CHICAGO (March 15, 2004) – Officials of the Archdiocese of Chicago have accepted the recommendations of the leadership of three Catholic elementary schools that those schools not reopen in August because of low enrollment prompted by demographic shifts, financial challenges and other factors.

In addition, the Office of Catholic Schools today announced that plans have been approved by archdiocesan leadership for a new parish-sponsored elementary school scheduled to open in September at Old St. Mary’s parish, 1500 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago.

Two of the three schools that are scheduled to close at the end of the current academic year are located in Chicago. They are: St. Mark, 2510 W. Cortez St.; and St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr, 2318 N. Lorel Ave. The third is Our Lady of Ransom School, 8300 N. Greenwood Ave. in Niles, Ill. All are parish-sponsored schools.

All three schools cited declining enrollment in recent years among the key reasons for their decisions. The declines were precipitated largely by changes in the demographic composition of the communities served by the schools and by economic challenges faced by families amidst the need for increased tuition to meet rising costs to operate the schools.

After extensive consultation and dialogue with archdiocesan officials and parish and school leadership, the local bishop in each school’s respective geographic region and the superintendent of schools, Dr. Nicholas Wolsonovich, recommended to Cardinal Francis George, O.M.I., that the schools not reopen in the fall.

“Despite all best efforts by the leadership of these three schools during an extensive review and planning process, the schools were left with no choice but to take this action,” said Wolsonovich. “Each has a rich legacy providing thousands of young people over the years with an excellent academic and faith-based foundation for their futures. They have made an invaluable contribution to the families and communities they have served and their presence in the Archdiocese of Chicago will be missed.”

Wolsonovich indicated that leaders of the three schools have pledged their commitment to work with parents to help place students in nearby Catholic schools.

New school at Old St. Mary’s parish
A new school at Old St. Mary’s parish has been approved by the Archdiocese of Chicago and will open in September. The school is being established to meet the growing needs of young parents in the South Loop community for an academically excellent, faith-based education for their children.

Old St. Mary’s will enroll pre-school children ages three to four during the 2004-2005 academic year and its leaders intend to add a grade level each year thereafter, through grade eight. The school is currently accepting registration applications and will offer preschoolers both full- and half-day classes as well as before- and after-school programs.

“Our goal is to assist parents and guardians in their important work of forming their children’s faith in the Catholic tradition while providing students with a solid academic foundation to prepare them for secondary education and beyond,” said Father Francis DeSiano, CSP, pastor of Old St. Mary’s parish.

Old St. Mary’s parish, founded in 1833, is Chicago’s first and oldest Catholic parish. One of the parish’s original buildings served as the cathedral church for the first five bishops of the Chicago diocese, from 1843 until 1875. Old St. Mary’s has been served by the Paulist Fathers since 1903. A new church building, the parish’s sixth since its founding, has been in use since 2002 by parishioners and visitors in downtown Chicago, the near south side and the Central Station neighborhoods. Soon after the dedication of the new church building, it became clear to parish leaders that there was a need for a new educational ministry to serve the growing number of families moving into the South Loop community.

In addition to the new elementary school at Old St. Mary’s parish, a new Catholic high school, St. Martin de Porres, is also scheduled to open in Waukegan, Ill., in August. The new high school, announced last fall, is a four-year college preparatory high school modeled on the highly successful Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. Students of St. Martin de Porres will participate in a corporate internship program to help defray the cost of tuition.

Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools

The Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Chicago play a critical role in the life of the community by providing academic excellence and faith formation for approximately 111,000 students of many races, faiths and backgrounds in the 283 elementary and secondary schools in Cook and Lake counties. There are more than 5,800 teachers in the Catholic school system who instill values, teach discipline and achieve strong, consistent academic results in the Archdiocese of Chicago's 242 elementary and 41 secondary schools. Visit the Archdiocese of Chicago Web site at www.archchicago.org/schools.