Closed
Catholic schools in Amherst survive cuts
by JILL SCHMELZER Reporter

Bishop Edward U. Kmiec of the Diocese of Buffalo announced the closing of 14 Catholic elementary schools Saturday morning during a press conference held at The Catholic Center.

(See editorial on page four)

None of the schools are in Amherst.

The schools are Infant of Prague, St. Josaphat, Kolbe Catholic Regional, Resurrection and St. Aloysius Gonzaga in Cheektowaga; St. Barnabas in Depew; Blessed Sacrament in Kenmore; St. Edmund in Tonawanda; St. Agnes, St. Bernard and St. Rose of Lima in Buffalo; Most Precious Blood in Angola; Genesee Wyoming Catholic Central in Attica; and St. Hyacinth School in Dunkirk.

The decision is part of the Diocese of Buffalo's strategic planning process - Journey in Faith and Grace.

As a result of the decision, Catholic grammar schools in Amherst have been fielding calls from families looking to transfer their children into new schools.

Marianne Maines, principal at SS. Peter and Paul in Williamsville, said Monday that the phone has been ringing off the hook.

"It was a decision that had to be made," she said of the 14 schools that will close. She noted that although it was a painful decision, it is better for the financial well-being of the entire diocese to close the buildings.

An open house will be held from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31 and from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2 at the school, located at 5480 Main St.

The school currently has 427 students enrolled, but Maines said it can hold approximately 550 students. Each grade level has two classrooms and limits class size to 25.

Enrollment in Catholic elementary schools in the diocese has declined from 79,767 students in 1960 to 15,612 today.

Approximately 1,400 students in grades kindergarten through eight are affected by the closings.

"We will do everything we possibly can to help the families transfer to a new school," said Patricia Freund, principal at St. Gregory the Great, located at 250 St. Gregory Court in Amherst.

The school has approximately 622 students and has three classrooms for each grade level. Freund said the school can hold about 50 to 75 more students and still maintain a class limit of 25 pupils to one teacher.

In the schools that are closing, about 200 faculty and staff will lose their jobs at the end of June. But diocesan officials have encouraged teachers and staff to post their resumes at the Buffalo Employment and Training Center, said Denise McKenzie, secretary of Catholic education. Principals from other Catholic schools looking to fill available positions will utilize the center for hiring purposes.

Bishop Kmiec said the schools to be closed suffer from declining enrollment, fewer school-age children living in the community, significant parish or school debt and their need for an inordinate amount of weekly offertory at church services, where in some cases, 83 cents of every dollar collected goes to support the school. This leaves little or no money to support other parish ministries.

The average cost to educate each pupil is $4,738, but average tuition is $1,525. The debt associated with the schools averages $224,160, with a collective debt totaling $3,362,406, according to a statement issued by the diocese.

"This announcement is being met with a wide range of emotions," the bishop said. "A mixture of profound sadness, a sense of grief for the loss of tradition - and yet hope for the future."

Since January 2004, the Department of Catholic Education has been engaged in an effort to right-size the Catholic elementary school system. A steering committee of 23 people was formed and has been incorporated into the Journey in Faith and Grace planning process, Bishop Kmiec said.

The diocese hired Robert F. Shea, president of Shea Consulting Services, in 2006 to assist in reviewing information on local diocesan schools.

"Years of exhaustive research and heartfelt work by pastors, principals, parents, community leaders and staff have led us to this moment," the bishop said. "This restructuring is necessary to respond to changing demographics, population shifts and economic realities in Western New York and a dramatic decline in our number of available clergy and vowed men and women religious who serve our diocese."

Approximately 194 Catholic schools were in operation in 1960; 56 will remain open this coming fall.

Another problem the diocese is facing is the lack of active parishioners in the church.

"It (the Catholic church) will be around for all time," he said. "Perhaps this is God's way of telling us we need to do a better job."

Church closings and mergers will be announced later this year, according to diocesan officials.

In order for the church to stand alone, there need to be at least 1,000 active members, otherwise it may close, merge or conjoin with another nearby parish.

For more information, visit www. wnycatholicschools. org.