Community Rallies for Funds to Save Beloved Catholic School

LEMONT, IL — A cherished Catholic school facing a looming deadline to raise funds or possible closure has seen its community step up to save it.

St. Alphonsus/St. Patrick in Lemont was recently put on notice that it would need to raise funds and show steady enrollment to keep its doors open. The Archdiocese of Chicago announced the school's status Wednesday, along with the impending closure of St. Joseph in Homewood and St. Louis de Montfort in Oak Lawn.

In a letter sent to parents on Thursday, the school reassured students' parents that fundraising has long been in the works, with enough raised to surpass the $350,000 goal set by the Archdiocese. The school was given until the end of February to generate the funds.

"You may have heard through the news media yesterday that our school and another school have been put 'on notice' regarding possible closure," the notice read. "We were unaware that the information would be made public."

Several south suburban Catholic schools have faced declining enrollment and depleted funds, deeming closure necessary. Others were "given fundraising and enrollment targets that need to be met by the end of February in order for those schools to successfully open next year. Fundraising and enrollment recruiting efforts are underway at both schools," according to a statement from the Archdiocese.

St. Al's/St. Pat's late last year established the "Celtic Fund" as a means of raising the money needed to operate next year.

To date, the school has $218,144 raised through the Celtic fund, with a match of up to $300,000 contributed by a parent, the letter reads—an estimated total of 436,288.

The school was also told that it must maintain an enrollment close to its current number, which hovers at 169. Re-enrollment begins next week, but a marketing campaign has staff feeling "very encouraged" about future numbers.

The fundraising effort by the community has been touching, a representative said.

"The community has risen up ... already come together," volunteer Mike Bruno told Patch. "It's been very positive."

Both St. Joseph in Homewood and St. Louis de Montfort will officially close on June 30, 2017.

"We are hopeful there will not be any additional school closings this year," said Anne Maselli, Director of Communications and Marketing for the Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools.

The letter sent to St. Al's/St. Pat's parents reassures them that the 175-year-old school will keep its doors open.

"As you can see we have met our financial goal for the next year," the letter reads, "and are well on our way toward the $1,000,000 amount that was mentioned at our December 13 meeting, which moves us into the future."