Students at French school come to aid of church

What more could be said after Paroisse Saint-Philippe, a small, four-decade-old Burlington French Catholic church on Locust Street, was blessed after parents, staff and students at École Saint-Philippe raised more than enough money to wipe out the parish’s $6,498.05 deficit for 2008.

After learning of Paroisse Saint-Philippe’s financial woes last month, the 275-student school quickly came together over a two-week period and raised $7,200.

An official presentation of the funds for the parish took place last week. The funds were handed over to the church administrator Father Ambroise Tshiaba at the opening of École Saint-Philippe’s spring concert.

Father Tshiaba was so excited to see the school come together like it did to help the tiny parish. The church has approximately 60 families, amounting to 200 parishioners.

“I was very, very happy and very surprised,” he told the Post, amazed by the school’s spirit of generosity.

Nancy Morrow, principal of École Saint-Philippe, located on Francis Road, said the entire school helped and launched a fundraising activity in short order.