Area Catholic Schools Watch, Wait, Pray

This will be a difficult year for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. T Friday could prove to be one of the most difficult days of the new year. An announcement is expected Friday at 4 p.m. on which parish schools and catholic high schools will be recommended for closing or consolidation.

At a parish waits, and prays. It is not clear what fate awaits St. Monica School, or any of the dozens of other Catholic grade schools in the Archdiocese. St. Monica has already scheduled a prayer service for 5:30 p.m., 90 minutes after the announcement is scheduled at the Disocese headquarters in Philadelphia.

in Paoli will is also awaiting word on the fate of its parish elementary school.

In an email to the Parish and school community this week St. Monica Principal Lisa Hoban said

"As supporters and promoters of the Catholic education that Saint Monica School offers, we are anxious to receive the Blue Ribbon Commission's report and Archbishop Chaput's recommendations. Also, as We Are One, we recognize that the announcement from the Archdiocese could have an impact on our school students, our parish community and our school staff. We are planning a community prayer service on Friday, January 6, 2012 at 5:30 p.m. in Saint Monica Church. We will gather to sing together, to listen to the Word of God, and to pray together. We strongly encourage you to attend."

Fox 29 in Philadelphia is reporting that two high schools, "Archbishop Prendergast and its neighbor Monsignior Bonner will be on the commission’s list of schools it will recommend to be closed." Bonner for boys and Prendergrast for girls are situated next to each other, a short walk away from (Public)Upper Darby High School in Delaware County. The Fox 29 report says Archbishop Carroll in Wayne is not on the closing list reccomended by the Archdiocese's Blue Ribbon Commission.

Friday's announcement is a recommendation made by the blue ribbon panel that has been reveiwing Catholic schools for the past year.

School administrators were to be briefed on the findings Friday morning before the official announcement is made.