The Diocese of Harrisburg has announced that due to continued financial stress and decreasing enrollment, Holy Family Consolidated Catholic School in Berwick and Lebanon Catholic School, both of which are within the diocese, will close at the end of the 2019-20 school year.
Both schools have faced enrollment and financial challenges for years and their continued operation is no longer sustainable by the area parishes. As a form of ministry, the parishes in the Berwick and Lebanon areas are involved in the operation of Holy Family and Lebanon Catholic, respectively. The pastors from these parishes officially requested the closure of the schools, citing the continued financial stresses upon the parishes, especially in light of the current health crisis. Bishop Ronald Gainer has accepted the pastors' recommendations and has granted permission for the closures. Gainer added that he regretted delivering this news to parents through a video message, but the current situation of social distancing made an in-person meeting impossible.
Holy Family and Lebanon Catholic have operated in deficit situations for several years. As the schools are joint ministries of the Berwick and Lebanon area parishes, respectively, debts from the school's operations have become the responsibility of the parishes. One year ago, leadership from the Berwick and Lebanon area parishes, as well as the school principals, met with Gainer and the Diocesan Education office to take a hard look at current and projected financial and enrollment figures. Even after the efforts of the schools and parishes during the past year and several years previously, all involved parishes felt the current and anticipated future debt would significantly jeopardize the other ministries of the parishes.
As preparations are made to close the schools, the diocese will support staff members and will work with families who wish to continue their Catholic education at neighboring Catholic schools.
Holy Family, a school for students in kindergarten through fifth grade, currently has 62 students and 16 staff members. Lebanon Catholic, a school for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, currently has just over 300 students and more than 40 staff members.
The diocese expressed its gratitude to parents for the many years of support that they have given to Holy Family and Lebanon Catholic schools and for entrusting their children to the schools for their formation. It also acknowledged the alumni of Holy Family and Lebanon Catholic for supporting their alma maters.
The schools in the Diocese of Harrisburg enroll nearly 10,000 students and they continue to be recognized for their academic education while providing moral and faith formation according to the teachings of Jesus Christ. To learn more about Catholic education in the Diocese of Harrisburg, readers may visit http://www.GoCatholicSchools.org.
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