Last Updated on April 15, 2015 by cassnetwork
Members of All Saints Catholic Church were recently told that their parish school will not be open next school year.
Fr. Michael McKinney, pastor of All Saints, sent a letter dated April 9 that began, “It is with great sadness that I wish to inform you that All Saints Catholic School will not continue after the current academic year.”
“After wide consultation and information gathering with school parents, parish leadership, and diocesan authorities, it is clear that it is not feasible to continue to operate the parish school given the projection of low enrollment numbers and continued strain on parish finances,” he said.
Concerns began to arise this school year when projections for enrollment, which was already in decline, were shown to be going lower.
An information meeting with parents and parishioners was held on March 5. A survey of parents that followed that meeting showed only 60-70 possible students for next school year.
All Saints Catholic School currently has 108 students enrolled in Kindergarten through Sixth
Grade. 120 students attended the school in 2013-2014.
Parish finances were also a concern.
“Due to increasing costs and lower Sunday collections, combined with less money coming in from tuition, the Parish Finance Council determined that continuing to operate the school was economically infeasible,” said Steve Shafer, a member of the council.
Dr. Marie Williams, School Superintendent for the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana, has been working closely with the school.
She stated, “I am deeply saddened by the closing of All Saints Catholic School. However, it is important that we now use our resources to support the students, staff and families in their transition. The Pastoral Office for Education will continue to work with the staff at All Saints and offer our prayers for all who are involved in this challenge.”
Fr. McKinney stated, “I am grateful to the parents, teachers, school staff, parishioners, and other local benefactors who have participated in and supported Catholic education in our community for many generations. I am also grateful that we have strong local public schools which I have no doubt will be cooperative in helping our families transition into their system.”
All Saints Catholic Parish is a Christian church in the Roman Catholic tradition and is a part of the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana. It offers five Masses each weekend, including one in Spanish, seeing over 1400 persons attending weekly.