HFRCS Newsletter December 17, 2024

Dear Parents and Guardians,

This time of year brings so many opportunities for sharing glad tidings and well wishes. I am so very grateful for all your thoughts and prayers on the recent loss of my dad. Your prayers and positive thoughts were life-giving and strengthening. I am grateful for the support of such a loving school community. Thank you.

This week we will be having our Annual Christmas Pageants. The Christmas Pageant always brings back wonderful memories and provides a beautiful message to prepare us for the Christmas season. Our performances will be tomorrow, Wednesday morning at 9:30 AM, and Thursday afternoon at 1:00 PM. For those attending on Thursday, there is a parish funeral Mass from 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM, therefore no one will be permitted into the church until the funeral guests have departed. This will also pose a challenge with parking for the Pageant. Please see the diagram in today’s newsletter for more information on parking. Wednesday poses no issue with parking.

Congratulations to all students who earned academic honors this trimester, and all who did their very best! Meeting personal learning goals is very important so that we continue to grow. Our Honor Roll is published in today’s newsletter and will be acknowledged again in January through the Morning Prayer and Announcements and certificates will be sent home. Congratulations to all learners!

This week we are celebrating the 3rd week of Advent which focuses on JOY. As we move through these next busy days to the holy celebration of Christmas, may we all find time to quiet our hearts and meditate on the true meaning of the season. On behalf of our faculty and staff, I want to wish everyone a most holy Christmas holiday and a blessed and prosperous New Year! See you all in 2025!

Sincerely Yours in Christ,

Mrs. Haggerty

We are a family of FAITH!

Remember to go to Mass this weekend.

What time should I arrive?

• No earlier than 12:30 PM. There is a funeral from 11:30 AM-12:30 PM. The pageant begins at 1:00 PM.

Where should I park if:

1. Leaving immediately after the pageant concludes – Parish Center Parking or the back of the school (near Apple St.). If parking at the back of the school, you must enter and exit through Apple St. Please do not move any cones.
2. Staying until carline dismissal – Parking Lanes (see diagram), pull up as far as you can to the car in front of you.

Staff will be available to assist if you have any questions. This parking scheme is only applicable to the Thursday, December 19th pageant.

Thank you for your generous support of the Advent Service Project. We have 12 boxes that the Danica Strong Foundation will pick up this afternoon. The books will be donated to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

Tomorrow's Basketball Dribbling & Passing Club is cancelled tomorrow, Wednesday December 18. This will be rescheduled to Jan 15. The remaining meeting dates for the club are Wednesdays: Jan 8 and Jan 15.

The December hot lunch orders are from December 3 to January 10. When school resumes, please refer to the last week of your "December" hot lunch order to verify if your child hot lunch for the first week of January.

Please label all your child's belongings (coats, uniform sweaters, lunch boxes, water bottles, hats, gloves, etc.) We can help reunite lost items with their owners when items are properly labeled. There is a table with "Lost and Found" items in the Large Hall, by the trophy case. The few items that are on that table are those without labels.

See the calendar on the website for more information: https://hfrcs.org/calendar

Please see the Family Handbook for details (pages 38-42). The maroon polo is not allowed to be worn for winter uniform.

Our annual Catholic Schools Week Open House is fast approaching! This is a great opportunity to come see what our students have been up to and chat with our staff! We are encouraging all current families to attend, and bring a friend who you think would be a great fit at HFRCS! Please fill out the registration form below so our team can plan accordingly. Hope to see you there!

https://forms.gle/pQFuKCQG52EKRegx8

We are looking for 8th grade volunteers to work at Open House (service hours opportunity). Please reach out to Miss Brittany if your child is interested! brittany.konen@hfrcs.org.

Financial Aid for 2025-2026 School Year

Please see the attached documents for important information about Financial Aid. Even if your family received financial assistance in the past, a new application must be submitted each year.

Due to the number of applications received, the Business Office is unable to follow up on the status of individual family applications. This includes missing information, incomplete applications or families who have not applied. Check to ensure that an application has been submitted if you intend to apply.

Parents must follow up on the status of applications by signing into FACTS Payment Plan/Financial Aid and checking if the application is “Incomplete”. FACTS will list missing documents and send out reminder emails so be diligent. Follow up should continue until the application is marked “COMPLETE” in FACTS Payment Plan/Financial Aid.

DOCUMENTS:

1. A 2023 tax return is required. It is recommended that your 2024 return also be uploaded when completed.
2. A digital copy is the preferred source for uploading. Ask your tax preparer for an electronic copy of your return.

Pictures are not recommended due to poor quality. FACTS has marked applications ‘incomplete’ due to pictures that could not be easily read.

