PREPARING FOR WHAT MATTERS MOST

Dear St. Pius X Community,

For the last few weeks, our faculty and students have been preparing for the end of the semester with study guides, tutoring, final exams, and grading. This preparation leads to a big sigh of relief once the last exam is over and Christmas break begins. Outside of school, families prepare for Christmas with decorations, shopping, travel arrangements, and logistics, creating stress and exhaustion. 

The demands of the Christmas season can be challenging, but it is important not to lose sight of the most important preparation we are called to as Christians, which is preparing for the coming of Jesus Christ. At the start of Advent, we organized a school-wide penance service, inviting visiting Priests to hear confessions. Over 500 students celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation, preparing their hearts for the birth of Christ. We participated in our annual Dresden Elementary School Christmas service project, in which our families and organizations adopt a family to provide them with Christmas gifts, food, and clothing. This year’s service project was a resounding success! Finally, a group of students and faculty members participated in Clark’s Christmas kids, which helped bring Christmas presents to kids in the State of Georgia foster care system. 

These events help cultivate our hearts so that we can experience the true joy of Christmas. In my opinion, it emphasizes the value of a Catholic education versus a secular one. During Pope Leo XIV’s recent visit to the Middle East, he proclaimed, “If we truly want to help the people we meet, let us ‘keep watch’ over ourselves, as the Gospel recommends, by cultivating our faith with prayer, with the sacraments, living it consistently in charity.”

This call to “keep watch” is at the very heart of Advent. It reminds us that preparation is not merely about what we do, but about who we are becoming. At St. Pius X, our mission is not simply to educate minds, but to form hearts -- hearts that are attentive to God’s presence, responsive to the needs of others, and rooted in faith. When our students serve, reconcile, pray, and give generously, they are learning to live the Gospel in tangible ways that will stay with them long after finals are finished and decorations are taken down.

As we enter Christmas break, I encourage each member of our community -- students, parents, faculty, staff, and alumni -- to pause amid the busyness and create space for silence, prayer, and gratitude. The child born in Bethlehem comes quietly, humbly, and unexpectedly. May we be prepared to receive Him not just on Christmas Day, but in our homes, our relationships, and our daily lives.

Thank you for your continued partnership in making St. Pius X a place where faith, learning, and service come together. I wish you and your families a blessed Advent, a joyful Christmas, and a peaceful New Year.

Domini Sumus,

Aaron Parr ‘06

President

FINE ARTS DELIVERS A FESTIVE START TO THE SEASON

Our Fine Arts Department helped usher in the Christmas season with three festive performances by our band, dance, and chorus programs. Each event was a wonderful celebration of the season and a powerful reminder of the remarkable talent of our students.

We encourage the entire St. Pius X community to look ahead to our spring Fine Arts performances. Showtimes and ticket information will be available on our website, and all are welcome to attend. These events are a meaningful way to support our students and experience the vibrant arts culture at St. Pius X. See the calendar below for upcoming spring performances.

ADVENT BY CANDLELIGHT:

A TRADITION OF FAITH & FELLOWSHIP

Advent by Candlelight, a longstanding Mothers' Club tradition, was a beautiful and meaningful way to welcome the Christmas season, bringing the St. Pius X community together in the Mark Kelly Gym for an evening of reflection, fellowship, and generosity. A special thanks to guest speaker Vanessa Russell, CEO of Catholic Charities Atlanta, for her inspiring message. The strong attendance and generous support of our guests made this event a success, with proceeds directly benefiting student scholarships and enriching the lives of our students.

MAKE AN IRA QUALIFIED CHARITABLE DISTRIBUTION (QCD)


If you are 70.5 or over, you may direct up to $108,000 from your IRA to St. Pius X Catholic High School while lowering the income and taxes from your IRA withdrawals. To make an IRA QCD, simply contact your IRA custodian, such as Fidelity, and request that an amount be transferred directly to St. Pius X

Boys' basketball photo credit: @drewdinwiddie 

GOLDEN LIONS: STRONG START AND BUSY SEASON AHEAD

The boys' basketball team is off to a 9-0 start and ranked #2 in the state by the Max Preps poll in 4A play, including impressive wins over region foes Southwest DeKalb, Tucker, and Marist. Senior guard and Clemson signee Harris Reynolds has led the way in scoring, while fellow senior D'Marley Elliott recently passed the 600-career rebound mark.

The girls' basketball team is off to a 6-4 start, and will join the boys over the holiday break at the Beach Blowout tournament hosted by Freeport High School in Florida, held December 27-29.

Golden Lions wrestlers will have a busy holiday season, with no less than six meets between now and the resumption of school on January 5. 

Speaking of January, many spring season sports teams will host their tryouts the first month of the new year, including baseball, soccer, and lacrosse -- both for the high school as well as middle schools. Visit spxgoldenlions.com for more information. 

Silent Auction Spotlight: 


• Tickets to Braves, Falcons, and SEC football games
• A curated bourbon tasting experience
• Private dinners
• Professional home organizing services
• Fly fishing lessons

Live Auction Highlights:


• Private wine tasting for ten
• One-week getaway to Cabo San Lucas
• Private dinner at Vice Steak Bar with wine pairing with Fr. Robbie and Msgr. Lopez
• An adorable doodle puppy

YEAR-END GIVING OPTIONS

Did you know that St. Pius X receives more than 20% of Annual Fund gifts during the month of December? It’s a great time to show your support for the school, and there are a variety of ways to do so. 

1. Consider setting up a recurring donation. Smaller, regular contributions can be more manageable than a larger one-time gift and allow you to give more over time. Click here to donate now.
2. Give appreciated stock. If you’ve held shares for over a year that have grown in value, you can save on capital gains taxes by gifting them directly to St. Pius X. Stock transfer instructions can be found here. Be sure to initiate transfers by December 18.
3. Double your gift with a corporate match. A matching gift allows you to multiply the size of your gift without impacting your wallet. Click here to see if your employer will match your donation.
4. Give Online. Easily make a secure donation from anywhere using a credit card, ACH, or mobile wallet.
5. Participate in Georgia GOAL. Redirect your Georgia state taxes to St. Pius X for need-based scholarships. Click here to learn more.

YEAR-END DATES

• Thursday, December 18: Initiate stock transfers by this date. Please submit this form prior to making your transfer to receive instructions.
• Friday, December 26: Register with GOAL to direct your state taxes for St. Pius X scholarships. This deadline allows GOAL time to ensure the accuracy of your submission prior to submitting it to the State of Georgia on January 2, 2025. However, registrations will still be accepted through December 31.
• Wednesday, December 31: Checks must be written and postmarked by this date. Online gifts must be made before midnight. 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!