Fall, 2020

Dear Families,

We are off to a wonderful start for the PREP 2020-2021 academic year!

All students are studying virtually!

The Sunday Family Faith Program Parent sessions are engaging and full of awesome spiritually-rich catechesis that parents utilize to teach their children.

The second and sixth grade students meet in the church every other Monday for their lessons, along with their virtual classes.  The sessions are both fun and enriching.  A different way to be in church for sure!!  The children are enjoying sitting on the kneeler and writing on papers on the seats, and walking around the church to answer questions.

The students in first, third, fourth and fifth grades are all virtual lessons. The teachers are using Flipgrid to teach their lessons to the students.  The videos shared between teachers and students are so wonderful.  Everyone is able to get to know each other and to “see” each other while being virtual.  The students are having a lot of fun and being very creative in their responses.

May the school year help us to grow in truth as disciples of Christ.

May we all be inspired by the Holy Spirit to spread kindness and peace wherever we go and to whomever we meet.

St Jude, Pray for us!!
God bless America,
Mrs. Lori Rawski


Handy Faith Resources:

• There are many ways you can pray and there are many sites you can utilize.  The rosary is my go-to prayer.  The PREP children, catechists, and I pray one decade of the rosary every time we have PREP.  You can find rosary apps in your phone’s app store. I use Laudate, an Apple app that has many prayers and traditions, such as the daily readings, Rosary, Stations of the Cross, examinations of conscience, the Bible, links to EWTN, and many other amazing options.

• For those of you with young children at home, these can be very trying times. “Look to Him and Be Radiant” (https://www.looktohimandberadiant.com/) is a website full of awesome ideas of activities to do with children, as well as links to videos and music. In my humble opinion, if you can keep your children away from the news, I believe they will feel much more secure and less filled with anxiety during this time.

• FORMED.ORG, the online website that is sometimes referred to as Netflix for Catholics, is full of wonderful movies and stories for all ages.  To access simply go to our website, stjudechalftont.org, and scroll down to the FORMED button on the front page.  It is free to everyone, and paid for by the parish.  I love “Brother Francis” videos for children, and the Forgiven series is exceptional.  The movies about the saints are fabulous and are for middle schooler to adult. 

• Catholicphilly.com has many great articles and ideas from our local priests, bishops, and laity.

• Bishop Robert Barron offers daily Mass from his chapel in Los Angeles.  He is a terrific homilist. They are found at Word on Fire (https://www.wordonfire.org/daily-mass/).

• PrayMoreNovenas.com is a wonderful online resource for prayer and novenas, and you can receive email reminders, if you want. Sign up on their website or by contacting johnpaul@praymorenovenas.com.