St. Agnes sixth graders Brendan McGrory and Colin McGrory, parent Allison Kealey, and sixth grader Joseph Sheridan helped bundle packages for distribution to local families

St. Agnes sixth graders Brendan McGrory and Colin McGrory, left, parent Allison Kealey, and sixth grader Joseph Sheridan helped bundle packages to be distributed to local families through the parish’s Holy Family Christmas Program.

Posted December 18, 2015

On Dec. 11, parishioners and students and families came to Thomas Patrick Hall behind St. Agnes Church in West Chester to drop off their gifts for the Holy Family Christmas Program.

Parishioners purchased gifts for 272 families, including 700 children. The donors bundled their presents in white shopping bags, many of which were festively hand-decorated in crayon and marker, and gathered to submit their gifts.

Kim Johnson, coordinator of the program, noted that many CCD and St. Agnes schoolchildren helped with organizing the gifts as well as distributing them to families the following day. She noted in an e-mail to school principal Sister Joan Felicia that “every child presented themselves with kindness and respect to the adult volunteers, to each other, and to the gift recipients of the Holy Family Christmas Program. A beautiful sense of community was displayed as these young men and women escorted families in need to collect the gifts our generous parish families provided. They were often seen asking how they could help them carry their packages, and wishing them a Merry Christmas.”

This is the 18th year that St. Agnes Parish has coordinated the Holy Family Christmas program. For the past 15 years, the parish has collaborated with SS. Philip and James Parish in Exton to provide gifts to needy families in the community.