More than 100 Chicago-area Catholic parents are appealing to the Vatican to keep open the school that one mother describes as “the only Catholic option in the largest elementary school district in Illinois,” the Pope’s home state.
St. Hubert Catholic School in northwest suburban Hoffman Estates is one of seven Chicago archdiocesan Catholic schools closing at the end of this year after the archdiocese announced in January that the schools were “no longer sustainable.” Parents throughout the Archdiocese made efforts to raise funds for their schools, but due to short notice, they were unable to raise enough money to keep the schools open in the eyes of the Archdiocese. But at one Catholic school, families aren’t giving up.
Jillian Bernas Garcia and A parent alliance Appealed to the Vatican to keep the school open. Under Canon Law, the legal structure of the Catholic Church, “remonstratio” is an option of recourse for Catholics who disagree with a decision made by the local Church hierarchy.
According to Garcia, families have been instructed to enroll their children in public school while enrolling them in catechesis at the parish. For Garcia, that’s not enough.
“When the decision was made to close the school, the pastor and finance committee wrote that families could attend local public schools and use faith formation classes at the parish,” Garcia told EWTN News.
“For us and our partner school families, Catholic schools play an important role in the faith formation of youth,” he said, “and that should be emphasized rather than closing schools, especially given the significant increase the Catholic Church is seeing in youth who will turn to Catholic schools to educate their children.”
Garcia’s eldest son and daughter attend early childhood education classes at St. Hubert.
Jillian Bernas Garcia (center) is leading a coalition of parents attempting to keep her local Catholic school open by appealing to the Vatican. She is pictured above with her husband Angel and their three children. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Jillian Bernas Garcia
What motivated him to appeal the decision, he said, are “those families whose children’s spiritual needs are met through their education at our school.”
“Integrating the faith into their daily lives is something we value and practice at home,” Garcia said.
The parent alliance is working with Pennsylvania-based Canon lawyers, laura morrisonwho has Helped other schools appeal Last.
On February 24 the archdiocese rejected an initial appeal by the parents, but now, with the help of an experienced canon lawyer, the parents are appealing to the Vatican themselves.
“We chose St. Hubert after considering a variety of schools,” Garcia said. “And we intend to live here for many years to come and eventually send our youngest child here as well.”
According to Garcia, as part of the demonstration, a third party audited the school and found that the school could be financially viable if certain changes were made.
“A coalition of parents had a forensic auditor and certified fraud examiner prepare a financial report showing financial viability for the next five years,” he said. “With a 10% reduction in costs or an increase in revenue-generating activities the school can be cash-flow-positive in two years.”
financial analysis According to a financial report provided by parents, it was found that “the school could run on its current deficit for more than five years and become cash-flow-positive within two years with a modest 10% reduction in salary costs.”
The audit found that the deficit was “primarily driven by declines in enrollment, staffing costs rather than facilities or debt service.”
According to the financial analysis, “immediate closure is not financially warranted.”
Garcia said one reason for the decline in enrollment was the removal of a large portion of student tuition assistance last school year, causing 48 students to disenroll.
“Parents were successful last school year in reducing the deficit and increasing enrollment despite the administration’s concerns,” Garcia said. “The parish administration and the Chicago Archdiocese then took drastic action to argue for closing the school, putting the school in a poor financial position.”
St. Hubert’s operates in “a diverse, strong working-class community”, described by Garcia.
Garcia said, “It should be a thriving school, but it suffers from poor administration and archdiocesan leadership that hastened to close the school rather than invest in it as an important center of youth faith formation.”
The Archdiocese of Chicago and St. Hubert did not respond to requests for comment by the time of publication.
In announcing the closure in January, Greg Richmond, superintendent of schools for the archdiocese, Said: “We made these decisions with heavy hearts after months of discussion with each school. We know the importance of these schools in each community. Unfortunately, enrollment at each school is too low, and the ongoing deficits are too high. Many people have worked hard at each school to try to raise funds and boost enrollment. We recognize and value those efforts, but in the end, the schools were not able to close the gaps and they are no longer sustainable.”
Meanwhile, the parents’ coalition is awaiting a decision on whether the Vatican’s Department for Culture and Education will hear the case. It could take about six months for the Vatican to make a decision.
