St. Bernadette Among Catholic Schools Slated To Close
EVERGREEN PARK, Ill. (CBS) -- Two more Chicago-area Catholic Schools - in Evergreen Park and Midlothian - have been told by the Archdiocese they'll be closing at the end of the current school year, reports WBBM's Mike Krauser.
The principal of St. Bernadette told parents it is like dealing with a death and the news was met with sadness from parents, students and alumni.
The school had more than 1,200 students in the mid-60's and today that number has dwindled to just 68. Also on the list was St. Christopher in Midlothian, which has 215 students today.
The Archdiocese has said that it is looking at closing those schools with fewer than 225 students. It has been giving financial support to these schools and others that cannot sustain themselves and it will no longer do that.
While these schools are closing unless they can come up with viable plans quickly, the parishes are not, but with so many families likely having to go elsewhere, everyone involved concedes they will no longer be the same either.
The other schools slated to close are: St. Florian in the Hegewisch neighborhood, Our Lady of Victory in the Portage Park neighborhood, The Stewart Avenue campus of the Academy of St. Benedict the African andSanta Maria del Popolo in Mundelein,