By Mary Stadnyk | Associate Editor

Father Christopher Colavito has his own idea of what it means to hold an open house.

Instead of waiting until Oct. 5, when prospective students and their families are invited to attend the open house planned in Holy Cross Academy, Delran, Father Colavito is doing a little preliminary promoting of his own on Burlington County’s only Catholic high school now during the summer.

During July and August, the chaplain of Holy Cross Academy, is traveling each weekend to a parish in Burlington County where he hosts an “In House Open  House.”

The concept of the In House Open House is about bringing “Holy Cross to the parishes of Burlington County,” he said. “While we still have the traditional open house at Holy Cross Academy, I thought it would be a good idea to reach out and bring our message, our products and our Catholic education straight to the parishes and speak directly to prospective students and their parents and grandparents,” said Father Colavito.

The arrangement of the In House Open House has Father Colavito celebrating what is considered to be the largest Mass in the given parish on Sunday morning. During the homily, he’ll speak about the importance of Catholic education and Holy Cross’ particular role in Catholic education for Burlington County Catholics. After the Mass, the parishioners are invited into the parish hall to enjoy refreshments, hear presentations by Father Colavito and members of the school’s administration, teachers and alumni and browse the table displays containing information on the school’s academics, athletics and extracurricular activities. If available, current Holy Cross Academy students have also addressed parishioners during Mass.

To date, Father Colavito has held In House Open Houses in St. Isaac Jogues Parish, Marlton, and St. John Neumann Parish, Mount Laurel, where he is parochial vicar in both parishes. Upcoming parishes that he will visit include St. Joan of Arc, Marlton, on Aug. 6, where he will celebrate the 10: 30 a.m. Mass; St. Mary of the Lakes, Medford, on Aug. 13, where he will celebrate the 10:30 a.m. Mass, and Our Lady of Good Counsel, Moorestown, on Aug. 20, where he will celebrate the 10:30 a.m. Mass.

“Not only do we hope to entice students to attend Holy Cross now and in the future, but we also want to expand our Catholic understanding on the importance of Catholic education in general and how important Holy Cross is to Burlington County,” he said. He noted that it’s his goal to continue holding In House Open Houses in other parishes in September “as we prepare for our open house at the school which will be held on Thursday, Oct. 5 at 6 p.m.”

Commenting on Father Colavito’s In House, Open House initiative, Dennis Guida, Holy Cross Academy president and principal, said he admires the priest’s energy and enthusiasm for Catholic  education and how it is “helping to bring our story to many parishioners.

“The education offered to Catholic parents in Burlington County is second to none while bringing the message of a Catholic faith component to the classroom,” said Guida. “Father Colavito, as a priest, represents faith and education, while telling our story.”