Our Lady of Ransom Roman Catholic Church, at 6701 Calvert St. in Castor Gardens, will hold a Mass of Thanksgiving on Sunday, June 3, at 11 a.m., to honor the parish school that will close next month.
All parishioners, school families, students, teachers, staff, alumni and friends are invited.
Following the Mass, there will be refreshments and tours of the school.
An Archdiocese of Philadelphia blue ribbon commission on Jan. 6 recommended that Our Lady of Ransom close, with the students moving on to Resurrection of Our Lord, at Castor and Shelmire avenues in Rhawnhurst. The commission cited declining enrollment.
Resurrection did not appeal the recommendation, but Our Lady of Ransom did. The appeal failed, and the Our Lady of Ransom students will attend Resurrection Regional Catholic School beginning in September.
For more information on Sunday’s events, call 215–332–6166.
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St. William Parish, at Rising Sun and Robbins avenues in Lawndale, will honor the legacy of its school with a Mass and open house on Sunday, June 10. The Mass will be celebrated at noon, followed by the open house in both school buildings from 1 to 4 p.m.
All alumni, friends, neighbors, families and past and present faculty and parishioners are invited to relive memories, reconnect with one another and tour the school one more time.
Pictures and news clippings commemorating the legacy will be on display.
There will be a disc jockey and a Castle Bounce. Light refreshments such as hot dogs, popcorn, cotton candy and soda will be for sale for at nominal prices.
An Archdiocese of Philadelphia blue ribbon commission recommended that St. William close, and that its pupils attend St. Cecilia. St. Cecilia appealed the recommendation and won the right to remain a parish school. St. William did not appeal and will close on June 15.
Pupils are being encouraged to attend St. Cecilia, Presentation BVM or St. Martin of Tours. After some early interest in Presentation, most of the pupils have decided to move on to St. Cecilia. ••
