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Dear Holy Spirit Prep family,
I am happy to report that, last week, the City of Atlanta approved the zoning requests associated with our plans to expand our Upper School dining hall. Next, we look to the city’s Office of Buildings to grant us the official building permit to begin construction.
This August at two separate meetings, our school and Holy Spirit Catholic Church introduced a collaborative master plan for our shared campus, including expanded parking, new church facilities, and the relocation of the Lower School campus to our Upper School.
On Tuesday, October 30, at 6:00pm in the Reese Memorial Library at the Upper School, we will host our first required public meeting regarding the campus plan, sharing our vision with Sandy Springs residents and giving them the opportunity to provide feedback to us. I invite all of our families, supporters, and benefactors – and, in a special way, those who are residents of Sandy Springs – to attend the meeting in support of our school community.
Safe Families Pledge The Holy Spirit Prep community is committed to fostering an alcohol- and drug-free social environment for our students. As part of this commitment, last week, I debuted to our Upper School families the Safe Families Pledge, the goal of which is to promote abstinence among our students and promote well-supervised, alcohol- and drug-free gathering places for them.
Open the Safe Families Pledge I pray that all of our Upper School families will thoughtfully consider discussing and signing this pledge with your sons and daughters. Signed pledges may be submitted to the Upper School front office. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me directly.
I also want to invite you to speak directly to your sons and daughters in a manner appropriate to their ages about substance abuse. In your conversation, I hope that you will reaffirm ever so strongly what you and the School expect by way of responsible behavior. If you need a resource to help with the conversation, I highly recommend J. Tom Morgan’s book Ignorance is No Defense: A Teenager’s Guide to Georgia Law. It is a must-read for parents and students. We have copies available at the Upper School at no cost if you would like one.
Annual Fund Run This week closes out our 2018-19 Annual Fund campaign, and I am grateful to all of the families who have made a gift to the school in gratitude for the remarkable formation that students receive here. We want to see each and every family at HSP make a gift to the Annual Fund, on our way to raising $545,000 to support the operating costs of our programs. Your gifts make our mission of forming students possible, and I look forward to celebrating our success with you this Friday afternoon, at our Annual Fund Run Picnic. If you have not yet made your gift, I ask you to make it here.
An Honor for Karyn Vickery Finally, we are incredibly proud of Karyn Vickery, Lower School Assistant Principal, who, during Catholic Schools Week, will be honored for her service to Catholic education at the 2019 Archbishop’s Catholic Education Banquet. The banquet is an annual event hosted by Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory during Catholic Schools Week, and recognizes the contributions of faculty and staff at each independent and archdiocesan Catholic school in the Archdiocese of Atlanta. Karyn has been a part of the HSP community since 2009, first as a resource teacher before heading our John Carroll Resource Center and assuming the role of assistant principal.
Yours in service, Kyle
P.S. Our men’s club is hosting our annual Men’s Pig Roast this Saturday, October 13. It’s a time for the men of the HSP community to get together at Holy Spirit’s cabins for some outstanding barbeque and college football on the outdoor big screen. If you haven’t yet, you can RSVP and learn more here.
With help from Boosterthon, from October 2-11 students will collect Annual Fund pledges for each lap they complete at the Fund Run.
On October 12, each campus will have a festive running experience during the school day. Younger students will run, walk, skip, and dance to upbeat music. Students in grades 5th-12th will participate in a color run.
We'll close the day-long festivities with an after-school celebration on the Upper School quad with food trucks, a picnic, and other fun activities for our school community.
Lower School Campus 8:15am: 2nd–4th Grade 9:15am: Pre-K4–1st Grade 10:15am: 5th–7th Grade Color Run Preschool Campus 12:00pm: Pre-K2 and Pre-K3 Upper School Campus 2:15pm: Upper School
When: Saturday, October 13 from 5:00pm-10:00pm Where: The Cabins behind Holy Spirit Catholic Church
The annual Men's Pig Roast is typically our biggest men's event of the year. Join your fellow Dads, faculty, and alumni for outstanding barbeque, beer, and college football on the outdoor big screen! We will have an outdoor Mass from 5:00pm-6:00pm with the festivities officially beginning directly afterward. The Pig Roast is held near the cabins behind Holy Spirit Catholic Church. PLEASE RSVP so we can get an accurate count for food.
