Report: OLPH, Other Catholic Schools on Closure List Appeal to Vatican

Parents of students at several Catholic elementary schools have decided to make their case to Rome in an effort to persuade the Vatican to reverse the decision by the Diocese of Rockville Centre.

On the side of these parents is canon law specialist Peter Borre, who persuaded the Vatican in March to reverse the closings of 13 parishes in Cleveland, according to a report on Newsday.com.

Borre told Newsday he's in Rome this week to help prevent the announced by Bishop William Murphy of the right before last Christmas.

Timeline to Closure
in Lindenhurst was on the list, , parents, students, staff and alumni alike.

But Father Anthony Trapani - the current pastor of who's leaving at the same time the school is set to close next month - wasn't suprised.

He at the time, "We worked very hard to keep it open, [but] we've known the realities for a long time - the financial people, the school board, etc. And the parish has been oversubsidizing the school for the past couple of years. It's resulted in a tremendous debt on our side."

However, parents and alumni have contended the pastor - who's been there since 2007 - played a significant role in its impending closure.

And the in February - two months after it was announced OLPH School was closing - stirred , with many feeling it wasn't a coincidence.

After the shellshock announcement in December, parents and alumni regrouped in January, forming a Facebook page - Friends of O.L.P.H. - Save Our School - administered by alum and former Lindenhurst resident .

They then a to raise awareness and help prevent the seemingly inevitable closure of the 99-year-old school.

They also joined parents at the other schools in a for the same reason, and to get their voices heard by Diocese representatives who they've contended have been largely unavailable to them since the announcement and tight-lipped about their decision to close these particular schools.

For its part the Diocese has always pointed to its Strategic Plan posted on its website. And Diocesan spokesman Sean Dolan told Newsday the Diocese invited the parents to after the December announcement and heard their appeals.

"We did go above and beyond in terms of listening to the concerns of parents," he said.

The Appeal
As for the Vatican appeal the Newsday report said schools involved in the effort are Saint Ignatius Loyola School in Hicksville, in and in .

Parents at OLPH School and in haven't decided whether or not to take part, according to the same report.

However, according to the aforementioned Facebook page on Thursday morning, OLPH parents are on board: "Yes, OLPH is very much on par with the other schools' appeal effort."

And back in February OLPH parents were considering the idea of opening an academy, Gallagher-Lilly .

It was discussed at a February meeting at the Knights of Columbus-OLPH Council in Lindy following an academy proposal that was submitted to the Diocese by representatives from La Salle.

"A concerned parent from La Salle, who's involved with the academy process, spoke about La Salle’s plan to open an academy, and gave pertinent information and advice as to how OLPH could move forward with their academy plans," Gallagher-Lilly .

There's been no word since then about the academy effort, but the step to appeal to the Vatican is clearly moving ahead.

"I've volunteered to assist parents of children in Catholic schools in the Diocese of Rockville Centre, to determine whether a canonical challenge can be brought against Murphy's closing announcements of last December," Borre said in the report.

He's formed a national movement to try to keep parishes from closing and reopen those that have been closed.

"They can appeal to anyone they want," Dolan countered in the report. "However, that doesn't change the reality of the numbers and the demographic studies."

While it's unclear right now whether or not Borre's effort in Rome will work, it seems clear the Diocese is sticking by its decision about the closures, continuing to refer to its Strategic Plan.