2 Philadelphia Catholic schools appeal to Vatican to stay open

Mar 23, 2012 12:30 PM

From The Philadelphia Daily News: Two Catholic elementary schools slated for closure in Philadelphia have appealed to a higher authority--the Vatican. The schools, Sacred Heart of Jesus and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, are scheduled to shutter in June and merge with another school this fall, but parents are proposing that they merge at the Mount Carmel site instead.

FEBRUARY 2012....from The Philadelphia Inquirer: Charles J. Chaput, archbishop of the Philadelphia Catholic Archdiocese, has announced that because of millions of dollars in donations and pledges, all four archdiocesan high schools set to close in June would remain open.

Earlier...from The Philadelphia Inquirer: The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has given a reprieve to 18 Catholic elementary schools that had been targeted for closing. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput heard appeals from the schools and has decided to keep them open. A16-member commission studying Catholic education in the five-county archdiocese had called for closing 45 Catholic elementary schools and four of the 17 archdiocesan high schools. The commission has concluded that the closings were needed because of declining enrollment.

JANUARY 2012....From The Philadelphia Inquirer: The Archdiocese of Philadelphiaplans to close four Catholic high schools, and 45 elementary schools will be closed or partnered with other schools. West Catholic, St. Hubert, Monsignor Bonner-Archbishop Prendergast in Drexel Hill and Conwell-Egan in Fairless Hills will be shuttered in June. The news came as members of a 16-member commission presented the recommendations from their yearlong study of Catholic education.

Video statement from Archbishop Charles J. Chaput (You Tube)