**The Business Office cannot accept pictures of missing tax return pages.

Specific grades have State-mandated screenings (Physical for Kindergarten & 6th Grade and Dental for Kindergarten, 3rd Grade & 7th Grade). Refer to the school website for more information.

Also, signed Medical Treatment Order forms will also be needed if your child needs to take any medication during school hours.

• Dec 19: Chick-Fil-A Fundraiser
• Jan 14: Meeting 7:00 PM
• Jan 16: Miller's Fundraiser
  

Father John R. Weber, Pastor

Father Manuel Flores, Parochial Vicar

View the Parish Weekly Bulletin.

Sunday Mass Schedule:

4:00 PM (Vigil Mass), 7:30 AM , 9:30 AM , 11:30 AM , 1:00 PM La Misa en Español

Weekday Daily Mass:

8:30 AM - Monday through Saturday

Holy Days: (subject to change)

5:00 PM (Vigil), 8:30 AM, Noon, & 7:00 PM

The Sacrament of Reconciliation:

Thursday: 6:45 PM - 7:30 PM, Saturdays: 3:00 PM - 3:45 PM

The Sacrament of Baptism:

1st and 3rd Saturdays, at 11:00 AM

Monsignor Michael McCormac, Pastor

Monsignor Michael Magee, Weekend Assistant

View the Parish Weekly Bulletin.

Mass Schedule:

• Monday-Saturday: 9:30 AM
• Saturday Vigil: 5:30 PM
• Sunday: 7:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM
• Holy Days: 6:30 AM, 12 Noon, 7:00 PM (except January 1st which follows a Sunday Mass schedule)

The Sacrament of Reconciliation

Saturday: 4:15-5:15 PM or by appointment

Daily Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

Saint Joseph Chapel

Monday - Saturday: 8:00 AM–8:00 PM

Sunday: 12:30 PM–8:00 PM

Pot of Gold

The results of the drawing can be found here. The jackpot prize is $52,000!

On Thursday, December 26th , between 6:00 PM and 8:30 PM, our parish will continue our

tradition of Christmas Caroling for the Homebound. Members of the Saint Frances Cabrini Music

Ministry will take the lead in singing a variety of Christmas songs and hymns on the doorsteps of our homebound parishioners. All are welcome to participate and share in the joy of the Christmas season.

To add a name to either the list of carolers or to the list of homes on our caroling route, or for additional information, please call Jean Madden at 215-946-4040 or send an email to music@saintfrancescabrini.net. Please contact us prior to December 23rd so that we can make accurate arrangements and prepare enough refreshments for the post-caroling hospitality.

Families are also welcome to help decorate the church for Christmas on Sunday (Dec. 22) at 12:30 PM.

CHEER

Enrollment is open until Dec 23rd.

When? Practice is Thursday nights (6:15-7:15). Season runs Dec-Feb.

How much? $50 for all kids

Where? Practice Thursday nights in the Holy Family school hall. Basketball games to cheer at to be determined

Who? Boys and girls - Grades K-6

How? Click the link https://go.teamsnap.com/forms/461461

BASKETBALL

Season is going strong. We have 3 regional teams this year. Regional (Reg) teams compete at a higher level and have playoffs at the end of the season to determine a regional champion. Parish (Par) teams are instructional, and whereas winning is what the kids and coaches strive for, the primary emphasis is on learning the positions and the game. Usually at the end of the season parish teams will compete in tournaments.

Want more information on CYO sports and activities? Join our CYO Facebook group!

Holy Family RCS CYO

You can contact CYO by emailing holyfamilyrcscyo@gmail.com

CONCESSIONS COORDINATOR

We have an opening for Holy Family CYO Concessions Coordinator. Primary responsibility is to raise funds through concession sales at St. Francis Cabrini gym during basketball games. Additional possibilities of concessions during other sports.

Home games at Carbini posted below. Highlighted dates include the number of games at the gym that day. The more games at the gym - the more appealing it is to have a concessions stand. The concessions coordinator would choose whatever dates they would like to have a concessions stand.

To Volunteer:

• Message Brian McGinley
• Email holyfamilyrcscyo@gmail.com

• Call/text Brian at 215-823-0434

Responsibilities:

• Schedule volunteers (Sign up Genius) for dates there will be a concessions stand.

• Purchase (reimbursed) items to be sold

• Open and close the stand on dates there will be concessions stand

• Account income and expenditures

Benefits:

• Helping CYO financially meet its goals

• Helping Holy Family students meet their volunteer hour requirements

• Allows parents to purchase snacks/drinks vs remembering to pack snacks/drinks

• A Board Position (voting rights)

• Child(ren) can play CYO sports for free