At least 100 Catholic elementary and high schools across the United States will not reopen for the fall semester, with many suffering from low enrollment and decreased donations amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Most pandemic-related closures are of elementary schools. Some high schools, several of which have been open for decades, also are closing this summer.
Part of that uncertainty is on the part of the schools, many of which do not have the resources to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state guidelines on sanitizing and social distancing in classrooms.
Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles oversees the largest Catholic school system in the U.S., and wrote in a June 16 column that the nation’s Catholic schools play a vital role in helping minority and low-income families.
Gomez says about 80% of Catholic school students in LA come from minority families.
For elementary school students, the average yearly cost of attendance is about $5,936, while for high school students it is $15,249, NCEA says.
Los Angeles’ Catholic Education Foundation has granted more than $200 million in scholarships to 181,000 low-income students over the past 25 years, Gomez said.
In addition, he said, the LA Catholic school system has provided nearly half a million free meals to low-income students since the start of the pandemic.
The archbishop decried the fact that 37 states still have laws on the books, known as “Blaine Amendments,” which prohibit government funding to “sectarian” schools— a 19th-century euphemism for Catholic schools, according to opponents of the laws.
Full story at Catholic News Agency.
If they close, it’s because God wants them to close. If God won’t help them stay open, who are we to argue with providence?
The fruits of Vatican Council II keep on giving and giving, yet Pope Francis pushes for a more complete Vatican II. Viva the Cultural Marxist Revolution.
Gratias , Amen ! I would add poor shepherding on gomez’s part, the LA REC is a waste of time and money that has gone on far too long , his priorities on teaching the faith and keeping the faithful in the church is shown in the results of declining numbers and donations . His lack of leadership in this crisis is telling , watch for more appeals for the “Together in Mission ” debacle and his “assessments” aka the mahony tax . How much does the church have in the endowment and how much are they willing to spend on this vs sjw posturing insult to the faithful ?.
To provide perspective, how many Catholic schools closed in each of the last five years?
Start being a Catholic, not a politician. Stop promoting ILLEGAL immigration. Stop supporting the Democratic Platform. Start teaching and preaching Catholic Doctrine and morals. Stop taking federal funding. Lack of teaching moral values has helped get our cultural into a moral cesspool. Spending money on most Catholic schools is a waste of money, money which would be better spent on Homeschooling.
Peggy, we always know where you stand on any issue.”Start being a Catholic …start teaching and preaching Catholic Doctrine and morals.” So, we must start there. I’ve been a Catholic for over 80 years, and I would have a hard time with that concept because everyone seems to have a different concept of what it means to be Catholic, and what Catholic teachings are. I don’t know of any priest who gets up in the morning with the idea of teaching something other than the Catholic faith. When I was in parochial school, the emphasis was on rote learning; memorize the catechism. Today. the emphasis seems to be on living the faith, especially the social teaching of the Church, but it is all Catholic teachings. Let’s take the politics out of the discussion; let’s stop supporting the Democratic Platform and, and, let’s stop supporting the Republican Platform. Neither party meets the high standards of the Catholic faith. The cultural wars are winning, not the Church. Some would say the cesspool is winning.
Bob One, you said a mouthful and something that lay people and some dioceses have been working on for a few decades now. Everyone used to know the same Catholic Faith because the teaching was standardized in the US (Baltimore Catechism.) There were errors, of course (Assumption vs Ascension) and no one could explain well why they believed other than “Sister Mary (fill in the blank) said so. When that catechism fell out of favor, the teaching of the Faith lost its confidence. As you know, there are 4 pillars of the Catholic Faith- the Creed, the Sacraments, life in Christ (morality) and Prayer. Both Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis as well as prelates such as Cardinal Sarah have pointed out that Catholic belief and Catholic morality are two separate things, although connected. The publication in the 1990s of the Catechism of the Catholic Church again gave us some standardization. Now, with the Internet, things can get confused again. People need to be careful what websites they use. Some that seem very faithful are run by lay people and there can be errors. I have seen errors by priests and bishops as well. Everyone carries the CCC around on their phone these days. Lets use it.
Bob, your answer supports Peggy “because everyone seems to have a different concept of what it means to be Catholic, and what Catholic teachings are. I don’t know of any priest who gets up in the morning with the idea of teaching something other than the Catholic faith” .Everyone use to know exactly what was taught and what was expected we were all on the same page , as far as priests teaching , read some of the past posts on this site for priests using the devotions , their office and position for a sjw cause and to abuse the assets and the faith of the church to do this. “Today. the emphasis seems to be on living the faith, especially the social teaching of the Church, but it is all Catholic teachings.” Again no, they are not living the faith look at mass attendance for Sundays and Holy Days, as well as keeping the sacraments as a whole i.e confession vs communion line .The social teachings have been given preference over the teaching of the faith , as far as being all Catholic teachings no , there is a strong liberation theology i.e. marxism thrust to these , again look to this sites past postings.
Thank you Peggy.
Raised Catholic since birth, now 68, a “non-practicing” but I pray daily and believe. Catholic school laid foundation of knowledge, spiritual living and morals lasting lifetime. Today, public schools a wasteland. Return to three “r’s notably needed. As far as different interpretations of our religion, I believe human nature allows for interpretation. Strict adherence to dogma important, but much as become political these days – many Catholics, my extended family, are staunch Democrats, favoring illegal immigration, citing teachings of Jesus! I believer this: “God helps those, who help themselves.” We must always extend the hand of Christian help and fellowship, in our own worlds, wherever that leads, but to embrace a political party under the guise of feeling more pious, doesn’t make common sense to me. Socialists/Marxism doesn’t work and will lead to ultimate demise of all.
Diane , your in my prayers , hope you come back soon , try a TLM or Eastern Rite , God bless
Diane, praying for you to return to faithful practice. Now is a good time with so many Masses being put on Youtube. It is the best prayer. We need you.
Peggy nailed it.