Archdiocese to close two Montco Catholic schools

Two Roman Catholic elementary schools in Montgomery County will close in June because of declining enrollment.

Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, has accepted recommendations to shut the schools operated by the parishes of St. James in Elkins Park and Holy Martyrs in Oreland, The Inquirer has learned.

The action, to be announced by the archdiocese on Monday, is the latest in a series of planned parish school closings and mergers throughout the region caused by rising costs and changing demographics, including population shifts and lower birthrates among Catholics. Schools in the city and inner-ring suburbs have been especially hard-hit.

At Holy Martyrs in Oreland, 82 students have registered for school in the fall.

Only 60 signed up for St. James in Elkins Park, which as recently as 2000-01 had 253 students. Now, 95 percent of the parish's income is used to support the school.

According to the archdiocese, St. James students will be accepted by the neighboring parishes of Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Cheltenham, St. Hilary of Poitiers in Rydal, and Immaculate Conception in Jenkintown.

The Holy Martyrs students are urged to consider transferring to any of several neighboring parish schools, including St. Genevieve in Flourtown, Our Mother of Consolation in Chestnut Hill, and St. Philip Neri in Lafayette Hill, the archdiocese said.

Holy Martyrs' Early Childhood Education Program for 3- and 4-year-olds has full enrollment and will continue operating in an adjacent building.

Earlier this year, the archdiocese announced that two other Montgomery County parish schools would merge, four Bucks County schools would consolidate, and another Catholic elementary school in Bucks would close in June.

The archdiocese will also close Cardinal Dougherty High School in Olney and North Catholic High School in Frankford at the end of the academic year.