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WELCOME |
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CHRISTIANS PARISH AND SCHOOL Our Lady Help of Christians Parish and School are located in the beautiful suburban village of Abington, Pennsylvania. They are situated on land that can be traced back to an agreement made in 1683 by William Penn and the Delaware Indians. The township of Abington had few churches at the end of the nineteenth century. With the exception of one church, all of the Roman Catholic churches in the area were established in the twentieth century. Our Lady Help of Christians was founded in 1953, with Monsignor Joseph D. Shallow as the first pastor. On Sunday, August 22, 1954, Archbishop John F. O’Hara dedicated Our Lady Help of Christians as the first new Marian Year parish in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. This service formally opened the new chapel, school and convent, which had been constructed in five months on the old "Folly Farms" tract. In 1953, the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross assumed the mission of educating the children of the parish school. Sister Lillian Therese, C.S.C. was the first principal. The faculty consisted of Sister Frances Helen, Sister Marie Daniel, Sister Christine, Sister Paul Francine, Sister Annella, Miss Doyle, and Miss Jones. In September 1968, the Sisters of Saint Joseph replaced the Sisters of the Holy Cross. Sister Marcelline Marie, S.S.J. was the first principal from the new Congregation. Succeeding principals were Sister Anita Daniel, S.S.J. and Sister Evelyn Danks, S.S.J. During these years the parish and school flourished. Through the sacrifices and hard work of its priests, religious, and parishioners, a new Church was erected, parish service and social organizations were founded and the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine program was begun. The parish school produced scholarship recipients, regional mathematics and spelling tournament winners, and championship winners in various sports. Participation in annual science fairs led to later scientific recognition at the regional, state, and national levels. On March 24, 1980, Monsignor Joseph D. Shallow, our beloved founding pastor, passed away and was succeeded by Monsignor J. Clement Bennington, J.C.D. With a strong belief in Catholic education, Monsignor Bennington continued to support the parish activities and the parish school until he retired in 1989. Due to the decline in religious vocations, the Sisters of Saint Joseph withdrew from Our Lady Help of Christians School in August 1984. The first lay principal, Miss Barbara A. Steinmetz, and an all-lay faculty picked up the reins of education in September 1984, and continued to meet the educational needs of the parish school children. Also, in September 1984, Our Lady Help of Christians School expanded to include a Kindergarten. Next, a computer lab was established in the annex, providing students with hands-on experience in the developing field of technology. The nurse’s office was moved to the annex and the library was assembled on the first floor through the efforts of the Wednesday Night Men, a parish organization. In September 1989, Reverend Joseph D. Bowen replaced the retired pastor. Father Bowen immediately endeared himself to his parishioners because of his availability, enthusiasm, and participation in all aspects of parish life. Father Bowen’s obvious love for children, and his firm belief in Catholic education, led him to support and encourage many programs and renovations. Under Father Bowen direction, the school has continued to meet the challenge of providing quality programs by adding the services of part-time art, music, and physical education teachers. In September, 1995, after major renovations to the annex, the pre-school opened for three and four year olds. An afternoon "Lunch Bunch" program accommodated those parents desiring an extended day program for children of kindergarten or pre-school age. In July, 1998, Mrs. Kathleen Ganster became the second lay principal of the school. Our Lady Help of Christians School continually reviews the needs of the community and updates its facilities. In the summer of 1999, the entire school building received new carpeting, the computer lab was substantially enlarged, and classrooms in the Early Childhood Center were renovated to meet the growing enrollment of the Pre-School Programs and the new Full Day Kindergarten Program. Our Lady Help of Christians School is moving into the twenty-first century by preparing our students to meet the challenges ahead. |