School Mass livestream each Thursday at 8:30 am
Posted on May 6, 2020
Dear St Ambrose Families,
Frs. Fisher and Bergida invite you to make Thursdays your “school Mass” day as part of your study at home curriculum. Both priests Thursdays’ homilies will have a message for the school community. Join us for a livestream at 8:30 a.m. till the end of the school year on the parish website at https://stambroseva.org/mass. The school Mass begins tomorrow.
Want Mass every day? Mass is live streamed at 8:30 a.m. Monday-Friday!
March 20, 2020
Dear St. Ambrose Parents,
Fr. Bergida offered a “school Mass” for today which can be found on the link below. Thank you Fr. Bergida!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wD8Yl8WMtA
In Chrst,
George Elliott
Dear Parents,
Thank you for your patience as we navigate eLearning. I know it has been a learning experience for your children along with the teachers. I have told the teachers that there will be no homework over the weekend. We want your children to take a break and spend some precious family time together. I also want the teachers to take a much needed break.
I do not have any new news to share with you from the Office of Catholic Schools at this time. As I have mentioned in the past, I will share updates as I receive them. One other point I would like to make is the importance of taking breaks and reserving time for play when we pick up our studies on Monday. Please stress to your children that it is ok to go outside and run around or play in the backyard. They need those breaks in between the work they are doing.
The teachers and I continue to pray for our St. Ambrose community. We miss the smiling faces of our children and hope and pray we can open up the school sooner than expected. In the meantime, I am sharing a cute little two minute video link below that gives some good family advice that a parent emailed to me. Have a safe and wonderful family weekend!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIOiThTLNYM
In Christ,
George Elliott
Dear Parents,
Happy Saint Joseph’s Day! Please join me in prayer:
Saint Joseph, patron of the universal Church, watch over the Church as carefully as you watched over Jesus, help protect it and guide it as you did with your adopted son. Amen
I wanted to alert you to a very good Catholic site that offers wholesome and excellent content. You can access documentaries, animated content for children, stories on the lives of the Saints, and much more. As we navigate these uncertain times and spend much of our time at home I would encourage you to check out the following website:
formed.org
St. Ambrose Catholic Church has already purchased the license to formed.org, making all of the content free to our parishioners and St. Ambrose Catholic School families. You will be prompted to sign up with your email and then choose St. Ambrose as your parish to be able to browse and choose all the content that formed.org offers. There is also a very good movie about Saint Joseph.
On this Feast of Saint Joseph please know that the teachers and I are keeping our St. Ambrose families in prayer. We miss the kids and the daily routine of school in our building. Please don’t hesitate to contact the teachers if you are having problems accessing or completing any of the electronic materials that are being sent home. The teachers have done a great job pulling this together and I have been truly impressed with their commitment and professionalism during a period in our history that no one expected would have so much impact on our daily lives. I am also grateful for the calm and kindness you parents have exhibited along with many of the encouraging messages you have sent to me, the teachers, and Fr. Fisher.
Please enjoy your day and enjoy a treat of some kind. After all it is a day we honor one of our great saints, Saint Joseph.
Saint Joseph, pray for us!
George Elliott
Update from Fr. Fisher Regarding St. Ambrose Church’s Response to Covid-19
Watch the daily Mass from Bishop Barron’s Word On Fire or from EWTN
Monday, March 16
Dear Parents,
I have just received notice that that Bishop Burbidge is suspending the celebration of all Masses in our diocese effective tomorrow until further notice. Please go to the front page of arlingtondiocese.org to read the full statement and a video with further comments from Bishop Burbidge.
On another note, Dr. Vorbach emailed the principals a short time ago. It is the intention of the Office of Catholic Schools at this time to observe Easter break at the normal time this year from Good Friday, April 10th to Divine Mercy Sunday, April 19th. I’m sure you can appreciate that there may be developments that will require OCS To adjust plans but moving forward Easter Break appears to be unchanged.
These are certainly challenging times for all of us. I must admit that not having Mass tomorrow on the Feast of St. Patrick especially saddens me. After all, I was the principal of St. Patrick Catholic School for 21 years and St. Patrick’s Feast Day is one of my favorite religious celebrations. We must soldier on and I would encourage to spend more time in prayer individually and as a family unit. Below is a prayer that Bishop Burbidge gave to each pastor today to share with their parishioners. Please pray this prayer and pray for those afflicted with the Coronavirus and our country.
A Prayer to Jesus for Healing and Guidance
Jesus, Son of God, you were sent by the Father to bear our weakness; be with us in this time of crisis. Merciful Savior, heal and comfort the sick, so that, with health restored, they may give you praise. Divine Physician, accompany our caregivers so that, serving with patience, they may heal wisely. Eternal Wisdom, guide our leaders so that, seeking remedies, they may follow your light. Christ, the Anointed, protect us in body and spirit, so that, freed from harm, we may be delivered from all affliction. Who live and reign with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
May God’s peace be with all of you.
George Elliott
Sunday, March 15
Dear Parents,
I have received an update from Dr. Vorbach. The diocese has asked us to follow the new directive from Fairfax County Schools that came out this afternoon. All FCPS school buildings are closed until further notice. This means all Fairfax County Catholic Schools are closed until further notice.
However, FCPS is continuing with their grab and go breakfast and lunch distribution at 18 school locations. In that same spirit Dr. Vorbach and Fr. Fisher have given me permission to do a similar “grab and go” with school packets and textbooks. This is how it will work:
- Monday and Tuesday from 7:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. I will be available to give you your books and learning packets.
- Please form a line in front of the school the way you would during morning drop-off.
- Please stay with your vehicle. I will bring the books and packets to you.
Please be patient as this process takes place and I will be as quick as possible in loading up your car. Thank you for your understanding. I will send out more detailed communications tomorrow sometime after 2:00.
I am so grateful and appreciative of all the teachers who have been working to put the school materials and Google classrooms together. Many of these teachers were in the building yesterday and today working on these school materials. We have all been thrown a curve ball but just like the Marines we will improvise, adapt, and overcome. I will continue to keep all of you in my prayers. Please keep the teachers and staff in your prayers. St. Ambrose, Pray for us!
In Christ,
George Elliott
Dear Parents,
The Office of Catholic Schools has asked us to follow the policy of Fairfax County Public Schools in regard to school closings for COVID-19. St. Ambrose School will stay closed until April 10th.
The teachers have been busy preparing packets of work, along with Google Classroom, and Class Dojo for eLearning knowing that we could be facing an extended school closing. They will be in the building on Monday fine tuning and preparing their lessons.
I will be at the school on Monday morning from 7:00 a.m. until 4 p.m. You can start picking up books and work packets beginning at 7:00 a.m. Mrs. Healy will also be in the library at 7:00 for students who would like to check out books to read during this extended time away from the school. I will also open the school at 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday if you are unable to come by the school on Monday. Please use common sense “social distancing” strategies when you enter the school building on Monday or Tuesday.
I thought I had seen it all in my 37 years as an educator. This is a new experience for all of us. I can appreciate the frustration many of you may be feeling along with the stress that might be occurring as you try to balance child care along with your work life. I also understand that every situation is different in regard to the number of children in a home, the amount of laptops and devices in the home, along with parents maybe needing a computer for their work. These are the dynamics the faculty and I discussed today, and it is important that we show flexibility when needed. However, it is important that your children complete as much work as possible. The new trimester will start next week and much of this work will be assessed.
Have a peaceful and restful weekend. I will stay in touch with emails and phone messages.
In Christ,
George Elliott
