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.

Another letter to the editor..

The news of CB's possible shut down makes it to California.. Letter to the editor appears in REPUBLICAN..

Some other interesting news..

From the Reading EAGLE blog on school consolidation in Berks county:

"The Issue: Some area Catholics suggest the Allentown Diocese should consolidate its two high schools in Berks County rather than build a new Central Catholic High School.
Our Opinion: Those arguments make sense, but the diocese is free to do whatever it wants to do.
The Allentown Diocese has made up its mind. It’s going to relocated Central Catholic High School from Reading to Exeter Township no matter what anyone has to say about it.
That comes despite the fact that several people whose children attend Catholic schools in Berks County have raised a number of very logical objections to the plan"

I offer it up only to show it's happening in a lot of places.. There are going to be a lot of lives and memories effected this year by what the Allentown diocese -- and others across the country for that matter --- decides..



There is also a story from yesterday's Hazleton STANDARD SPEAKER concerning parents challenging the Bishop of Scranton (and mentioning the Bishop of Allentown..
From the story:

"A parents’ group seeking to stop the impending closure of Bishop Hafey Junior/Senior High School has publicly asked to meet with Scranton Bishop Joseph Martino.
But the Committee to Save Bishop Hafey High School and Catholic Education’s newspaper advertisement, placed in the Standard-Speaker Feb. 28, has been met with silence from the diocese"

I was curious

..Something tells me that there are more than a few success stories for Cardinal Brennan graduates..

So tell me at schmuckraker@gmail.com, how did Cardinal Brennan effect your life? Did it help.. did it create a better foundation??

Let me know. . I'd be interested in hearing..

Just curious.

The calender says it all...

The official Cardinal Brennan calender for March 2007 complete with a note on the 15th, (the date that an open house for new students was scheduled): POSTPONED TO BE RESCHEDULED..