What: All-School Mass for All Saints' Day When: Thursday, November 1 at 8:15am Where: Holy Spirit Catholic Church
We will celebrate our second of four All-School Masses of the year on Thursday, November 1, at 8:15am for All Saints' Day! Our school community will gather in Holy Spirit Catholic Church to worship together. Parents are encouraged to attend!
Parking and Drop-Off Drop-off for Lower and Upper School students will be at the Upper School in front of the Commons Building. Drop-off for Upper School students (including those with Lower School siblings) should be between 7:25–7:40; Lower School students should be dropped off 7:40–7:55.
Law enforcement officers will be helping direct traffic in and out of campus; they may not allow cars to turn left onto Northside Drive. Lower School students will meet their homerooms in the gym, and Upper School students will meet in their homerooms before Mass.
Preschool The Preschool will start at its normal time this morning. Preschool students are welcome to attend this second All-School Mass of the year with their families!
Uniform This day is a dress uniform day.
Thank you to our parents who have given to the 2018-2019 Annual Fund!
Anonymous (14) Mr. Rehad Hossain and Ms. Francesca Aguilar Dr. Lana and Mr. Cannon Alsobrook Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Ambo Mr. and Mrs. John Angelle Mr. Ross Anker Mr. and Mrs. Chris Anulewicz Mr. and Mrs. Chris Baradel Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Behunin Dr. and Mrs. William Benedict Mr. and Mrs. Mats Berggren Mr. and Mrs. Mark Bernier Mr. and Mrs. David Bertany Mr. and Mrs. Dameron Black IV Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Bohling Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Bommer Mr. and Mrs. Robert Boyd Mr. and Mrs. Russ Broda Ms. Antonne Broussard Mr. and Mrs. Brooks Brown Mr. and Mrs. James Brown Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Cabrera Mr. Glenn Caldera and Dr. Meredith Hammons Mr. and Mrs. Dan Campbell Mr. and Mrs. George Capps Dr. Douglas Cardillo and Dr. Dolly Aguilera Drs. Dede and Adolph Casal Mrs. Christina Casillo-Kennedy Mr. and Mrs. Michael Centola Mr. Roy Joseph and Mrs. Emiline Chirayankand Mr. and Mrs. Dan Ciprari Ms. Mary Clauson Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Clements Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy Cohen Mr. and Mrs. Todd Colarusso Mr. and Mrs. Shawn Coury Mr. and Mrs. Heath Cunningham Mr. and Mrs. David Cusimano Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Davidson Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Jean Paul De Santolo Mr. and Mrs. Shannon Denton Dr. and Mrs. Patrick Devine Mr. and Mrs. James Dirr Mr. and Mrs. Brian Didier Mr. and Mrs. Tom Dolan Mr. and Mrs. James William Dukes Dr. Megan and Mr. Chris Durham Ms. Elena Lengerova and Mr. Terence Dwyer Mr. and Mrs. Mike Ecker Mr. and Mrs. Mark Eidson Mr. Tom Evangelista Mr and Mrs Ken Fekete Mr. and Mrs. Nigel Fleming Mr. and Mrs. Lucas Ford Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Friedrich Mr. and Mrs. Duncan Gibbs Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Gregory Mr. and Mrs. Chris Grubbs Mr. and Mrs. Erik Gunderson Mr. Javier Guzman Correa and Mrs. Luz Adriana Garzón Mr. Brad Hammond Dr. and Mrs. Richard Sturm Mr. and Mrs. David Harrington Ms. Belinda Harrison Ms. Alexis Casale-Savage Mr. and Mrs. John Herman Ms. Paula Herraiz Ms. Jennifer Hicks Mr. and Mrs. Dan