15 Detroit Area Catholic Schools to Close

[Tim_in_MI]

It is unfortunate that so many children will not have the benefit of a local Catholic school - see article here. Seven high schools, eight elementary schools, 181 teachers displaced, and most importantly, 2241 students will have to find a new venue to learn next Fall. More info is in the Detroit News.

This adds up to more than 30 schools closed here since the 2002-2003 school year.

 

[msproule]

This is a very sad announcement. I am surprised more local (Detroit) forum members are not lending their thoughts.

What troubles me even more is the reaction from many in the area who posted their thoughts on the Detroit Free Press website. For those who do not know, the Free Press is the secular equivalent to the National Catholic Reporter when it comes to accurately defending Church teaching.

Most of those who posted their thougths are obvious dissenters and poorly informed in their faith. They point to all the obvious scapegoats while flinging the most unimaginative insults toward the Church and specifically our Archbishop.

They contend that the Church has abandoned their children by closing these schools. Yet, based upon the language that is used and the references that are made, I suspect they themselves did little to foster a true Catholic upbringing for these kids.

They blame the Church for the emptying pews in Detroit parishes, but the simple truth is that the population has spread out. The schools are thriving in growing areas.

Instead of jumping on the bandwagon and attacking the Church and the Archdiocese, I suggest we instead pray that those affected by these closings. Most of all, pray that this trend of closures and consolidations will reverse through renewed dedication of the Detroit faithful to our treasures.

 

[vern_humphrey]

But we have a duty to keep Catholic schools open. I can remember when the Bishops pled with Reagan not to “balance the budget on the backs of the poor.”

Yet that’ s exactly what we do when we close Catholic schools. We should be expanding our Catholic schools, and opening new ones – in the poorest areas, the ones with the worst public schools.

 

[TPJCatholic]

vern,

We cannot open Catholics schools in poor areas because those areas have a tiny Catholic population to support such schools. In days gone by many parishes had 3-7 Priests, and many nuns, all of who would help teach in the grade school…yet today parishes are very lucky to have 1-2 Priests and nuns are incredibly scarce. That means lay teachers have to be used to make-up the difference. Catholics need to have bunches of kids, and they need to encourage those kids to enter vocations…then we can go back to a time when teachers salaries are not as much a problem.

Btw, inner schools are closing, but most suburban Catholic schools are still doing very well.

 

[HagiaSophia]

But we are caught on the horns of the money vs ministry dilemma; the payouts the Church is going through have forced most bishops to take a “financial” overview of each of their dioceses. Money is pouring out, not so much is coming in. Ergo, for some time I think the financial concerns are going to outweigh the pastoral ones.

In time to come, I think perhaps once the money issues settle down, and the bean counters catch up, we shall see individual ministries forming to set up small church/schools in the inner cities once again.

Remember both OConnor and Cody continued running inner city schools with major financial losses during their lifetimes. They felt the responsibility toward makeing “good citizens” outweighed the money concerns - but they could afford to do it. Unfortunately both of those dioceses are on very hard financial times these days and thus can’t afford the largesse they once did.

So while I don’t like it, I understand it.

 

[HagiaSophia]

msproule:

They contend that the Church has abandoned their children by closing these schools. Yet, based upon the language that is used and the references that are made, I suspect they themselves did little to foster a true Catholic upbringing for these kids.

Two words that always shut these types down – stewardship and tithing pledges.

msproule:

They blame the Church for the emptying pews in Detroit parishes, but the simple truth is that the population has spread out. The schools are thriving in growing areas.

Exactly. Those caught in the inner city would move in a minute if they could and they can’t because of financial circumstances. Yet they want the same services as if they are contributing to the support of the “systems in place”.

msproule:

Instead of jumping on the bandwagon and attacking the Church and the Archdiocese, I suggest we instead pray that those affected by these closings. Most of all, pray that this trend of closures and consolidations will reverse through renewed dedication of the Detroit faithful to our treasures.

Isn’t it odd how instead of trying to “solve” or “compromise” on a problem with some support to the bishop, we just continue in the face of priest shortages, escalating plant expense and plain old vandalism costs to blame the bishop as if by waving some magic wand he can make it all “go away”. One possibility comes to mind is that is a number of schools have to close get one or two magnet schools staffed and furnished from the closing ones - arrange for stewardship programs to support them and thus keep something going rather than wringing one’s hands and bemoaning the bishop.

 

[vern_humphrey]

TPJCatholic:

vern,
We cannot open Catholics schools in poor areas because those areas have a tiny Catholic population to support such schools…

Julian the Apostate (Roman Emperor, ca 360 AD) tried to convert the whole Empire to a form of paganism. In a famous letter, he complains his fellow pagans aren’t doing enough, “For it is disgraceful when no Jew is a beggar and the impious Galileans support our poor in addition to their own.”

We are the “impious Galileans.” Do we now only support our own poor, and let others go begging?

TPJCatholic:

In days gone by many parishes had 3-7 Priests, and many nuns, all of who would help teach in the grade school…yet today parishes are very lucky to have 1-2 Priests and nuns are incredibly scarce.

