Diocese: Cathedral will open for 2015-2016 school year

Date: 1/8/2015

SPRINGFIELD – There is no word yet that the Diocese of Springfield has made the decision to rebuild Cathedral High School, but the school will be open for at least one more school year this fall.

The decision to rebuild the school or not has now been pushed back to next month. Originally, the diocese had announced it would have a decision by Christmas 2014.

On Jan. 5, Sr. M. Andrea Ciszewski, FSS, Diocesan superintendent of Schools, released the following statement:  “I hope this message finds all in the Cathedral High School community in good health as we begin 2015.  I know that these have been difficult times as the future direction of Cathedral is carefully evaluated.

“I want to share with you some updates. 

“The facilitated process now underway, at the direction of Msgr. John Bonzagni, is continuing.  Understandably, taking place during the very busy holiday season, encompassing Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s, made scheduling a particular challenge. We now expect the second phase to begin later in January, with some recommendations coming forth no later than early February. 

“Regardless of the outcome, I want to reassure all that Cathedral High School will reopen this September at the temporary campus in Wilbraham. 

“Finally, I want to take this opportunity to thank in a special way the students, their families and faculty for their exemplary dedication to Cathedral during this difficult time.”

She concluded, “In the coming weeks let us all dedicate ourselves to prayers for a successful outcome and resolution.” 

Ryan McCollum, a member of the Committee for Cathedral Action Committee, issued the following response from the committee: “We are very happy for all the students and parents, as well as the administration, faculty and staff at Cathedral that it has been announced that there will be a Cathedral High School for the 2015-16 school year. This will add some stability in their decisions and enable them to make plans for their future in the short-term.

“It is a bit serendipitous that this announcement falls on the Feast Day of St. John Neumann; who is the Patron Saint of Catholic Education, having been the first bishop in the country to organize a diocesan school system. ?

“We remain steadfast that a state-of-the-art Cathedral High School should be built at Surrey Road and that it can be sustainable. With that being said, we are all still anxiously awaiting the decision to rebuild and will remain present to show support in that effort as we have been over the past several months.”

Springfield City Councilor Timothy Rooke, who has been prominent in the advocacy of a new Cathedral High School told Reminder Publications, “I thought the news was very considerate from the diocese and was benefical to the students most importantly and secondly to the parents of the students to determine where they going to educate their students.”