Hillman Ms. Kimbley Hutchins-Watch Ms. Kettia Jasmin Ms. Karin Jessop Mr. and Mrs. Raul Jimenez Mr. and Mrs. Erik Johnston Mr. and Mrs. Michael Jones Mr. and Mrs. Charles Jones Mr. and Mrs. Charles Keith Mr. and Mrs. Jonathon Kenny, Jr. Ms. Kendall Kerew Mr. and Mrs. Todd Kleine Mr. and Mrs. Scott Klingsoehr Mr. and Mrs. David Krupczak Dr. and Mrs. Rick Kuhlman Mr. and Mrs. David Labbe Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Lambert Mr. and Mrs. David Lassing Ms. Helen Tandoh-Lee Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Lewand Mr. Honghui Liao and Ms. Qingqing Li Mr. and Mrs. William Llop Ms. Kelly Rose Magnusson and Ms. Kathleen Magnusson Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Martin Ms. Summer Martin Mr. and Mrs. John Martinez Mr. and Mrs. Michael Mason Ms. Kristin Masterson Mr. and Mrs. Mark McCarty Mr. and Mrs. James McGrath Mr. and Mrs. Robert McKie Mr. and Mrs. Paul McKittrick Mr. and Mrs. Peter Meenan Mr. Angel Romero and Mrs. Maria Menendez Mr. and Mrs. Bill Messer Mr. Juan Vasquez and Mrs. Marilu Meza Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Middelthon Mr. and Mrs. Bradley Miller Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Miller Ms. Paige Mitts Ms. Elizabeth Moran Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Mulcare Mr. and Mrs. Omar Murcia Mr. Zack Napier Mr. and Mrs. Robert Nardelli Mr. and Mrs. Jason Neff Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Neligan Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Nerbonne Mr. and Mrs. Jerren Nixon Ms. Sarah Novascone Ms. Nancy O'Gara Mr. and Mrs. Cesar Olguin Mr. and Mrs. Javier Oliver Dr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Oyler Dr. Francisco Pastor Dr. Manuel Yepes and Ms. Cristina Perdomo Mr. and Mrs. Eduardo Perez Ms. Bibiana Perez Mr. and Mrs. Kyle Pietrantonio Mr. and Mrs. Brian Plati Mr. and Mrs. Scott Pressly Mr. and Mrs. Michael Prieto Mr. and Mrs. David Provost Mr. and Mrs. Peter Radosta Dr. and Mrs. Keith Raziano Mr. and Mrs. Sean Reardon Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Reger Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Riley Mr. and Mrs. Craig Robson Mr. and Mrs. Michael Rondeau Mr. and Mrs. David Rosenzweig Mr. and Mrs. Emil Sacco, III Mr. and Mrs. William Sande Mr. Ulises Ramirez and Mrs. Araceli Sanroman Mr. and Mrs. Graham Sayers Ms. Deidre Schmidt Dr. and Mrs. David Schulman Mr. and Mrs. Peter Schultz Mr. and Mrs. Steven Schwalb Mr. and Mrs. Michael Sciacchetano Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Shurman Mr. and Mrs. Todd Sipos Mr. and Mrs. Adrian Sotomayor Mr. and Mrs. Rodney Southworth Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Stewart Mr. Derek Strother Mr. and Mrs. Gary Sturgeon Mr. and Mrs. Brendt Swink Ms. Georgia Tate Mr. and Mrs. Tim Thornhill Mr. and Mrs. Scott Tocci Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Tuff Ms. Cameron Tyer Mr. and Mrs. Carl Valenzano Mr. and Mrs. Brian Van Oss Mr. and Mrs. Billy Vargo Ms. Karyn Vickery Mr. and Mrs. Jose Villazon Ms. Marey Wagner Mr. Mike Warren Ms. Stacey Weiss Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Wigbels Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Wilhelm Dr. and Mrs. Moody Williams Ms. Kara Willis Mr. and Mrs. James Winkler Mr. and Mrs. Scott Yates Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Young
We have updated our goal to a total of $10,000. We have currently raised over $7,000!