All the more reason to expand Catholic schools – these are our seedbed. With fewer and fewer children coming contact with religious, and getting a good Catholic education, it’s no wonder so few pursue religious vocations.

TPJCatholic:

That means lay teachers have to be used to make-up the difference. Catholics need to have bunches of kids, and they need to encourage those kids to enter vocations…then we can go back to a time when teachers salaries are not as much a problem.

By closing schools, we reduce the pool from which the future religious will come.

TPJCatholic:

Btw, inner schools are closing, but most suburban Catholic schools are still doing very well.

We shanty Irish and poor Italian immigrants, having climbed up out of the slums, are pulling up the ladder behind us.

 

[TPJCatholic]

vern,

If you place a school where parents will not send their kids, then of what possible good is that? This is not a fantasy world, those schools are closing mainly because of a lack of attendance. We canno force people into the faith, we have to try the best we can to spread the Gospel, but it cannot be forced.

Vocations will bloom when Catholic parents have bunches of kids…that is how it has always worked.

 

[vern_humphrey]

HagiaSophia:

But we are caught on the horns of the money vs ministry dilemma; the payouts the Church is going through have forced most bishops to take a “financial” overview of each of their dioceses. Money is pouring out, not so much is coming in. Ergo, for some time I think the financial concerns are going to outweigh the pastoral ones.

Yes. The leadership failures in the Church have done great damage. But that still doesn’t justify balancing the budget at the expense of the poor.

HagiaSophia:

In time to come, I think perhaps once the money issues settle down, and the bean counters catch up, we shall see individual ministries forming to set up small church/schools in the inner cities once again.

As I frequently point out when addressing the Arkansas educational crisis, you can’t put children in the freezer and thaw them out when the education system improves.

HagiaSophia:

Remember both OConnor and Cody continued running inner city schools with major financial losses during their lifetimes. They felt the responsibility toward makeing “good citizens” outweighed the money concerns - but they could afford to do it. Unfortunately both of those dioceses are on very hard financial times these days and thus can’t afford the largesse they once did.

So while I don’t like it, I understand it.

Why do we not have a second collection, once a month, in every Catholic church in the country, and devote that money to Catholic schools?

We know the children – Catholic, Protestant, or what-have-you --need it. We know Catholic schools are our seedbed. We see right here on these forums how Catholics who are poorly educated in the Faith are vulnerable to all sorts of clever anti-Catholic propaganda.

We – and the country – NEED Catholic schools.

 

[vern_humphrey]

TPJCatholic:

vern,

If you place a school where parents will not send their kids, then of what possible good is that? This is not a fantasy world, those schools are closing mainly because of a lack of attendance. We canno force people into the faith, we have to try the best we can to spread the Gospel, but it cannot be forced.

Vocations will bloom when Catholic parents have bunches of kids…that is how it has always worked.

Place good schools where there are only bad schools now, and you will get the children.

All we lack is the will to do what generation after generation of Catholics have done – give to the poor, regardless of who they were or what religion they were.

 

[HagiaSophia]

vern humphrey:

We – and the country – NEED Catholic schools.

I remember about 5-6 years ago a survey was taken across the US and the consensus was that in the future we shall have no Catholic schools outside of college or university - as buildings age, don’t meet code, cost of lay teachers, etc.

Most bishops are aware of the fact that parishes who support themselves and stay financially solvent do not have schools - schools always drain parish financial resources so unless there is a vast increase in the number of Catholic schoolchildren, down the road, I fear they will go.

 

[TPJCatholic]

vern,

You are not getting this. If there are no Catholics to attend the school, or at least extremely few, then the school cannot be supported. This is not about lack of charity or support, it is about a lack of Catholics in the areas where schools are closing.

 

[vern_humphrey]

TPJCatholic:

vern,

You are not getting this. If there are no Catholics to attend the school, or at least extremely few, then the school cannot be supported. This is not about lack of charity or support, it is about a lack of Catholics in the areas where schools are closing.

Once again, “For it is disgraceful when no Jew is a beggar and the impious Galileans support our poor in addition to their own.”

Children DO go to school – and many of them to abysmally bad schools. Catholic schools COULD offer an alternative in many of the poorest parts of the country – IF we cared.

I see a different kind of Catholic school – not one exclusively for Catholics, but one that reaches out to all children, with the mission of breaking the poverty cycle by providing a first-class education to poor children.

 

[vern_humphrey]

HagiaSophia:

I remember about 5-6 years ago a survey was taken across the US and the consensus was that in the future we shall have no Catholic schools outside of college or university - as buildings age, don’t meet code, cost of lay teachers, etc.

Most bishops are aware of the fact that parishes who support themselves and stay financially solvent do not have schools - schools always drain parish financial resources so unless there is a vast increase in the number of Catholic schoolchildren, down the road, I fear they will go.

We look at Catholic schools as exclusively for Catholics (with a few exceptions.)

