Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School opened its doors in 1901 with an enrollment of just 40 children. Two Sisters of Divine Providence, Sister M. Robertine and Sister M. Clementine, came from Our Lady of the Lake Convent in San Antonio to take charge of the students. At that time, OLPH was a mission of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in New Braunfels, under the leadership of Rev. J.M. Wack and the Rt. Rev. J.A. Forest. Since then, OLPH has faithfully partnered with families for about 125 years to provide children with a strong Catholic education rooted in faith, knowledge, and service.

This year, your Big Give support will go directly toward projects that impact our children every day — keeping their learning spaces safe, their classrooms enriched, and their faith at the center of all we do.

Your generosity helps us provide:

Campus Enhancements that keep classrooms, playgrounds, and common areas safe, comfortable, and welcoming.

Student Enrichment Opportunities such as assisting with field trip costs and extracurricular activities.

Faith Formation Resources that strengthen our Catholic identity and support our children’s spiritual growth.

Special Programs that enrich learning beyond the textbook and spark joy in our students.

Emergency Tuition Assistance for families who suddenly face hardship. A parent’s illness/passing, a job loss, or an unexpected crisis can put Catholic education out of reach overnight. Your gift ensures no child has to leave OLPH because of circumstances beyond their family’s control.

When YOU give, YOU are making a direct investment in your child’s experience at OLPH. Every gift, no matter the size, is an investment in their future.

We are deeply grateful for your support and will keep our donors in prayer throughout the school year.

This organization is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. Your donation is tax-deductible. Federal Tax ID #32039059541

Who We Are

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School has a long history and a beautiful legacy worth carrying on! First opening our doors in 1901, OLPH had an initial enrollment of 40 children. Two Sisters of Divine Providence came from Our Lady of the Lake Convent in San Antonio to take charge of the students.

From all accounts, life in Selma was not easy. Students walked long distances to get to school and they arrived on schedule. The lucky ones had a donkey or horse to ride. Once at school they had to assist with chores before studies began. They had to carry in the firewood for the stove and sweep the floors in the classrooms as there were no hired maintenance people. After school, children did not go off to ball practice or dance lessons. Instead, they went home to do their farm chores such as milk cows, work in the fields, and feed the chickens. Everyone had an important part in their family responsibilities as well as in their parish family. Everyone pitched in to take care of the needs of the school. Parents, staff and students understood that OLPH would enhance a child's life by providing them an education along with learning the 3 core values of the school: Religion, Respect & Responsibility.

Fast forward over a century to 2020 (119 years in operation) and much has changed, yet so much at OLPH has remained the same. Unlike the Alumni of the school who once went home to work on their family farms, students today typically go home to work on homework and participate in after school activities of their choosing. Students no longer have to carry in firewood to heat their classrooms, but they still help around their school by picking up trash and making sure their school is a clean learning environment.

Students no longer have to walk long distances to get to school, but many parents choose to drive long distances to make sure their child attends the wonderful OLPH! Students, staff and parents alike make sacrifices and choose OLPH as their school because they know along with receiving the best education possible, they will learn the 3 core values: Religion, Respect, & Responsibility.

Like our predecessors before us, the OLPH community continues to take care of the needs of the school. Because OLPH is a Catholic School & non-profit organization, our funding needs are only met through generous contributions made by family members, community members & generous donors such as yourself. Currently, OLPH is seeking additional funding for the following:
-Completion of the network/IT infrastructure
-Upgrade our computers to Windows 10
-Completion of the main building's renovation

Thank you for choosing to support OLPH. Your generous donations will help us ensure our school's legacy is carried on!