Remember, you can visit funrun.com to:
HSP has received pledges from 29 states and three countries so far!
Lower School Top Classes 1st: Garcia (K) 2nd: Coury (4th) 3rd: Gaynor (5th)
Upper School Top Classes 1st: Kuczynski 2nd: Tarrant 3rd: Giesen
Top Houses 1st: Nicaea 2nd: Lyons 3rd: Trent
Ms. Kendall's class earned a movie and popcorn party with the Boosterthon team!
Mustang Sally had a blast with Ms. Jacobi's class yesterday!
The PVA is offering live, fresh cedar Advent table and Christmas wreaths!
Advent Wreaths: Friday, November 30
Christmas Wreaths: Monday, December 10
Use code word: “spirit”
You're invited to our annual parent parties!
What are parent parties? Hosted by parents, these grade-level events are a casual opportunity for just parents in each grade to connect.
What do I need to know? Parent Parties are usually held at the home of the host family. Heavy appetizers and drinks will be served—please bring something to share, using the guidelines below:
Your last name begins with: A-H: Drinks (beer, wine, soft drinks) I-P: Desserts Q-Z: Heavy appetizers
October 27
Jocelyn and Adrian Sotomayor
246 Pinetree Drive, Marietta, 30068
4397 Jett Place NW Atlanta, 30327
When: Friday, October 12 Where: Morgan Fall Athletic Fields
Tailgate: 5:30pm Kickoff: 7:30pm
Join us for the last home game of the season to cheer on our boys, celebrate our seniors, and support Jake by wearing orange!
All HSP attendees will receive a raffle ticket upon admission to the football game. We will give out six gift cards (value $25-$50 each) to six lucky winners throughout the game:
During halftime, we will have a special ceremony to recognize our senior football players, cheerleaders, clay shooters, and cross country runners.
Upper School (8th-12th) Basketball Tryouts: October 10-12
October 10 Boys: 1:30pm-3:00pm in the Upper School gym Girls: 3:00pm-5:00pm in the Upper School gym
October 11-12 Boys: 4:30pm-6:30pm in the Upper School gym Girls: 6:30pm-8:30pm in the Upper School gym
Middle School (7th-8th) Basketball Tryouts: October 15-16 and 18 Girls: 4:00pm-5:30pm in the Lower School gym Boys: 5:30pm-7:00pm in the Lower School gym
Middle School and Varsity Swim Tryouts: October 15, 17, and 19 Girls and Boys: 6:00am-7:30am at the Chastain Park Pool Reminder: Swim is a no-cut sport, and we encourage as many middle and Upper School students to participate.
Winter Sports Tryout Make-Up Day for Fall Athletes
Monday, October 29 Middle School (7th-8th) Basketball Girls: 4:00pm-5:30pm in the Lower School gym Boys: 5:30pm-7:00pm in the Lower School gym
Middle School and Varsity Swim Girls and Boys: 6:00am-7:30am at the Chastain Park Pool Reminder: Swim is a no-cut sport, and we encourage as many middle and Upper School students to participate.
Middle School (5th-8th) Cheer 4:00pm-5:00pm in the Lower School cafeteria
Wednesday, October 31 Upper School (8th-12th) Basketball Boys, 4:30pm-6:30pm in the Upper School gym Girls, 6:30pm-8:30pm in the Upper School gym
Check out these pictures of our Preschoolers from our most recent events! The little ones had a blast at the petting zoo. The following week, they got to dress up every day of the week to celebrate their first Homecoming experience!
We know we work in a wonderfully special place surrounded by equally special people. We are looking for faculty and staff to come read to our 2- and 3-year old students. You may bring your favorite story with you or pick something from our library. It's one Friday a month at 9:00am.
The Preschool will join the Lower School in a special devotion to Mary called the “Pilgrim Queen.” A family will receive a statue of Mary and commit to praying with her as a family for two weeks. We are asking families to sign up through the following links.
