Quoted from GrahamBonnet

Here we go- Mr. Knowitall now wants to argue with someone who (UNLIKE HIM) is DIRECTLY IMPACTED. Then he propagandizes, then he threatens us all with another treatise. Why does he stick his queenish schnozz into every affair of every parish. What parish is he part of? Why doesn't he mind his business? Why does he always shill for the Diocese and his bosom-buddy the Bish'? He has no direct nvolvement in this matter yet there he is medaling AGAIN!. No wonder he is despised broadly yet has no accomplishments to show for it. This is truthfully the democrap way. Stick your nose into everything where it does not belong. Can someone fling Ronnie the Commie?

Here 'tis....have at it  

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

As a parishioner of another city parish which lost its Catholic school a number of years ago, I can sympathize with the feelings that you have right now.

However, I do question a few of your points.   The financial difficulties with St John's School were well documented and discussed during the Called To Be Church pastoral planning process (2006 through 2009) and in subsequent reports since then.   I don't know how that information was conveyed to parishioners and parents of school children at St. John's -- but it was most certainly shared with the dozens of persons (clergy and laity) who participated in the 3 year long pastoral planning process.

I know that St, John's has had an ongoing registration drive -- with banners on the parish property and notices to other local parishes to advertise in our bulletins and share through pulpit announcements.  I know that on at least two weekends - parishioners in our parish were asked to consider registering their children and/or grandchildren in St. John's and to otherwise "spread the news" to encourage registrations.

I know your pastor well and know that he most certainly did everything that he could to save the school.  Lowering tuition when enrollments were dropping would not have guaranteed the schools survival ---- and in order to  reduce tuition costs you have to reduce expenses or increase revenue some other way.  Please have patience with him and pray for him -- he has a tough job running two parishes.

Personally, I believe that the underlying problem facing Catholic Schools in the diocese has never been addressed -- but I will address that in  my next post.

Then DV, EXPLAIN WHY the pastor put a stop to the biggest fundraiser???????????????     WHy, DV????   

And what would you know about schools anyway, someone who never was and never will be a parent.   I can  understand more St Adalberts closing their school because it was geared more to the ethnic parish (but be proud of that), but, again, DV, St John's was the biggest parish in the city and it's dwindiling since the current pastor came to it.


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He didn't have many fans at any of the other parishes he was involved in either .. but he's one of Hubby's chummy-buddies.

They probably surf same Youtube sites

Hope they're not so chummy that Carlino becomes Howie's successor.   The whole diocese will be doomed.

    

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

...
However, I do question a few of your points.   The financial difficulties with St John's School were well documented and discussed during the Called To Be Church pastoral planning process (2006 through 2009) and in subsequent reports since then.   I don't know how that information was conveyed to parishioners and parents of school children at St. John's -- but it was most certainly shared with the dozens of persons (clergy and laity) who participated in the 3 year long pastoral planning process.


I know your pastor well and know that he most certainly did everything that he could to save the school.     

Apparently it wasn't shared at all if, as you claim, it was well documented.   I guess you sat in on all the meetings at St John's parish council and school committees, huh?

Since you allegedly know him well, then you can explain why he fled the country at such a critical time instead of facing the parents, huh?


I guess DV is the spokesperson for St John's in the absence of it's pastor and for sure, since DV knows so much, he will be call the radio tomorrow and explain why the parents were not given even the remotest clue, not even 10 days before "the letter" was put in the mail to parents, huh?


Oh, and we are all sure that DV can explain why such a huge drastic loss in that school alone.   A school that needed an addition built and now, with the current pastor it mysteriously had suffered the greatest loss of students in history.    But there is money for the pastor to flee the country



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There is no need to read the gossipy, negative, UNINFORMED rants and chirpings of Catholic-bashers like mobileterminal, grahambonnet, joebxer and mikechristine -- they have one motivation in life and that is to act like a bunch of school-yard bullies and terrorists hell-bent on destroying anything positive and good in the community.   They offer NOTHING CONSTRUCTIVE .. NOTHING BASED ON ACTUAL FACT .. and therefore I and many others have chosen to block their messages.   It is a waste of time and energy to even read the malicous and ignorant crap that they spew.

Having said that and now getting back to the topic of the thread.   There is no doubt that Catholic Schools in our diocese (and in many other dioceses) have had a difficult time over the past 3 or 4 decades.  I do know for a fact that the diocese was offered a plan (based on a study performed by the then superintendent of schools  for the diocese) almost 30 years ago -- which recommended ending the practice of single-parish supported schools and replacing it with a regional system of Catholic schools.   The only part of the recommendations that was adopted was to eventually move the 7th and 8th grades from individual parish schools to the various regional Catholic high schools.   The major obstacle to adopting the rest of the recommendations --- was opposition from a number of pastors of parishes that had parish schools and a number of pastors who did NOT have parish schools.   The former group not wishing to cede control over their own parish school and the latter not wishing to take on the cost of maintaining regional elementary school(s).

