

· Full Size toothbrushes

· Deodorant

· Laundry Detergent

· Baby Wipes

· Diapers (Sizes 4 through 6)

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you and your families on Saturday November 22 in the cafeteria at 1 PM!

Santa’s Secret Shop is coming to St. Ignatius!! The online shop will be open from 11/25 to 12/4 at 8PM. In person shopping will be 12/8-12/9! We will be collecting NEW (with tags) pajamas in all sizes on Monday, 12/9. Keep an eye out for early holiday sales. Students who donate will earn a holiday theme dress down pass.

Yardley Christmas Parade Please join us for the Yardley Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 6th. We will be marching alongside our chapter of the Knights of Columbus. Help us to represent St. Ignatius School and show the spirit of our community! We will meet and line up on the south side of the train station, adjacent to the American Legion at 2:45pm. Participants need to be ready to walk by 3pm, and the actual parade launches at 3:30pm.

PLEASE BE SURE TO SIGNUP (link above) AHEAD OF TIME TO RECEIVE IMPORTANT UPDATES LEADING UP TO THE DAY OF THE PARADE.

IMPORTANT: No children may be dropped off for this event. All children walking in the parade must be accompanied by an adult for the duration of the parade that will be responsible for taking them home.

Middle School Social at Shady Brook Farm! Join us for the first Middle School social of the year! Enjoy holiday lights and fun with fellow SIS middle school students!

· Who: SIS 5th through 8th Grade Students

· Where: Shady Brook Farm

· When: Friday, Dec 12

· Cost: $20 per student and includes a hayride through the Christmas lights!

The cost of refreshments is not included in the ticket, and there will be an opportunity for students to purchase ingredients for S'mores to make around the campfire!

Students will be grouped by grade for Hayrides and we anticipate the following departure times for each Hayride:

· 5th Grade: 6:30 PM

· 6th Grade: 7:00 PM

· 7th Grade: 7:30 PM

· 8th Grade: 8:00 PM

Arrival time is 6:15 PM and we will meet outside the Market to distribute tickets ahead of the scheduled hayrides.

***This is NOT a drop-off event***

All parents must stay onsite at Shady Brook Farm during the entire event.

Parents and families are welcome to purchase tickets onsite or online in advance separately, but this is not required.

St. Ignatius of Antioch Elementary School was once again 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. In 2024, 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!

Thank you to Mrs. Crozier, the Home and School Board, and all the parents who helped make Trunk or Treat another successful evening. This is always a great event for our students, parents, grandparents, and alumni!

Thank you to our Beef & Beer raffle donors:

Mlodzinski Family

ANEJ Salon (Jena Salzano)

McCaffreys

Amy 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)

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.

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.

On Tuesday, December 2nd, at 7:00 p.m., our parish will celebrate our annual Advent Gift - Giving Mass for the children of Sacred Heart Parish in Camden and St. Laurence Church in Upper Darby. Please come to celebrate Mass with an unwrapped Christmas gift for a child who otherwise would not get very much for Christmas. Representatives from both parishes will be present. Here are some gift suggestions from the parish representatives: dolls (African American where possible), games, Legos, sports equipment, etc. They can’t use books (sadly), craft items, stuffed animals and nerf guns or war toys of any kind.

There will be light refreshments for all after Mass in the Church basement. If you are unable to attend the Mass, you can drop off your gift(s) in the sacristy during that day. Thanks so much!

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/

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

Pope Leo canonized seven new saints on Sunday, October 19. The seven new saints are:

The first two Catholic saints from Venezuela:

José Gregorio Hernández Cisneros, considered the “doctor of the poor" (bottom row above, far right)

María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez, a nun and founder of the Sister Slaves of Jesus (bottom row above, middle)

And:

Ignazio Choukrallah Maloyan, an Armenian bishop and martyr killed in 1915 during the Ottoman genocide (top row above, second from left)

Peter To Rot, a lay catechist from Papua New Guinea, martyred during the Japanese occupation in World War II (bottom row above, far left)

Vincenza Maria Poloni, founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of Verona (top row above, far left)

Maria Troncatti, an Italian Salesian missionary known for her work among the Shuar Indigenous people of Ecuador (top row above, second from right)

Bartolo Longo, an Italian lawyer, former Satanic priest converted to Catholicism, promoter of the recitation of the rosary, and founder of the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii (top row above, far right)

We rejoice with all the saints in heaven as we celebrate these seven new saint brothers and sisters!

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.

Three teams of female students from Grades 6 through 8 competed in the annual Sciathlon at Villa Joseph Marie High School on Friday, October 17. Our girls competed well, and it was a great experience. Thank you to Mrs. Hamacher for recruiting our teams and for organizing the St. Ignatius participation in the competition. Thank you to all the parents who drove their daughters and stayed to cheer them on. Thank you to Mrs. Michel for attending the competition and supporting our students. Thank you to Mrs. Jeanne Frawley (President of Villa Joseph Marie and St. Ignatius of Antioch Elementary School Alumna) and the faculty and staff of Villa Joseph Marie for hosting all the students who competed.

Thank you to our teachers for spending time on Thursday and Friday, October 23 and 24, conferring with parents during our annual Parent-Teacher Conferences. Thank you to all our parents who took time out of their Thursday evening and/or Friday morning to meet with teachers. These meetings are very important to help our teachers connect even better with our students, to hear parents concerns and feedback, and to foster cooperation between parents and teachers.

Thank you to the Fire Department for visiting PreK and Kindergarten in October. We love our local police and firefighters and pray for their safety. We appreciate the time the Fire Department took with our students and the gifts they brought for everyone!

Thank you again to the Lower Makefield Police! Chief Kelly and Captain Reeves visited our Home and School General Assembly last Wednesday night and shared with us their vision for community outreach. Thank you to Lower Makefield Officer Pat for greeting our students as they walked to Mass on Friday for the Feast of St. Ignatius of Antioch, stayed for the entire Mass, and joined us for the blessing of our new American flag. Thank you to Deacon Mike, who is himself a retired police officer, for leading the blessing of our flag. We appreciate the support of our police!

Thank you to Mrs. Michel, Mrs. McBride, Mrs. Hamacher, Mrs. Link, Deacon Rich, Mrs. Casey, Mr. Seibel, Mrs. Gray, and Miss Murray for spending the evening on Wednesday, September 24, 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 on Wednesday night, September 17. 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.

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.

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!