The end.

The last graduating class is now gone.. the halls are not empty. The lower classpersons searching for another school. Somewhere else to ease their broken hearts..

With the slam of a bus door and the last playing of the Cardinal Brennan Alma Mater, it ended.. Not with a bang but with a whimper..

The last signatures on the walls of the bell tower are just drying.. the tears that strolled down the faces of students may not be dry for a bit of time..

The untold stories of classes gone by.. from the last century to our current one. A school that spanned so much time and so much history; vacant now.

The echoes of students laughing at bells ringing will not fill the dark halls anymore. Instead it will be the quiet sounds of ancient noises.. the whistle of wind coming trough cracks in the windows during the winter.. That heavenly sound of snow falling onto the pine trees outside of the school will not be heard by a soul..

The life that new students would bring each new warm September morning will never be seen again..

The memories will now just be memories. Gone like life itself is going: Into history.

The class of 2007 will take their experience with them through life.. the classes of tomorrow will feel a little empty on their graduation day.. the classes of yesterday will never quite have the same reunion they would have under other circumstances..

Reality is reality. And this ending is bluntly realistic.

.. the class of 2007...
Good luck.

Official press release.. The goodbye to CB

"Cardinal Brennan Farewell Celebration


Rev. Adam C. Sedar, President of Cardinal Brennan Junior Senior High School, has announced that a Farewell School Liturgy, Open House and Social Celebration have been scheduled at the Fountain Springs Campus for Sunday, July 1, 2007. Specific details regarding the day’s time schedule and other arrangements will be released in the near future. On a related note, Father Sedar commended Alumni Joseph Chiaretti, IHHS ’60, Mark and Amy (Madden) Fanelli, CB ’74 and ‘75, Mary Beth Dougherty, CB ’83, and Jennifer Salukas Kowalonek, CB ’93, for volunteering to chair the festivities for this historic farewell celebration event.



The following Committees have been established in order to help coordinate event festivities: Liturgical Celebration; Food and Refreshments; Decorations; Setup for Tents, Tables and Chairs; Memorabilia Collection and Display; and Multi-Media Presentation. School alumni or parents willing to participate on any of the above listed Committees are requested to submit their name and contact information, along with their choice of Committee, to the school Development Office at 570-874-3921, or at mnieddu@cardinalbrennan.net by Tuesday, May 8, 2007. Alumni and parents are also encouraged to submit to the school as soon as possible any current contact information that they may have on former school administration, faculty and staff members to have them included on the celebration’s Invitation List."

The Bishop visits Brennan.. but not that one..

When you saw today's headline in the Pottsville REPUBLICAN, you may have been shocked into confusion.. a Bishop at Cardinal Brennan? Allentown reconsidering? Maybe paying its respects to a school they're shutting down?

Nope.

Instead of Bishop Cullen, students and guests had the opportunity to see Bishop John Bura of the Ukrainian rite do mass at CB and take questions from the kids.

Allentown should take notes.

The death of Catholic education?

News from up North: The TIMES LEADER in Scranton reporting about Catholic education being in debt millions of dollars..

MORE:

"Bishop O’Reilly and Bishop Hoban high schools have a combined operating deficit of about $2 million, and need another $2.6 million in repairs, according to information released by the Diocese of Scranton. All Catholic schools in Luzerne, Lackawanna and Wayne counties have a total operating deficit exceeding $3.2 million, and owe $5.5 million to the diocese for loans

***

...Quinn urges Catholics who were upset at the closing of their schools to remember the big picture. "If they truly support Catholic education, and not just a particular building, now is the time to come forward with a financial commitment that will benefit the entire Catholic school system in the Diocese.""

The Allentown MORNING CALL reporting on a mad rush to find a new school for next year..

There is also interest in Lourdes Regional High school ..

"Cardinal Brennan students who live west of Ashland may also consider Our Lady of Lourdes Regional School in Coal Township, Northumberland County, operated by the Diocese of Harrisburg, said Allentown Diocese spokesman Matt Kerr"

Nativity, with 194 students (Cardinal Brennan being closed with 171 by the way) said it could handle an influx of students from Cardinal Brennan..

Posters and displays were at Marian to advertise to prospective students.. sports and studies..

The MORNING CALL story goes on to report more in depth about the decimation of Catholic education in Schuylkill county..

The long road to .. Marian?

The Pottsville REPUBLICAN reporting on Marian's popularity in the aftermath of the Cardinal Brennan closing..

Several students, according to sources to the Bell Tower Blog, have not decided on where the next school will be--and also have decided that the choice is not one that they want to even be making at this time..