Ms. Georgia's Pre-K2 class
Ms. Diane's Pre-K3 class
Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled for Wednesday, October 17, from 1:00pm-7:00pm. Sign up for a conference time with your teacher below! PK4 – Ms. DeChiazza
PK4 – Ms. Lewis
KA – Ms. Jessica Garcia
Pre-1st – Ms. Bethany Rusenko
1A – Ms. Tracy Kendall
1B – Ms. Megan Gallagher
2A – Ms. Lyndsay Pinzone
2B – Ms. Kettia Jasmin
3A – Ms. Karen Fickett
3B – Ms. Grace Jacobi
4A – Ms. Whitney Wright
4B – Ms. Kelly Coury
5A –Ms. Kara Gaynor
5B – Ms. AnnaMarie Rose
5C – Ms. Annie Lagomasino
6A – Mr. John Angelle
6B – Ms. Erin Messer
6C – Ms. Tonnie Lentz
7A – Ms. Stephanie Irizarry
7B – Ms. Laura Marshall
7C – Ms. Dana Christensen
When: Friday, October 19 from 8:00am-3:00pm Where: Upper School and Holy Spirit Catholic Church
Dear 7th Grade Parents:
The fall semester for your children brings with it a special day of prayer and activity to bolster their relationship with Christ and with their classmates. This message includes pertinent information about the upcoming 7th grade retreat.
It will be held this Friday, October 19, at the Upper School and Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Drop off will be at the front of the Commons Building by 8:00 am, while pick-up will be in the same place at 3:00pm.
The goal of this retreat is to provide your children with a moment as a class to experience Jesus Christ in a deeper way through the Sacraments (Mass and confession) and fun activities. In 7th grade, we focus on Christ’s call to serve, so that your children can learn how to be more generous servant leaders.
Fr. John Klein will be attending the retreat to celebrate Mass and hear confessions. Dana Christensen, the Regnum Christi missionaries, and I will be directing the retreat, and your child's teachers will be present, leading our 7th graders in this time of prayer, fun, and spiritual growth.
Dress code is green and gold spirit wear, including sneakers and a jacket—we'll be running around outside! Please make sure that pants are not too tight and shoulders are covered. We appreciate your help!
If you have any questions regarding this retreat, please contact me at 404-255-0900 x 110 or estromberg@holyspiritprep.org. We look forward to this special day and ask you to join us in prayer that it's a fruitful experience for all!
Elizabeth Stromberg Lower School Campus Minister
When: Friday, October 19 at 7:00pm Where: Lower School
There will be a Rosary procession at the Lower School on Friday, October 19. Please meet in the Media Center at 7:00pm. We will process around the Lower School beginning at 7:15pm followed with food in the Media Center. The gym will also be open at that time for students. We hope you will join us!
When: Wednesday, October 24 at 9:00am Where: Lower School Media Center
Moms new to the Lower School this year are invited to coffee after the 6th-grade Mass on Wednesday, October 24! Bring a breakfast item, if you'd like!
Children of Holy Spirit Catholic Church parishioners—elementary through high school—are invited to become Altar Servers upon completion of the sacrament of First Communion and training for new Altar Servers.
Contact Allison Adair at hsccaltarservers@hsccatl.com or Michelle Hernandez mhernandez@hsccatl.com or call (404) 252-4513 x222 for more information.
The Lower School observes a special devotion to Mary called the “Pilgrim Queen.” At the end of a school Rosary, a family will receive a statue of Mary and commit to praying with her as a family until the next school Rosary.
There are four Pilgrim Queens of the Family at HSP, so four families can be visited simultaneously. The next Lower School Rosary will be Thursday, November 8.
We're super proud of 9th-grader Kaylin Harris, who was accepted into the Harvard Debate Council Diversity Project! Now she starts an intense 10-month training regimen culminating in a residency at Harvard in summer 2019.
Students in this program will be exposed to rigorous academic content in the subjects of political science, philosophy, sociology, rhetoric, and much more.
