Update on Church & School

A Message from Fr. Carl:

Dear St Gabe’s parishioners and friends,

I encourage you to view the below video which regards some important events for our parish.  https://youtu.be/L5hndiy3-b4

Peace and blessings.

Fr Carl


A letter from the President & CEO:

Dear Friends of St. Gabriel Catholic School, 

We are writing to share with you that the decision has been made to consolidate St. Gabriel Catholic School students into St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School at the start of the 2021-2022 school year. 
 
Independence Mission Schools constantly reviews and analyzes the opportunities and challenges facing all schools in our network to ensure our students are receiving a high-quality education. This decision has been made in the best interest of the remarkable students and families who make up these school communities. While St. Gabriel offers a quality educational product, the school is operating well below full building capacity. Fewer students mean less funding, and in recent years, expenses to occupy and maintain the school building have increased. St. Thomas Aquinas, located in close proximity to St. Gabriel, serves students from the same neighborhoods and can accommodate additional students within its current building. 
 
Given these circumstances, we are confident that the consolidation of St. Gabriel students into St. Thomas Aquinas will benefit children from both schools. 
 
Of course, we understand the sadness that comes with closing the St. Gabriel school building. Please know that our students and their future education remain our highest priority.  
 
St. Thomas Aquinas and other schools in the IMS network can accommodate students from St. Gabriel who wish to attend in the next academic year. Without the financial pressures that come with operating two large school buildings in the same area, we can invest in improvements to the facilities and programming at St. Thomas Aquinas to enhance the educational experience for all students. Should families wish to explore options outside of St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Gabriel students have access to our network of Catholic grade schools, which span many neighborhoods and diverse sections of Philadelphia. We will work with families to apply for an appropriate placement for their student(s). 
 
We are committed to helping families impacted by this consolidation through this time of transition. We willprovide eligible students in need with financial aid, no matter which school in our system they choose to attend, to ensure the transformative Catholic education we provide remains within reach. 
 
St. Gabriel School has been a cornerstone of education in South Philadelphia for more than a century thanks to your generous contributions. 

It is said that Jesus is the wisest of builders. When he builds his house – the house of God - it will never fall, no matter the storms (Mt 7:24-25). While this building must close, a new chapter begins. We know that God has plans for us greater than any we can imagine for ourselves, and we will take the rich history and memories of St. Gabriel Catholic School, and the energy of our students to build an even more enriching environment for all.


We greatly appreciate everything you have done for this school and hope you will continue to support and pray for our Independence Mission Schools as we strive to ensure children from all neighborhoods across Philadelphia have access to exceptional schools. 

 
May God bless you all.  
 
Sincerely,  
 

Bruce Robinson 
President & CEO