St. James Students Receive Bibles at First School Mass

On September 12 St. James the Apostle School (SJS) in Springfield continued a long tradition of giving Bibles to its sixth grade students at the first school Mass of the year.

Eighteen sixth graders and two new seventh graders received a Bible blessed by Rev. Joseph F. Barbone, pastor of St. James the Apostle Church. Father Joe told the school community that the letters in the word BIBLE mean "basic instructions before leaving Earth." Bibles are given to SJS students to guide them in their lives, particularly as they begin to prepare for the sacrament of Confirmation in the coming years. The parents of the students receiving the Bibles were also invited to join the school community at Mass.

For 65 years, SJS has been serving the parishioners of St. James the Apostle Church in Springfield and surrounding communities. SJS offers students from PreK-3 through eighth grade a Roman Catholic faith-based education which acknowledges each child's individual ability to achieve his or her fullest potential academically, socially, and spiritually.

The school is located at 41 S. Springfield Ave., Springfield. For more information, please telephone 973-376-5194 or email sjschool@sjspringfield.org. The school’s Web site is www.sjspringfield.org