Bishop Joseph Babmera announced his plan for the future of the diocesan school system at a meeting at St. Maria Goretti Church in Laflin on January 20. “Catholic schools are alive, they’re well and they’re here to stay in the Diocese of Scranton,” said Bambera. However, the bishop noted that despite the massive restructuring efforts of recent years, there are many schools “well below capacity” and one cannot rule out the possibility of further mergers or closures. In the Holy Redeemer (Luzerne County) and Holy Cross (Lackawanna County) systems, there are currently 2,094 empty seats.
Under Bambera’s plan,
- Tuition will increase by $900 over the next three years.
- A new marketing campaign will promote the school system.
- Parishes assessed at 23.75 percent of their income will see their school assessments reduced to 15 percent over a period of time.
Registration for the 2011-2012 school year will begin on January 30. A decision regarding the configuration of the school system will be announced by April 15.
Bishop O'Reilly/Central Catholic Alumni 