Update on Our Catholic School

11-05-2023Pastor's LetterVery Rev. Richard C. Wilson, VF, Pastor

Dear Friends in Christ,

The construction of our STEM Center at our parish school is progressing and remains on schedule! The footings are poured, and concrete block has arrived on site! More visible progress should be noticeable soon! Over fall break the installation of our new PA system began throughout our entire campus. This new system will tie into our new STEM Center seamlessly. Not only does it improve communication between rooms, but it also enhances announcements, bell schedule changes, and increases security on campus.

Please save the Date! The Tuesday after Thanksgiving is nationally known as Giving Tuesday. Many of you have been very generous on this day! Please consider a donation to our parish school through #iGiveCatholic.com. #iGiveCatholic is a bishop-led initiative in partnership with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and dozens of individual dioceses to bring the Catholic community together to inspire and support generosity. The Diocese of Charleston and its schools and parishes participate in this day of giving yearly! Last year all organizations within the Diocese of Charleston raised over half a million dollars combined!

This year Saint Mary’s School (SMS) is seeking to raise funds to replace our stock of obsolete laptops. Half of the devices at SMS have served our students for more than four years. These devices helped to provide a high standard of education through the COVID-19 pandemic, but many of these devices currently do not meet the minimum system requirements. The software cannot be updated, and they can no longer be used for standardized testing or run current educational software programs. Any gift that you can make to assist us in this endeavor will be welcomed and greatly appreciated. The Day of Giving is on Tue, Nov 28, but advanced giving will open on Mon, Nov 13. Donations of cash or check are also welcome and can be mailed to the school or parish office or placed in the offertory basket. Please indicate “SMS Day of Giving” in the check memo or on an envelope. Most importantly, you need to know that your donation will be matched!

Follow the link below to give online and to track our progress toward our goal! https://charleston.igivecatholic.org/organizations/st-mary-help-of-christians-catholic-school

If you have not had a chance to attend an open house, please consider attending Fri, Nov 17 from 9:00am-11:00am. St. Mary’s School is rooted in tradition, values, and a deep commitment to intellectual and moral development. A Catholic education offers a unique and invaluable perspective that prepares students for the challenges of the modern age. If you have schoolage children, I pray you will strongly consider sending your children to our parish school.

All the best…in Christ,

Father Wilson