Seven Catholic schools in New York will close at the end of the 2018-19 academic year, due in part to declining enrollment, the Archdiocese of New York has announced. Seven New York Catholic elementary schools are due to close at the end of the school year. St. Rose of Lima Elementary School and St. Brigid School in Manhattan; Our Lady Help of Christians Elementary School on Staten Island; St. Nicholas of Tolentine Elementary School and St. Joseph Elementary School in the Bronx; St. Mary Elementary School-Wappingers Falls in Dutchess County; and St. Peter’s Regional School in Sullivan County are all scheduled to shut their doors in June. Read More: Dying Irish priest writes celibacy is a sin against God and nature “Despite the Archdiocese’s best efforts to maintain the operational and financial viability of these schools, continuing to educate students in buildings that are underutilized and/or in need of significant improvements has proven unfeasible,” the Archdiocese said in a statement. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York said that the goal for the Archdiocese is to now “strengthen the remaining institutions and preserve Catholic education in New York for years to come.” Read More: "Fat, balding, Irish bishop" - Cardinal Dolan claims he can't excommunicate NY Governor Cuomo In a video posted on Facebook, Cardinal Dolan described the decision to close the schools as “painful and difficult." School Closings Today we made the painful announcement that seven of our beloved Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York are not going to reopen next fall. I know these are painful and difficult decisions and I ask for your prayers for those especially impacted. Publiée par Timothy Cardinal Dolan sur Lundi 4 février 2019 “If we had 10 percent more kids in each of those schools, they wouldn’t be closing,” he added, noting that the schools’ current students would be “enthusiastically welcomed” at nearby Catholic schools. However parents at St. Brigid's in the East Village said they are shocked by the sudden announcement. "We have questions. We don't know what's happening in the school," Christina Funes told NBC 4 New York. Read More: Spare a thought for Irish nuns who thought selling babies was merciful "Where were they four, five months ago to say, 'Can we do something? What can we do to keep this from going under?'" said grandparent Tony Pupello. "It's not OK. It's not OK," said parent Amanda Daloisio. "It's painful, and all the more painful in the way in which we were told." How do you feel about these schools closing? Have attended any of them? Let us know in the comments below.<doc-sep>Please Enable Cookies www.asumag.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. The service requires full cookie support in order to view this website. Please enable cookies on your browser and try again.<doc-sep>Bedeviled by fading enrollment and aged facilities, seven more Catholic schools will shutter permanently at the end of the academic year, the Archdiocese of New York announced. Five of the doomed schools are in New York City — two in Manhattan, two in the Bronx and one in Staten Island. Saint Rose of Lima Elementary School in Harlem, established in 1924, and Saint Brigid Elementary in the East Village, founded in 1856, will both cease to operate, officials said. “While we sincerely regret ever having to close any schools, the goal is to strengthen the remaining institutions and preserve Catholic education in New York for years to come,” Cardinal Timothy Dolan said in a statement. The archdiocese said it scrambled to preserve the financial viability of the schools but was hampered by shrinking enrollment and bulging maintenance expenses. Officials said students at the seven schools will be absorbed into nearby campuses. “We understand the impact this will have on families, and will provide both pastoral support and educational guidance to all those affected in order to ensure all children will be warmly welcomed into a nearby Catholic school where they will continue to learn and thrive,” Dolan said. There are currently 208 Catholic schools in New York teaching 62,000 kids.<doc-sep>
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Several Catholic schools in New York will not reopen next year, Archbishop Timothy Cardinal Dolan announced Tuesday. “While we sincerely regret ever having to close any schools, the goal is to strengthen the remaining institutions and preserve Catholic education in New York for years to come,” he said in a statement. “We understand the impact this will have on families, and will provide both pastoral support and educational guidance to all those affected in order to ensure all children will be warmly welcomed into a nearby Catholic school where they will continue to learn and thrive.” Today we made the painful announcement that seven of our beloved Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York are not going to reopen next fall. I know these are painful and difficult decisions and I ask for your prayers for those especially impacted. pic.twitter.com/cVMMfOIDws — Cardinal Dolan (@CardinalDolan) February 4, 2019 In a Twitter video, Dolan blamed low enrollment and lack of public funding, calling the latter an “injustice.” The following schools are slated to close in June: Manhattan: St. Rose of Lima Elementary School St. Brigid Elementary School Staten Island: Our Lady Help of Christians Elementary School Bronx: St. Nicholas of Tolentine Elementary School St. Joseph Elementary School Dutchess: St. Mary Elementary School-Wappingers Falls, NY Sullivan: St. Peter’s Regional School-Liberty, NY Dolan said most students will be able to attend nearby schools. “All the kids in the schools that are closing are going to be able to go to another Catholic school nearby, all but one,” he said. “They’ll be immediately, enthusiastically welcomed.”