News

On Friday, October 5, the Assumption Catholic School community in Perth Amboy, NJ  gathered to honor the memory of the innocent victims of the Holodomor, the famine-genocide of 1932-1933 in Soviet Ukraine that killed unknown millions of men, women, and children.  Assumption Catholic School joined the 85-day international action of the Ukrainian World Congress and its partners – Light a Candle of Remembrance – dedicated to the 85th anniversary of this catastrophic event in Ukraine.

The eighth-grade class solemnly processed into the church, carrying with them a simple loaf of bread. Ukraine was once called the breadbasket of Europe. This bread was symbolically placed on the tetrapod before the start of Liturgy as an offering in memory of the victims and as a symbol of hope. Fr. Ivan offered special petitions during the Liturgy for the departed victims of the Holodomor, and against hunger and intolerance.

Immediately following Liturgy, a requiem service was held to commemorate the child victims, who suffered the most because they were the most vulnerable. The eighth-grade class read aloud the names of 85 children who died during the Holodomor. It is likely that 1.5 to 4 million children died during the height of the famine-genocide.

At the conclusion of the requiem service, students, teachers, and faithful placed individual stalks of wheat in front of the icon of the Blessed Virgin, imploring her for her continued protection over Ukraine, the United States of America, and Assumption Catholic School.

May the memories of those who died during the Holodomor be eternal and may they continue to rest peacefully in the hands of our merciful God! Vichnaya Pamyat!

On a recent Friday afternoon the Class of 2019 met for the first time with their kindergarten buddies. Every year eighth grade students become tutors, example setters, and best buddies with the children of kindergarten. Mrs. D.,the kindergarten teacher, knows what kind of reinforcement her students need for the week. She gives individualized activities to the eighth graders, who then sit with their buddies to work on particular skills. It might be math skills, alphabet reinforcement, or reading. As the year progresses, the eighth grade class learns just how hard it is to teach the little ones concepts related to kindergarten and the kindergarteners learn just what a big family ACS is. Before you know it, you will see them waving to each other in the cafeteria, and praying with their buddies in liturgy.

We welcomed to Assumption Catholic School our new students and their families during our Back to School BBQ on Thursday, 09/20. ACS faculty and administration members worked all day to make sure that everyone would have a good time. It was wonderful seeing our students, families and staff eating and laughing together. Over 150 Guests were treated to choices of hot dogs, hamburgers and chicken. Along with these choices they also had choices of homemade salads like potato salad, pasta salad, coleslaw salad, and some other tasty items. After finishing their meal, and if there was still enough room, the guests moved on to the dessert table where they found great selections of bake goods. Thank you to all who were able to attend the Annual Back to School BBQ. What a great way to begin our new school year! It was an enjoyable evening of food, fun and fellowship with friends and family. Special thank you to ALL our full and part time teachers for all of the hard work and labor before, during and after the event.

The students had a snack and sat around the table sharing one another’s Cereal Box Book Report! The students each presented their Book Box to the class telling us the Title of the book, The Author, Character Names and descriptions, Setting and a Summary of the book. They ended giving the book a rating! Mrs. Cooper and Mrs. Rosell are happy to report most books were given an average of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

We are all looking forward to an exciting and productive school year!

Last Sunday, 49 pilgrims on the bus and many more  in their own cars returned safely after a wonderful trip to the Holy Dormition Pilgrimage in Sloatsburg, NY. The highlight of the pilgrimage was undoubtedly the Pontifical Divine Liturgy presided by His Beatitude Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk and celebrated by many hierarchs of our Ukrainian Catholic Church in America and thousands of faithful from other parishes praying together. After a nearly an-hour drive filled with prayer and the recitation of the Rosary, our bus arrived at Mary’s House in Sloatsburg, where we were personally greeted with a smile, handshake and even hugs by the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate, who organized this beautiful pilgrimage. It was a day of peace, prayerful reflection, spiritually uplifting and joy filled