I know this to be a FACT because at the time that my own parish's school was undergoing the study which led to its closing -- a group of members (which included me) of the Parish Finance Council had carefully studied the option of eliminating the 7th and 8th grades while maintaining a Pre-K through 6th grade program ---  we would had at that time about 150 students enrolled K-6.   At the time, the numbers (enrollment, expenses and income) were such that the school could have survived in the Pre-K through 6th grade format  -- and we had also wanted to open a dialogue with neighboring Catholic schools to consider merging 1 or 2 neighboring schools with our own.    Unfortunately, neither the diocese nor the neighboring parishes were supportive of the regional elementary school that we proposed nor eliminating just the 7th and 8th grades.  [side note - Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons was at the time studying the possibility of adding a 7th and 8th grade program at the time .. but had not made a decision to do so at that time]

Personally, I think that the diocese should revisit the idea of having regional Catholic Elementary Schools -- Catholic Elementary Schools are a vital and necessary component   (IMHO) for the future of the diocese.  Unfortunately, the biggest obstacle to that happening may very well be that many Catholics still have a hard time with the idea of shared services  (shared with neighboring parishes).   The tide is gradually changing and - I am optimistic that eventually MOST Catholics will be open to that idea of shared services in the near future.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

There is no need to read the gossipy, negative, UNINFORMED rants and chirpings of Catholic-bashers like mobileterminal, grahambonnet, joebxer and mikechristine --... .. and therefore I and many others have chosen to block their messages.  

You and your altAr personalities claim to be blocking messages from 4 posters - yet you seem to respond to whatever we say.  Sounds like your block (brain) isn't working.

The question in this thread is not about diocesan schools, or what St. Adalbert's did 30 years ago - it's about what's happening at St John the Evangelist ... something you have no interest in, or personal knowledge of, other that your obsession with children who aren't yours.

Are you registered on the PSOL yet?

Only gossipy, vicious, negative nayboobs and imbeciles BASH the Church, BASH the children who are direly in need of a Catholic education and BASH our fair Diocese instead of BUILDING THEM UP! All I have to say on the matter is GFY! Your anti-Catholic hate speech and bigotry is a WASTE of my time and should be outlawed..    For those who CARE -- I welcome as part of the brotherhood of man..  ALL ELSE CAN DROP DEAD.

We all can agree that Catholic schools are having issues, so are private schools and public schools, so are day care and colleges.

But the issue is how it was handled.   DV REFUSES to respond to why the pastor fled the country instead of facing the parents.   Why did he do that?

And DV REFUSES to explain how the pastor worked so hard to keep the school open by eliminated the major fundraiser each year.

And I guess DV, who doesn't attend St John's, has no ties to it, has not ever had, nor will ever have, children in any school--religious or public, I guess DV knows more about the closing of the school than the parents, such as the parent who posted here.   Is that riight DV?

Quoted Text

Parents start campaign to save school
Updated 06:30 p.m., Sunday, March 25, 2012

SCHENECTADY — Parents and their children who attend St. John the Evangelist school stood outside services Saturday and Sunday asking for signatures of support from their home parishioners to keep the school open.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany announced a week ago it will close the city's last Catholic grade school because of low enrollment. There are only about 84 students enrolled for fall classes for the prekindergarten through sixth grade school at 806 Union St...................>>>>...................>>>>................Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/loca.....77.php#ixzz1qAjv0I3T

That'll work about as well as all the signatures they got to keep the churches open ... in other words, it WONT.  

That being said, give me a copy of the petition, I'll have it filled in one day, for what it's worth.  If anyone reading this can get me a copy, contact me via PM for my phone number, and I'll get you at least a page of legitimate concerned people.

A site has been set up to determine the type and amount of support that parish and community members are willing to give. The support can be through community advocating or Financial.

Http://tinyurl.com/793ots6

Or you can email SaveSJE@gmail.com

Facebook page  Save our school St John the Evangelist School (Schenectady, New York)

Quoted from Hamburg

Only gossipy, vicious, negative nayboobs and imbeciles BASH the Church, BASH the children who are direly in need of a Catholic education and BASH our fair Diocese instead of BUILDING THEM UP! All I have to say on the matter is GFY! Your anti-Catholic hate speech and bigotry is a WASTE of my time and should be outlawed..    For those who CARE -- I welcome as part of the brotherhood of man..  ALL ELSE CAN DROP DEAD.

Here is DV's imaginery friend.    No bashing the church or children or diocese.   Just questioning why the closing was done in the secretive manner of the city dems, fundinging the pastors trip fleeing the country while eliminating fundraisers for the school.   That's hardly anti-Catholci to question why childrens education comes secondary to the lavish vacation of the pastor at the most critical time in the history of the school.



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Quoted from Parent

A site has been set up to determine the type and amount of support that parish and community members are willing to give. The support can be through community advocating or Financial.

Http://tinyurl.com/793ots6

Or you can email SaveSJE@gmail.com

Facebook page  Save our school St John the Evangelist School (Schenectady, New York)

Thank you - will be in touch very soon.   Can't find you on Facebook tho - do you have a direct link?