On Wednesday, January 29th, during Catholic Schools Week, Most Reverend Nelson J. Pérez, Archbishop of Philadelphia, visited Pope John Paul II Regional Catholic Elementary School (PJPII) in West Brandywine (Chester County) and celebrated a bilingual Mass for the school community. Reverend Juan Mora, FM, Pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Coatesville; Reverend Daniel Gnangba, FM, Parochial Vicar of Saint Joseph Parish in Coatesville; and Reverend Michael Olivere, Pastor of Saint Peter Parish in West Brandywine, concelebrated. PJPII’s partner parishes include Our Lady of Consolation in Parkesburg, Our Lady of the Rosary in Coatesville, Saint Joseph in Coatesville, and Saint Peter in West Brandywine Township. During Mass, PJP II students served as readers, altar servers, and presented the offertory gifts. In addition, members of the school’s student choir provided music. Archbishop Pérez’s visit coincided with the national celebration of Catholic Schools Week January 26 – February 1, 2025. This year’s theme is Catholic Schools: United in Faith and Community. Following the Mass, the Archbishop met with recipients of the Padre Walsh Scholarship. The purpose of this scholarship is to provide assistance to Hispanic families within parishes throughout the Archdiocese who wish to send their children to Catholic school, but struggle to afford tuition. The Padre Walsh Scholarship was founded on the principal that helping parish families attend Catholic schools strengthens parish communities and that all families who attend Mass should be able to give their children the gift of a Catholic education. Additionally, Andrew McLaughlin, Ed.D, Secretary for Elementary Education for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and Bernadette Dougherty, Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education, were present for the Archbishop’s visit. View photo gallery here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1QqEXMhlT87MZcOKe0S0_177hlU0ljJbD?usp=sharing