A reprieve for Catholic education

"Today I would like to announce that those four schools will remain open."

That simple sentence uttered by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput was enough to send a swell of happiness and relief to students at four Philadelphia archdiocesan high schools that were set to close in June.

A commission had recommended in early January that dozens of elementary schools and four Catholic high schools should be shut down.

The commission had cited a 35 percent drop in enrollment over the last decade. With the high cost of maintaining the facilities, it concluded, closures and mergers would be the best solution.

Watching the news of the reprieve on television, one could see the joy in the air as students, their eyes filled with tears of happiness, flew into each other's arms.

The affected schools included Archbishop Prendergast, Monsignor Bonner, St. Huberts, Conwell-Egan, West Philadelphia Catholic, and 45 elementary schools, 18 of which had won appeals to stay open just a week earlier.

On Feb. 24, Chaput announced that the high schools had won their battle and were to remain open. "I believe that we have enough [funding]to get started," said Chaput. "We have enough to give me confidence to keep going."

Chaput said that state lawmakers need to do more to help the schools. He said that education-incentive tax credits and school-voucher legislation in Harrisburg are needed to help schools survive.

Entire communities - students, family members, and alumni did everything in their power to keep their schools open.

Through private donations and aggressive fund-raising, the schools were able to meet financial goals.

Their love for Catholic education and hopes of sticking together to graduate was the driving force.

"Tradition, respect, and God in the classroom," said parent Katie Driscoll, whose children went to a Catholic elementary school in Gloucester City that was closed in 2011, on the importance of Catholic education.

The continuation of donations is very important to keep these schools alive and thriving, parents and administrators said. The Faith in the Future Foundations will continue to raise money for the schools.

H. Edward Hanway, a businessman helping to direct fund-raising, said that the goal was to reach $85 million dollars over the next five years in addition to the $15 million that they have committed to raise to raise by May.

"Today marks the dawn of a new era in Catholic education in the archdiocese of Philadelphia," Chaput said. "We can't give up for one moment our passion for this project and try to involve as many in the community as we can."