Harvard Debate Council Diversity Project (HDCDP) is an Atlanta-based program that provides Black youth access and exposure to accelerated academic training in critical thinking, communication, and civic engagement. HDCDP seeks to matriculate underrepresented students into the Harvard Debate Council's summer residency at Harvard University.
HDCDP seeks to develop the young social and political voice through three pillars:
To learn more about this program, visit www.harvarddcdp.org/about.
Dear Upper School Parents, This week, your student is taking the PSAT/NMSQT. The PSAT is a college-readiness test that offers an opportunity for students to explore and practice items that they will encounter when taking the SAT starting their junior year. PSAT scores are not sent to colleges, but scores from the Junior Year PSAT will be used to compete for a number of scholarships, most notably, the National Merit Scholarship Program.
How We Use Scores Besides the benefit of having students practice for the SAT, we use the scores to assess students’ readiness for advanced courses. The data collected through the PSAT is also valuable for our school to help us reflect on any adjustments to our curriculum. Please encourage your student to take the exam seriously and to do his/her best. A score report will be sent home in January for you to keep and review with your student. If you have any other questions, please contact our test coordinator, Mr. Reger, at mreger@holyspiritprep.org.
On Friday, October 19, the Upper School will have a black and white dress-down day for a $5 donation supporting our priests and consecrated women. Our campus ministers rely on our support for their daily living expenses like food, gas, medicine, clothes, etc. Our students' contributions are greatly needed and appreciated!
Upper School students can earn service hours by volunteering at Holy Spirit Catholic Church for its liturgical ministries, including:
Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion assist in the distribution of Holy Communion at all Masses. Any confirmed parishioner at least 16 years of age may serve. No prior experience is needed; training is required. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are asked to offer to serve at any Masses they attend, including special liturgies and on holy days.
Contact Carla Corley (carla@carlacorley.com) or Bobby Prentice (bobbypbp@yahoo.com) for more information.
Lector The lector proclaims the Word of God during the Liturgy of the Word, an ancient tradition of the Church. Two lectors are required for each of Holy Spirit's Saturday Vigil and Sunday Masses, at seasonal liturgies, like Christmas and Easter, and other special liturgies throughout the year. No experience is necessary, but training at Holy Spirit is required. All lectors must have received the Sacrament of Confirmation to serve.
Contact Brett Woods and Michelle Hines at lectors@hsccatl.com for more information.
Usher Christ taught that hospitality is the basic action of the Christian disciple. The usher is the designated minister of hospitality. Ushers ensure that people are welcomed and assisted and that the collection and Communion proceed in an orderly fashion. Men and women above the age of 14 may serve at Mass at least one weekend per month, also at Christmas, Easter and other important events in the church. Training is provided.
Contact Forrest Hibbard at forresthibbard@comcast.net or Mark Blaeser at mblaeser@comcast.net for more information.
Altar Server Children of the Holy Spirit parish—elementary through high school—are invited to become Altar Servers upon completion of the sacrament of First Communion and training for new Altar Servers.
Fr. Juan Hernandez has requested PVA assistance in a few specific areas for St. Joseph's Oratory, HSP's Upper School Chapel:
Thank you for helping our Chaplains.
When: Sunday, October 21 from 5:00pm-9:30pm Where: The Georgia Aquarium
You're invited to the 7th Annual "Cast Your Nets" RC Atlanta Gala 2018 at the Georgia Aquarium!
Cash Bar/ Silent & Live Auction/ Cocktail Attire
Join us for a night of elegance and fun to support the Legionaries, Consecrated, and the RC Movement! Come for cocktails, delicious food from Wolfgang Puck, incredible aquarium views, fellowship, and fantastic silent and live auction items. It's an evening you sure don't want to miss!
Your generous support of the 2018 "Cast Your Nets" RC Atlanta Gala supports our Legionary Priests, Father Juan Hernandez and Father John Klein, as well as our consecrated women, Beth Van de Voorde, Yvonne Fontaine, and Elizabeth Stromberg.
