Posted January 31, 2023

Catholic school communities throughout the Archdiocese of Philadelphia are marking the national observance of Catholic Schools Week (CSW) through Feb. 4.

The week is an annual celebration of the Christ-centered, faith-based education that students receive in the 119 elementary, 15 secondary, and 3 special education schools in the five-county metropolitan area comprising the Archdiocese.

The national theme for CSW 2023 is “Catholic Schools: Faith. Excellence. Service.”

>>PHOTO FEATURE: Catholic Schools Week kicks-off in archdiocese with Mass at Holy Trinity School

The goal of education in our local Church is to form young men and women of character who are poised to lead through service to others with the zealous heart of a Missionary Disciple.

Selected Catholic Schools Week events in the archdiocese include:

Tuesday, Jan. 31

Saints Colman-John Neumann:  372 Highland Lane, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010  (Montgomery County)

9:20 a.m. – 10:20 a.m. Saints Colman-John Neumann (SCJN) will welcome two current parents with direct ties to the United States Armed Forces to help mark the “Celebrate Our Nation” daily theme for CSW.  Mrs. Melinda DiStefano is an active member of the Army National Guard with 21 years of service.  Mr. Rick Rasco served as a Navy Seal for 14 years and is the proud parent of four children attending SCJN.  After Mrs. Di Stefano and Mr. Rasco speak to the students, all gathered will pray a decade of the Rosary for those who have served and are currently serving in the United States Armed Forces.

Saint Martha School:  11321 Academy Road, Philadelphia, PA 19154 (Philadelphia)

9:00 a.m. Students, faculty, and staff at Saint Martha Parish School in Northeast Philadelphia will hold their annual Catholic Schools Week First Responders’ Breakfast.  Members of the Philadelphia Police Department, Fire Department, and Emergency Responders will be treated to breakfast and entertainment by students in grades Kindergarten through eight, as a thank you for their service protecting the community.

Saint Joseph/Saint Robert School:  850 Euclid Avenue, Warrington, PA 18976 (Bucks County)

6:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. Saint Joseph/Saint Robert School will hold its 2nd Annual Student Luminary Walk in the school parking lot. Each student from Pre-K through eighth grade will create a luminary bag with a prayer intention and personalized artwork.   Each class is recognized during the luminary walk. At its conclusion, school families will gather to pray for the students’ intentions as they view a luminary maze created by the students.

Wednesday, Feb. 1

Bishop Shanahan High School: 220 Woodbine Road, Downingtown, PA 19335 (Chester County)

8:30 a.m.–9:30 a.m. The Bishop Shanahan High School community will welcome Auxiliary Bishop Michael Fitzgerald, who oversees Catholic Education as part of his administrative responsibility in the Archdiocese, for a Catholic Schools Week Mass.  Members of the student body will participate as altar servers, lectors, and cantors. Mr. Jay DeFruscio, Chief Operating Officer for Secondary Schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, will be in attendance.

Thursday, Feb. 2

Archbishop John Carroll High School:  211 Matson Ford Road, Radnor, PA 19087 (Delaware County) 

9:00 a.m. On Thursday, February 2, 2023, Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez will visit Archbishop John Carroll High School in Radnor (Delaware County) to celebrate Mass and visit with the school community.

Following Mass, the Archbishop visit will host “Ask the Archbishop” in the school’s Student Center. This “AMA” style dialogue will feature students from Archbishop Carroll, Saint Katharine of Siena Parish Elementary School in Wayne (Delaware County), and Saint Katherine Day School, High School Students – Archbishop Carroll Campus. The session will be recorded and posted to Archbishop Pérez’s social media platforms later that day.

Archbishop Wood High School:  655 York Road, Warminster, PA 18974 (Bucks County)

3:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Students from Archbishop Wood Catholic High School and Our Lady of Confidence School of Special Education, will welcome students from Archbishop John Carroll High School and Saint Katherine Day School, High School Students – Archbishop Carroll Campus to an Interscholastic Unified Sports Bocce Match.  These two teams are currently the only Catholic Unified Bocce Ball Teams in the state of Pennsylvania.  Mrs. Nancy Kurtz, Interim Superintendent of Secondary Schools, will be in attendance at the match.

Special Olympics Interscholastic Unified Sports® (IUS) is a fully-inclusive co-ed after school high school sports program which successfully brings together students with and without intellectual disabilities.  By providing opportunities for students both with all types of disabilities and without disabilities to participate in sports meaningfully and by engaging other students in the school community, Interscholastic Unified Sports (IUS) helps promote inclusion, acceptance, and respect.  The Special Olympics Interscholastic Unified Sports program is supported by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA), the Bureau of Special Education, and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Friday, Feb. 3

Saint Cornelius Early Learning Center:  160 Ridge Road, Chadds Ford, PA 19317 (Delaware County)

10:00 a.m. The students, faculty, and staff of Saint Cornelius Early Learning Center will celebrate the end of Catholic Schools Week 2023 and the successful conclusion of  a week-long service project in support of those in need.  On Monday, January 30th the school community began collecting new and gently-used clothing for men, women, and children as part of a service project supporting the Friendship House in Wilmington, DE.  A “donation train” is being prominently displayed in the learning center lobby throughout Catholic Schools Week.

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For information about Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, please visit Archdiocese of Philadelphia Catholic Schools.