Our Short but Growing History
Fr. Jim Baron came to the the Pax Christi parish on August 1, 2012 as Parochial Vicar. In 2013, the parish opened a Catholic preschool named St. Katharine Drexel as a vision that the students would imitate the service attitude that St. Katharine Drexel embodied. The school serves primarily Pax Christi parishioners, but is open to all children from surrounding parishes as well as the community.
In September 2019, St. Katharine Drexel Catholic School opened a kindergarten class and in August 2020 will open a first grade. The school currently offers a faith-based, rigorous academic education complemented by Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Through a strong Religious-Classical-Environmental Education, students will become spiritually, intellectually and morally prepared as stewards who engage the world in service to God and the common good.
Why We are Named After ST. Katharine Drexel
Born a wealthy, educated Philadelphia socialite of the late 19th century, Katharine Drexel could have made of life what she chose. Her choice came out of her strong Catholic faith and deep compassion for the poor and oppressed among Native and African Americans.
On February 12, 1891 she made her first vows as a religious, founding the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament dedicated to sharing the message of the Gospel and the life of the Eucharist. St. Katharine established many ministries among the poor and led a life devoted to Eucharistic prayer and outreach to the poor.
Because of her lifelong dedication to her faith and her selfless service to the oppressed, Pope John Paul II canonized her on October 1, 2000 to become only the second recognized American-born saint. St. Katharine died on March 3, 1955. and was canonized on October 1, 2000. Her Feast day is March 3rd.
But why choose St. Katharine Drexel for a school in an affluent area? The answer is simple, Serve Dei Et Bonum, to serve God and the common good. We are called to be servent leaders just as St. Katharine Drexel. The students and families are called to learn how to serve others to make a difference in our world. Teachers are called to teach the truth and to love the children. We are all called to serve the poor, cloth the naked and feed the hungry. "In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me." Matthew 25: 40
