The Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the Redemptorists of the Baltimore Province announce that after long, serious and prayerful deliberation, St. Boniface Parish (Diamond and Hancock Streets in Philadelphia) will close and unite with Visitation B.V.M. Parish (Lehigh Avenue and B Street in Philadelphia) effective June 30, 2006. The current territories of the two parishes border one another, and the Archdiocese wished to find a way to allow the Redemptorists to continue their pastoral care to the community. The Archdiocese invited the Redemptorists to accept the care of Visitation B.V.M. parish, and they agreed. At the Redemptorists’ recommendation, Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, has appointed the present pastor of St. Boniface Parish, Reverend Bruce Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., as the pastor of Visitation B.V.M. Parish, effective March 15, 2006. Father Lewandowski will serve as pastor of both parishes until the end of June when St. Boniface Parish is closed.
St. Boniface Parish Elementary School will also close at the end of the current school year. The Archdiocese and the parish will work closely with all St. Boniface School parents to identify available Catholic educational opportunities for their children in parish schools close to where their families live. Visitation B.V.M. Parish School can accommodate a considerable number of students, as can St. Peter the Apostle Parish School at Fifth Street and Girard Avenue. The Archdiocese Office of Catholic Education will also help the current teachers at St. Boniface School to find new positions at Catholic schools.
In a joint letter distributed at Masses this past weekend, Most Reverend Joseph Cistone, Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia, who is the Regional Bishop for this area of the Archdiocese, and Reverend Patrick Woods, C.Ss.R., who is the Provincial Superior of the Redemptorists, told parishioners that St. Boniface, despite their financial generosity, can no longer sustain itself due to the declining population, the enormous financial challenges and the deteriorating buildings. For many years, St. Boniface Parish has received significant financial support from the Archdiocese and the Redemptorists.
In their letter, Bishop Cistone and Father Woods said, “This parish community continues to offer a powerful witness to the faith and face of Catholic Christianity 2,000 years after Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, the physical structures that form St. Boniface parish are not as resilient. Your most prominent symbol, the parish’s beautiful church, is structurally deteriorating daily, as demonstrated by the protective scaffolding now encircling the building. Its primary construction material, brownstone, has a serviceable life of 100 years. The church, built in the late 1880s, is now over 120 years old.
The Redemptorists, who own the parish buildings and property, recently commissioned a physical assessment of all the parish structures. They would need to invest close to $7 million to make the buildings safe for future parish and school use. This estimate does not include any renovations beyond the immediate and basic safety and maintenance repairs. A true renovation requires significantly greater funds and would only provide a short-term solution as the brownstone structure would continue to decline; this is not wise stewardship.”
The Redemptorists have ministered to the community in this section of Philadelphia for over a century and remain deeply committed to serving the people of St. Boniface Parish and the surrounding neighborhood. Together, the Redemptorists and the Archdiocese worked to find a solution to the major problems facing the parish and a way to continue the service of the Redemptorists to the people of the area. It was mutually decided that St. Boniface will unite with Visitation B.V.M. Parish and that Visitation Parish will be entrusted to the Redemptorists. Rev. Gary Kramer, current Parochial Administrator of Visitation B.V.M. Parish, will be reassigned at the time Father Lewandowski assumes his appointment as Pastor of Visitation B.V.M. Parish.
St. Boniface Parish Elementary School, which has a current enrollment of 213 students, has also been facing significant financial challenges. It has been unable to meet the rising cost of salaries, benefits and operational expenses through tuition and the amount of parish contributions. In addition, it was determined that with St. Boniface Parish closing, it would not be feasible or recommended for Visitation B.V.M. Parish to operate two school campuses. For these reasons, combined with St. Boniface’s deteriorating parish facilities, St. Boniface School will close in June 2006.
In their letter, Bishop Cistone and Father Woods said, “Although saddened by these very difficult decisions, the Redemptorists of the Baltimore Province are happy that they found a way to continue to minister to the St. Boniface family, while growing its community life through its inclusion with Visitation B.V.M. Parish. The Archdiocese and the Redemptorists hope that you understand that these decisions were reached after a challenging and painful process. They seek your prayers and ask for your cooperation as this new vision of parish becomes a reality for St. Boniface and Visitation B.V.M. families.”
St. John the Baptist Parish school to close in June 2006
Reverend Joseph M. McDermott, Parochial Administrator of St. John the Baptist Parish in the Manayunk section of Philadelphia, announced at Masses this past weekend that Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, has accepted the recommendation to close St. John the Baptist Parish Elementary School (119 Rector Street) at the end of the 2005-2006 school year.
The recommendation was made as a result of dramatically decreasing enrollment and escalating expenses. Enrollment currently is 205 students while the budget for the school year was based upon enrollment of a planned 225 students. Pre-enrollment for next year indicates that only 134 students plan to return. At that level of enrollment, the cost to educate each student would rise to approximately $6,000. Tuition is currently $2,940 (an increase of $500 from last year) and a tuition increase of up to $600 (or more) would be necessary for the school to continue.
The enrollment and fiscal situation of the school are jeopardizing St. John the Baptist Parish. Because of unexpected heating repair expenses at the school ($40,000), the decrease in enrollment and a decline in parish giving, the parish will have to borrow approximately $100,000 this year in order to pay teachers’ salaries and other school related expenses. A deficit of more than $300,000 was projected for next year if the school remained open. St. John the Baptist Parish also has a debt to the Archdiocese which was $491,000 as of June 2005.