We have failed to look at Catholic schools as being for children. We have failed to accept our responsibility for our fellow man – we have a thread here about how some bishops have called for a tax increase – for reasons of “social justice.” We want the government to do what the Church should be doing – and in the case of schools, the government has by and large failed the poorest children.

Why do we not have a second collection once a month to support Catholic schools – not in our parish, but across the country?

 

[Ani_Ibi]

vern humphrey:

Once again, “For it is disgraceful when no Jew is a beggar and the impious Galileans support our poor in addition to their own.”

Children DO go to school – and many of them to abysmally bad schools. Catholic schools COULD offer an alternative in many of the poorest parts of the country – IF we cared.

I see a different kind of Catholic school – not one exclusively for Catholics, but one that reaches out to all children, with the mission of breaking the poverty cycle by providing a first-class education to poor children.

What is your opinion about the President’s request to the Catholic Church to take up the slack in the education system?

 

[vern_humphrey]

Ani Ibi:

What is your opinion about the President’s request to the Catholic Church to take up the slack in the education system?

I think we should have done that long ago. Our retreat from Catholic schools has hurt the Church, hurt the children, and ultimately hurt the nation.

 

[HagiaSophia]

vern humphrey:

We look at Catholic schools as exclusively for Catholics (with a few exceptions.)

We have failed to look at Catholic schools as being for children. We have failed to accept our responsibility for our fellow man – we have a thread here about how some bishops have called for a tax increase – for reasons of “social justice.” We want the government to do what the Church should be doing – and in the case of schools, the government has by and large failed the poorest children.

Why do we not have a second collection once a month to support Catholic schools – not in our parish, but across the country?

Perhaps in the past that was true, but hasn’t been particularly with regard to inner cities for years now - Cardinal Cody often commented that the majority of inner city students in his schools were not Catholic but he felt a responsibility to help produce good citizens and so he kept them open; O’Connor did the same and in Los Angeles, a large number of inner city chhildren are not Catholic.

I think the second collection might be a “fund raiser” but you cannot open and operate schools without a minimum firm base budget to keep them open; Plant, teachers salaries, etc. have to be there – that’s the problem, collections vary, fall and sometimes don’t cut the base line.

I’ve seen adopt a parish collections which worked for a few years but with falling collections and people moving away to other places or retiring to somewhere else, it doesn’t last.

I think the best temporary solution is the magnet schools supported by the diocese, even if only one, unless the good Lord sends us a bevy of nuns to staff them, I simply think the dioceses would be failing in being honest with people to go off hap hazardly without the proper funding and making promises they cannot keep.

 

[vern_humphrey]

HagiaSophia:

Perhaps in the past that was true, but hasn’t been particularly with regard to inner cities for years now - Cardinal Cody often commented that the majority of inner city students in his schools were not Catholic but he felt a responsibility to help produce good citizens and so he kept them open; O’Connor did the same and in Los Angeles, a large number of inner city chhildren are not Catholic…

And it is to our shame that the Church in America as a whole did not adopt that policy and vigorously pursue it.

HagiaSophia:

I think the second collection might be a “fund raiser” but you cannot open and operate schools without a minimum firm base budget to keep them open; Plant, teachers salaries, etc. have to be there – that’s the problem, collections vary, fall and sometimes don’t cut the base line.

Then we need to do more – but right now, we’re not even doing that.

HagiaSophia:

I’ve seen adopt a parish collections which worked for a few years but with falling collections and people moving away to other places or retiring to somewhere else, it doesn’t last…

The problem of the Catholic Church in America is our lack of good leadership. In fact, one problem touched on here relating to Catholic schools is the failure of our leadership to take prompt and appropriate action in years gone by to correct and prevent sexual abuse. We are now paying dearly for that lack of leadership.

When you say, “it doesn’t last,” that is a criticism of leadership – if it were a major priority of the Catholic Bishops and nation-wide it would last, whether people moved away or not.

HagiaSophia:

I think the best temporary solution is the magnet schools supported by the diocese, even if only one, unless the good Lord sends us a bevy of nuns to staff them, I simply think the dioceses would be failing in being honest with people to go off hap hazardly without the proper funding and making promises they cannot keep.

The diocese – and the Church in America – ought to accept two major “social justice” issues – the right to life and the right of a child to a first-class education. If we do that, we will solve most other problems in the process.

 

[JimmyV]

Trenton, New Jersey is also closing its Catholic schools and two churchs. It is consolidating about 15 other parishes, but keeping those churchs open for at least one Mass on Sunday.

Beginning next fall, there will not be one Catholic school inside the city limits of Trenton.

 

[CatQuilt]

HagiaSophia:

I remember about 5-6 years ago a survey was taken across the US and the consensus was that in the future we shall have no Catholic schools outside of college or university - as buildings age, don’t meet code, cost of lay teachers, etc.

Most bishops are aware of the fact that parishes who support themselves and stay financially solvent do not have schools - schools always drain parish financial resources so unless there is a vast increase in the number of Catholic schoolchildren, down the road, I fear they will go.

Our parish does not contribute to the running of the school. They can’t afford to. Catholic schools in Massachusetts have been told that they have to be self-sufficient. We’re making it, though…