And so it ends..

Not with a bang.. but with a wimper. The arguments over .. we're in the dead heat of summer.. but that long stretch of vacation soon will be over. And with it, officially, ending will be Cardinal Brennan as we knew it. Gone forever are those signatures on the bell tower wall..

The Bell Tower Blog, I suppose, must go with it. Also no bang here.. just that long dull wimper..

In 1996, I was a freshman.. I waited outside of the school the day before Thanksgiving vacation started .. my ride to take me home was late.

But I was at peace. It was before the pine trees were knocked down.. the cold wind was blowing through them making a long, dull, and ancient howling whistle.

I hear that same noise now. .in the middle of summer. Those distant memories .. In the past now.

The future is now. And the future it without CB.

A user needs help

When was the field has ground broken?

The last days

Video credit You Tube user Tom Zukas

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.