While it is clear that St. John the Baptist Parish Elementary School needs to close, it is important to recognize and pay tribute to the rich history of this Catholic school in educating the students of Manayunk in their Catholic faith. This was the first school in the Archdiocese staffed by the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Father McDermott expresses his deep appreciation for their dedication to St. John the Baptist Parish Elementary School.
St. John the Baptist Parish will continue to provide pastoral and sacramental care for the children of the parish even as they attend other schools. The parish and the Archdiocese will also work closely with school families to assist with the transition for the school students. A School Placement Survey is being provided to school families to ask which of the following schools they would prefer: Holy Child Catholic School in Manayunk; Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Elementary School in Andorra; Our Mother of Consolation Parish Elementary School in Chestnut Hill; St. Bridget Parish Elementary School in East Falls or St. Philip Neri Parish Elementary School in Lafayette Hill, Montgomery County.
An open house to meet the representatives from those schools will be held at St. John the Baptist Parish Hall on Thursday, February 23 at 7:30 p.m.
Background
In Spring 2003, Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua granted permission for Holy Family Parish, St. Lucy Parish, St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, St. Josaphat Parish and St. John the Baptist Parish to begin a feasibility study for the restructuring of the five parish elementary schools in Manayunk. During the first two years of the feasibility study, there was no consensus regarding the future and considerable resistance to any restructuring.
In January 2005, Cardinal Justin Rigali accepted a revised Manayunk plan in which Holy Family School, St. Lucy School and St. Mary of the Assumption School would close at the end of the 2004-2005 school year. A regional school, called Holy Child School, would open in September 2005. At the same time, Cardinal Rigali accepted the request of the Pastors, Parish Pastoral Councils and Parish Finance Councils of St. Josaphat Parish and St. John the Baptist Parish that their respective parish elementary schools would remain open as individual parish elementary schools, without the financial assistance of the Archdiocese.
By March 2005, it became clear to the Pastor of St. Josaphat Parish and his Councils that there would not be sufficient enrollment to open the 2005-2006 school year. The Pastor requested and received permission for his school to close in June 2005. Most of the children from St. Josaphat Parish enrolled at Holy Child School.
St. John the Baptist Parish Elementary School opened the 2005-2006 school year with an enrollment of 208 students (now decreased to 205) which was an enrollment below the budgeted figure of 225 students. In December 2005, the previous Pastor, Reverend Louis Bier, met with his Parish Pastoral and Finance Councils to review all current parish and school finances and projected enrollment. Father Bier then met with a group of school families in early January 2006.
On January 26, 2006, the same group of school families met with the newly appointed Parochial Administrator, Father McDermott, along with the Parish Pastoral and Finance Councils, at which time the school parents offered a proposed business plan.
Father McDermott acknowledges the work that went into developing the plan and is appreciative of the commitment of the parents who dedicated themselves to this task. A thorough review determined that the proposed business plan does not meet Archdiocesan guidelines for the operation of a parish elementary school.
Based upon an examination of all relevant information and in consultation with the Archdiocese, the recommendation was made that St. John the Baptist Parish Elementary School close at the end of the current school year.
Consolidated School in Norristown named Our Lady of Victory
By Christie L. Chicoine
CS&T Staff Writer
When Holy Saviour School and St. Paul School in Norristown consolidate this September at the present St. Paul School site, the new school will will be named Our Lady of Victory.
The new name, which was suggested by a steering committee consisting of the pastors, principals and representatives of both parishes and schools.
“We’ve been praying to Our Lady of Victory since we’ve begun the study,” said Angela Ciccanti, the principal of Holy Saviour School. She will serve as principal of Our Lady of Victory School.
“It’s fitting, we thought, that we use Our Lady of Victory as a winning combination for Catholic education in this area,” Ciccanti added.
The pastors of both parishes announced at weekend Masses Feb. 11-12 that the recommendation of the consolidation had been accepted by Cardinal Rigali. They had informed the schools’ faculty members on Feb. 10. School families were also informed over the weekend of Feb. 11-12.
The recommendation to consolidate was made by the combined study committee for Holy Saviour and St. Paul, and based on declining enrollment and increasing costs.
From 2000 to 20005, Holy Saviour School’s enrollment decreased from 188 to 138 students. During the same period, St. Paul’s enrollment decreased from 222 to 174 students. There are currently 120 students on the roster at Holy Saviour School, and 154 at St. Paul School.
Tuition does not cover the schools’ operating costs. Holy Saviour Parish subsidizes 81 percent of the school’s costs, and St. Paul Parish subsidizes 39 percent of its school’s costs.
Holy Saviour School opened in 1928; St. Paul School opened in 1964.
Msgr. Charles L. Sangermano, pastor of Holy Saviour Parish, and Father Harry E. McCreedy, pastor of St. Paul Parish, forwarded the suggested name of the new school to Msgr. Arthur E. Rodgers, vicar for Montgomery County; he then presented the recommendation to Cardinal Rigali.
“I think it’s a wonderful name,” Ciccanti said. “We wanted to create a new charism for the new school.”
The students have also given their seal of approval on the new name, she said. “They’re excited, they’re happy. Of course, being students, they want to know what school colors and what kind of uniforms we’re going to have,” she said. “I told them that will all come.”
CS&T Staff Writer Christie L. Chicoine can be reached at (215) 587-2468 or cchicoin@adphila.org.