Opinion: Saving grace for Catholic schools
By Joan L. Krajewski
Philadelphia Daily News
June 26, 2008

IN JUNE 1948, I graduated with my 8th-grade class from Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary School in Port Richmond.

It was the "Irish church," Our Lady Help of Christians was the "German church" and St. Adalbert's was the "Polish church." There was also Mother of Divine Grace for the Italians and St. George for the Lithuanians.

So it's with a heavy heart that I see the last 8th-grade class graduate from Nativity BVM, as the parish school shuts its doors to merge with its Allegheny Avenue neighbor schools Our Lady Help of Christians and St. Adalbert's to become Our Lady of Port Richmond Regional Catholic School.

All three student bodies will attend classes at the building formerly used for St. Adalbert's, and the two remaining schools now become vacant.

I'm heartbroken, but not surprised. Catholic schools have been closing all over our blue-collar neighborhoods at an alarming rate in the past decade.

In Fishtown, St. Michael's and Holy Name closed (and remember Immaculate Conception Parish?). Bridesburg's All Saints merged with St. John Cantius to become Pope John Paul II Regional Catholic, St. Bart's couldn't survive in Wissinoming, or St. Leo's in Tacony. Frankford said goodbye to St. Joachim and Mater Dolorosa. In the heart of the Italian Market, St. Paul's closed and the building became a charter school.

The list goes on and on. The archdiocese says that the closings are a result of declining enrollment, increasing costs and a desire to provide more affordable, quality Catholic education. They say they've considered many factors, including demographics, enrollment and costs, to make the tough decisions.

It goes back to my parents, Sam and Anna Kline, who raised nine kids at Weikel and Ann streets in Port Richmond. All of us went to Nativity BVM and then onto Catholic high school.

They don't make parents like Sam and Anna anymore, but more important, Sam and Anna aren't making kids like they used to. When's the last time you heard of a family with nine kids sharing a three-bedroom rowhouse with one bathroom? Gone are the days of "Irish twins" - siblings born every 10 months to a living saint of a mom.

Most families now have one or two kids. And if they can afford Catholic school tuition of about $2,500 for elementary and $4,600 for high school
- God bless 'em. But with charter schools offering an education and environment that many parents feel is better than our public schools, tuition-free, many families pass on Catholic schools.

Which brings me back to those now-vacant schools. Other than as charters, what use are they?

Think of Sam and Anna and the kids. Those nine, and thousands of others from that generation who grew up with lots of brothers and sisters, are now senior citizens still living in the same neighborhood.

Our senior population is growing and baby-boomers are becoming golden oldies. But taking care of the three-bedroom rowhouse is tough. Doing laundry in the basement is hard on the knees and back, so is trying to make it upstairs to the bathroom.

WHEN IT snows, it's hard to shovel, and every time it rains, they pray the roof won't leak. The kids are gone, and it's silly to heat a whole house when all they use is a few rooms.

But they don't want to leave the neighborhood. Their friends are there.
And their doctors, their church, their supermarket, as is their favorite diner, bakery and corner store.

We have all these vacant buildings in the heart of the community and all these seniors from the greatest generation needing affordable, safe, secure and accessible housing in their golden years who don't want to leave.

Transforming these buildings into senior-citizen housing is a win-win for everybody. It's the circle of life, and these are the same folks who kept the churches open all these years with their faith, attendance and support.

Philadelphia wants to have a successful recycling program. Well, recycling these vacant schools into housing for our seniors is the epitome of just that.

And I think the Big Guy upstairs wouldn't mind it either - since his disciples now won't have the excuse that they can't make it to mass on Sunday since the church is probably right next door.

Joan L. Krajewski represents the 6th Council District and is a proud product of the Philadelphia Catholic school system.

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Letter to the Editor
From: Joseph J. Sweeney, Jr.
Philadelphia Daily News
June 26, 2008

I applaud Councilwoman Joan Krajewski’s outstanding Thursday commentary (“Saving Grace for Catholic Schools”) as well as her many years of service to the City of Philadelphia and the 6th District.

Ms. Krajewski, a graduate of Nativity BVM School in Port Richmond, is one of many local legislators who stand as fine examples of the value of Catholic education. I feel her heartache as she watched the last eighth grade class graduate from her beloved elementary school. I also appreciate her understanding and analysis of the closings/mergers of schools in the Archdiocese.

The Archdiocese shares the Councilwoman’s enthusiasm for transforming vacant buildings into community assets and is actually already doing so. In May, Cardinal Rigali blessed the new Saint John Neumann Place in South Philadelphia. This building used to be a Catholic high school. Now, it has a new life as independent living apartments for income eligible seniors of all faiths.

South Philadelphia residents have been overwhelmingly pleased and supportive of the development and have expressed appreciation for the Church’s continued presence in their neighborhood. Residents who relocated years ago to the suburbs have returned to thrive, shop, dine and attend Mass once again in their old neighborhood.

As Ms. Krajewski wrote, it’s a “win-win” situation for all. The proof is in the smiles of the residents at Saint John Neumann Place.

Joseph J. Sweeney, Jr. is Secretary for Catholic Human Services, Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

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