ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

"Bridesburg Pride: Preserving Catholic Education"

In a letter from Cardinal Rigali, dated March 31, 2004, His Eminence granted permission

for All Saints Parish and St. John Cantius Parish to begin a feasibility study for the restructuring of parish elementary schools in Bridesburg. His Eminence recognizes the serious decline in school enrollment and the growing operating deficit in each parish. A recommendation, following a broad consultation of our parish members and school parents, will be presented to His Eminence in December 2004, which will insure that the children in Bridesburg, both now and in the future, will have access to affordable, quality Catholic education. It is my intention to provide you with ongoing communiques throughout the feasibility study, so you will know what is happening at each stage.

Will St. John Cantius School become the permanent site for the future of Catholic education in Bridesburg?

During the temporary arrangement for the 2004-2005 school year, St. John Cantius School site will house both All Saints and St. John Cantius students, while we continue the feasibility study process to determine the permanent location for the Catholic education of the children of Bridesburg. This means that either All Saints School or St. John Cantius School could become the permanent site for Catholic education in Bridesburg, both sites could be used, if needed and if financially feasible or neither site may end up being used in the current way.

How do I make my voice heard during the Feasibility Study?

The members of the Steering Committee are available to receive feedback, observations and questions from the parish and school communities throughout this process, as well as disseminating current and accurate information. They are the ears for your voice. You are encouraged to speak with any of these representatives, so that your concerns, observations and questions are represented throughout the process.

Again, I am listing below the names of the lay representatives from each parish on the Steering Committee. The lay representatives from All Saints Parish include: Michael Finn, Charles Ansel, Juaneita Hays, Jean O'Neal and Kathleen Shimp. The lay representatives from St. John Cantius Parish include: Kathleen Lisiewski, Paula Grochowski, Suzanne Winkowski, Patrick Morrison and Henry Baranowski.

What are the most important issues that have been identified so far?

1. Combined enrollment in both schools in 2000-2001 was 484.

• As of May19^th, the combined projected enrollment for next year was 216. This fell short of the projected enrollment of 302 which was the projected enrollment when we began the feasibility study in April 2004. This required a temporary arrangement for the 2004-2005 school year.
  
  
• During the temporary arrangement for the 2004-2005 school year the Archdiocese will still provide a portion of the school subsidy for the 2004-2005 school year.
  
  
• Due to the decline in parish finances, neither parish has been able to pay all of the diocesan billing assessments.
  
  
• Our Church income has not kept pace with rising parish and school expenditures.
  
  

Request for Prayerful Support:

Keeping in mind that God calls us to do all that we do for Him well, let us in return call on St. John Neumann, our own local Patron Saint of Catholic Education, to assist us in this time of visioning for Catholic Education in Bridesburg. St. John Neumann was a visionary many years ago. May his spirit guide the families of Bridesburg to be open to a new vision for the Catholic Education of our children. Please remember this prayer in your daily prayer time and petitions.

O Saint John Neumann,
your ardent desire to bring all souls to Christ
impelled you to leave home and country;
teach us to live worthily in the spirit of our Baptism
which makes us all children of the one Heavenly Father
and brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,
the first-born of the family of God.

Obtain for us that complete dedication
in the service of the needy, the weak,
the afflicted and the abandoned
which has characterized your life.

Help us to walk perseveringly in the difficult and,
at times, painful paths under the watchful protection
of Mary our Mother.

May death still find us on the sure road to our Father's House
with the light of living Faith in our hearts. Amen.

Please refer to the Archdiocesan website @ www.archphila.org for all communiques during the feasibility study process.