Habemus Papam! We have a Pope! This has certainly been an exciting – and, indeed, historic – time for the Universal Church as 132 cardinals from 70 countries around the world started meeting in the Sistine Chapel to elect our next pope on 7 May. And, after just four ballots, so many of us watched excitedly as white smoke billowed from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel just after noon on the second day. I don’t know about you, but I certainly […]
Tessa Ellis has been preoccupied with the sound of the trumpet since she first heard the instrument as a four-year-old. Inspired by a lifelong drive to create new and nuanced sounds, her work spans orchestral, chamber, and experimental music. Recent highlights include tours with Hans Zimmer Live, Star Trek: The Cruise, and performances with Seraph Brass, the Philadelphia Ballet Orchestra, Kennett Symphony, and the Delaware Symphony. She is a founding member of the Arcana New Music Ensemble and frequently collaborates across
genres with […]
Melissa Brun is a professional cellist and freelance teaching artist. Holding a Bachelors of Music and a Performers Certificate from SUNY Purchase College Conservatory, she has recently been on faculty at Millersville University, UArts, and currently hosts her own private studio. She has performed and soloed with various orchestras and choral associations in the Philadelphia area, and manages the Chester County Youth Orchestra. Non-classically, she is a founding member of the chamber-folk sextet, The Sound Accord, and a former member of Irish […]
A Massachusetts native, Clarinetist Sarah Connors is obtaining her Master’s Degree in Clarinet Performance at Temple University as a student of Paul Demers. She earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Theory/Composition and Clarinet Performance from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, studying with Bixby Kennedy, Romie de Guise-Langlois, and Salvatore Macchia. She has participated in masterclasses with Steve Cohen, Alicia Lee, Philip Paglialonga, and Welsey Ferriera. Sarah can be heard on the album “Synchronous,” recorded by Greg Spiridopoulos and the UMass Wind […]
Since 2022, the Parishioner Engagement committee has helped parish members connect to each other and their faith by encouraging involvement in our ministries and events. Committee members, PREP and the school have teamed up to spread the word about activities to the entire parish, using Flocknote, the bulletin, promotional materials, personal sharing and other methods. 
You know that line of children you see leaving Mass before the scripture readings? They’re heading over to the parish center for Children’s Liturgy of the Word. Held every Sunday at the 9:30 Mass, Children’s Liturgy helps kids understand the day’s readings and connect the lessons to their own lives. While their parents listen to the word of God in church (child-free!), the liturgy leaders present the same scripture in simple language and use singing, crafts and other activities to engage the […]