Waiting...........

Tick tock.. looking at the clock. Still nothing to infer from Matt Kerr.

Still no response. Second call made to Diocese.

...Messages...

Left messages with the Diocese press office concerning any and all decisions that may be made today .. no responses as of yet. I will update further if anything comes to my attention..

Today's POTTSVILLE REPUBLCAN reporting what the Bell Tower blog already has told you.. the Cardinal Brennan decision may take time and wil

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Letters in the mail..

Bell Tower Blog received a copy of a letter being sent to Bishop Cullen from a parent of students at Cardinal Brennan.. Hundreds of letters similar to this are on their way to the Bishop and others..

March 12, 2007

Most Rev. Edward P. Cullen, D.D.

4029 W. Tilghman St.

PO Box F

Allentown, PA, 18105-1538

Diocesan Council

Attn.: All Members
Your Excellency & Members of Council:

I hope you find a moment to read my letter.

Shortly, you will be presented with monumental decision that will affect many students, faculty, staff and parents. I, as many others, pray that you will be guided well to make the best decision possible.

I know that due to many factors, including finances, declining enrollment and a plethora of additional reasons, Cardinal Brennan is being reviewed in to determine it viability for future educational purposes. As expected, folks here are quite distressed about the outcome of your decision and the impact it may have on Northern Schuylkill County. We are still coming to grips with the recent elementary school consolidation and both Frackville and Girardville residents are mourning the loss of their beloved parochial schools.

I wanted to be sure you knew “Cardinal Brennan”. It is a beautiful campus, with historical buildings, stunning architecture and wooded areas that would be hard to recreate anywhere else. I know you have been invited before, but I must beg you, before you make this decision, please come and see our school. Take a walk around. The grounds in spring are a sight to behold. Anyone who appreciates nature could not possibly tour the grounds here and not come away with a feeling of peacefulness and feel just a small step closer to our Creator.

Peer in the trophy case. You can almost hear the crowds cheering due to a game winning shot, or perfectly kicked field goal. Walk through our gym and think about the number of athletes who have spent hours and hours practicing, learning discipline and sportsmanship.

Walk through our classrooms; take a moment to listen to the current education that is being offered to our children at Brennan. You have a teaching staff that any administration can be proud of. The college entrance rates are phenomenal and the SAT scores are second to none. Currently, my children will be able to avail themselves of advanced placement classes, which will make it much easier for them to achieve their future goals.

Walk on the school stage and you can’t help but wonder how many aspiring actors, actresses and vocalists performed here. How many band practices occurred? It is here that so many teens acquired their love of the arts.

Within the last few years, Brennan has replaced windows, built an additional gym and updated the field house. There is much more to do, but I think you will find that the students, staff and alumni aren’t above a little hard work and sacrifice. If we were ever made officially made aware of the sobering financial situation, perhaps we could have offered assistance previously. We can work within our communities and provide proposals that may be realistic from a business perspective.

The future of Brennan is bright. Due to the current construction, we can expand and grow. We can support any type of school should you reconsider the K-12 program. You will find yourself surrounded with hundreds of people who care and are more than willing to work with you.

Please, your Excellency, remember, with your decision many lives will be impacted. Memories and history have already been made here at Brennan. Who knows what the future may hold?

I also pass this letter along to the generous members of the Diocesan Council who I know already volunteer many hours to our Church. I know they have already been cordially invited, but I wanted to extend the invitation one more time. Please…please…before you make such a life altering decision, come and visit! We ask for one more hour of your time. Put a face to the name and a picture in your mind. Then, upon making this assessment, you will know it was decided in good faith. I pray you too, are guided well. The future of my children and hundreds of others are depending on you.

Respectfully,

Mother of two current Chargers & two future Chargers

Don't expect anything this week

Though there has been speculation that there would be some form of a decision made regarding Cardinal Brennan's future by March 15, a phone call to the Diocese press office today offers very different information...

The Bell Tower Blog spoke to the Diocese today. On the March 15 date: Don't expect anything this week. The spokesman told me that regardless of what rumors are being circulated, it may be a while before the Bishop makes any final decisions on the future of the school..

On how the decision will be made: No clue.

The official I spoke to also told me that there has been no official decision on how the Diocese will disperse information on the Cardinal Brennan once it has been made..

A source to the Bell Tower Blog also confirms that there was an official from the Pastoral Council at Cardinal Brennan today for a visit.. The source told me that the official from the Council was "very impressed" by the school's facilities, the "spirit," and the teachers.. I will attempt to confirm this information with Cardinal Brennan tomorrow during business hours..

But the big story: There will probably not be anything confirmed for some time, and there is still no word on how exactly a decision will be released once it's made..

Developing..

More letters.. more schools..

The Allentown MORNING CALL (http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b3_1schools.5744935mar10,0,7080207.story) has running story that may sound eerily familiar: Parents of students at Our Lady of the Angels Academy in Lansford were mailed letters last week telling them that their close may close due to operating costs and enrollment.
Cardinal Brennan gets a mention in the article..Interestingly enough, Diocese Spokesman Matt Kerr said that no studies were planned at Ss. Peter and Paul School in Lehighton; St. Joseph's Regional Academy in Jim Thorpe; St. Jerome Regional School in Tamaqua; any other elementary schools; or Marian High School in Barnesville.
March 15 is almost here.