What: The Cabrera's Haunted House: "The House of the Unhappy Pumpkins VI: The Lily Sanatorium" When: Saturday, October 27 from 7:00pm-11:00pm and Wednesday, October 31 from 7:00pm-10:00pm
Each year, the Cabrera family turns their home into a themed haunted house with the goal of raising money to purchase toys for the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) Christmas Toy Drive. This year’s theme, “The House of the Unhappy Pumpkins VI: The Lily Sanatorium,” promises to be the biggest and scariest yet.
The Cabrera family pays the total costs of planning, building, and running the haunt (which takes months to prepare and a full year to plan). They then donate $1 for each person who visits their house. Friends, family, and neighbors may donate through a GoFundMe page as well as through checks and cash by the mail and at the door. The toys are purchased and donated to CHOA to be distributed to children who are unable to be at home with their families during the Christmas holidays. ALL donations go towards the purchase of toys. Each year, they have increased the amount of toys donated ($5,000 in 2017).
For the last two years, they have had more than 900 visitors during the two nights they are open (the Saturday before and the night of Halloween). For the past several years, HSP students have volunteered to add to the scares. Last year, they received local media coverage of the event. The HSP community is invited to come out and enjoy the the fun.
Imagine visiting a neighborhood home you have thought of for years as a place which treated “troubled” individuals. As you cross a small bridge into the entrance, you notice little things which do not seem normal (e.g. razor wire intermixed with flowers, a dilapidated graveyard out of view from the street). As you step into the lobby, you notice that dinner has been prepared for visitors, but you are asked to explore the home first. At the front desk, you notice strange images on the security cameras of demented patients imprisoned under terrible conditions, but of course, it could not be something that happens in this tranquil home. You uneventfully enter into a seemingly harmless elevator which begins your journey into the true dark, sinister world of the asylum. From the elderly nursery attendant and the strange children in her care to a rather spirited main hall with occasional surprises, you continue on you journey into the patient area where the true nature of the home is revealed: Patients kept in small dank rooms, medical experiments/procedures performed by a maniacal doctor and his unsettling assistant, a morgue with a collection of oddities and, finally, the kitchen where all things go when they have completed their useful life. Makes you wonder just what they may be serving on the menu...
When: Saturday, October 13 from 6:30pm-10:00pm Where: McDonough Hall
Adults: $20 Kids 6-18: $10 Kids 5 and under: FREE
Join the Knights of Columbus for their annual Oktoberfest/Fall Festival on Saturday, October 13 at 6:30pm in McDonough Hall. Enjoy food, drinks, and dancing to music for all ages—polka, country, rock, and a few Irish tunes in honor of Msgr. Dillon's 75th Birthday. We will serenade Msgr. Dillon at 7:30pm with a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday." Don't miss out! The cost is $20 for adults, $10 for children 6-18 years, and free for children five and under.
When: Wednesday, October 31 from 6:00pm-8:00pm Where: McDonough Hall
Reconnect with your Catholic faith this Halloween! Halloween is a Catholic celebration and literally means “All Holy’s Eve” or “Hallow’s Eve." It is the vigil of All Saints Day—a Holy Day of Obligation—and the celebration of all of the saints, the holy men and women recognized in the Catholic Church as residing in Heaven.
Celebrate it this year at Holy Spirit Catholic Church with Mass, food, crafts, a lantern parade, and “begging” for treats at our “Saints & Sweets” tables. No Halloween would be complete without costumes, so we invite you to come dressed as your favorite saint!
Volunteer to be a “Saints & Sweets” table sponsor! All Holy Spirit families and ministries are invited to host a table. Hosts decorate tables and dress up in costume based on the saint they select. Prizes will be awarded to the top three “Most Saintly” tables. Sign-up now! Tables are limited!
6:00pm - All Saints Day Vigil Mass in Church
6:30pm - Dinner & Crafts in McDonough Hall
7:00pm - Lantern Parade from Church to HSP Quad
7:30pm - Saints & Sweets Tables, Cider, S’mores, Story-Telling and More in the HSP Quad