Which Catholic Schools Will Close?

PHILADELPHIA - Thousands of Catholic school kids in the area will find out on Friday if their schools will close.as part of the most dramatic change to ever hit Philadelphia Catholic school system.

A blue ribbon commissiom will announce the results of the study of Friday afternoon, in an event that will be streamed on the Archdiocese web site.

All elementary schools with fewer than 125 students are expected to be closed. Some secondary schools will also likely be closed.

Rev. Charles Chaput, the Archbishop of Philadelphia, told parishoners in December the cuts will be coming as the church dealt with the financial reality of declining enrollments.

Parents and students at schools like Monsingior Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast are really worried. By the end of this week, the Archdiocese will recommend the closure of not just a few but---many area Catholic schools.

The big question is how many and which ones will make the cut?

Among the possible targets, the all-boys Monsignior Bonnor and the all-girls Archbishop Prendergast. These schools could end up merging or the archdiocese could close them both.

School president Father James Olsen says most likely every one of the 156 elementary and 17 Catholic high schools will be effected in one way or another.

Conwell-Egan Catholic High School in Bristol Township is another school that has been subject to rumors, as is West Philadelphia Catholic High School.

Once the schools close, chances are many of them would go up for sale which could generate millions of dollars to the archdiocese.