Supporters of St. Mary’s High School gather on Tuesday afternoon to hear about ways to keep the school open. (Photo submitted)
WESTFIELD – Nearly 200 supporters gathered Tuesday afternoon in the banquet hall of the Shortstop Bar and Grill in Westfield to strategize about ways to keep St. Mary’s High School open.
Tuesday’s gathering came on the heels of a meeting Monday night when St. Mary’s Pastor, Fr. Frank Lawlor, announced to parents, students and faculty that St. Mary’s High School would be closing at the end of the current school year.
Heading the meeting on Tuesday were Matt Collins, former school Athletic Director, and Erin Carrier and Rich Labrie who are both on the parish school board. All three have long family histories with the school.
During the meeting it was reported that in February several one year options were presented to Bishop Mitchell Rozanski. Some of those ideas were to have the Diocese provide the school some financial assistance, allow marketing and outreach to other parish elementary schools and support the parish school in their transportation proposal of allowing van pick up of students outside of Westfield. The presentation indicated that the last two options would have increased enrollment. Those requests were denied by the Bishop.
Labrie announced that he has a follow up meeting with Bishop Rozanski on Wednesday.
This isn’t the first time St. Mary’s has been in this position.
During the 1990’s, when the school was run by the diocese, enrollment at the high school dropped dramatically and a discussion of closing permeated the community. To keep the doors open, at that time it was determined to become a parish run school rather than a diocesan run school.
Parish schools are run by the local pastor and are sustained via the tuition of its students and money collected during the weekly masses. Diocesan schools get financial support from their own parish plus all the parish churches throughout the diocese. There are currently 81 parish churches in the Springfield Diocese.
Seven percent of a church’s weekly collections are sent to the diocese as part of the total diocesan school general education fund. St. Mary’s is part of that process to send money to the diocese with little financial support in return.
Based on financial data obtained by The Westfield News, the Springfield Diocese supports the students of Pope Francis High School at approximately $3,000 per year per student whereas student support for other schools, including St. Mary’s, is about $80 per year per student.
Collins discussed ways to organize those in the room to turn their passion into meaningful ways to keep the high school’s doors open by getting the word out.
A prayer vigil is being organized for Wednesday night at 7pm at the school, people are being sought to march in this Sunday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, people are urged to attend masses this weekend and attend the Bishop’s listening meetings that are taking place over the next month. Those meetings are scheduled as follows: March 15 at Mary Mother of Hope Parish, Springfield; March 19 at St. Rose de Lima Parish, Chicopee; April 2 at Blessed Sacrament Parish, Holyoke; April 12 at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, West Springfield.
In an eye opening remark, Rich Labrie noted that, at the same time parents, students and faculty were being informed about the school closing on Monday night, members of Bishop Rozanski’s recently formed Pathways to Faith Commission, which was created to determine the viability of Catholic schools, were also informed that St. Mary’s was closing.
The hasty announcement to close St. Mary’s High School seems to undermine the Pathways Commission’s ability to weigh in on whether St. Mary’s should close.
Tuesday’s meeting ended with those in attendance energized about saving the school that they love but not before it was concluded with the group reciting the Hail Mary, a prayer with special meaning as it is the namesake of the parish.
A ‘Save Saint Mary’s High School’ Facebook page has been created and is another means, aside from The Westfield News, the group is using to get information out to the public.
