Twelve Catholic schools across Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island will shut their doors forever this June due to financial constraints and enrollment declines, the Archdiocese of New York announced Wednesday.
Five of the schools slated for closure are in Manhattan, with six more in the Bronx and one on Staten Island. Four surviving Bronx schools, meanwhile, will be merged into two.
“It is never a good day when we announce closures to any of our beloved schools, but the goal is always to strengthen the remaining institutions and preserve Catholic education in New York for decades to come,” said Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York.
The announcement does not affect Catholic schools in Queens and Brooklyn, since they are administered by the Diocese of Brooklyn.
The Archdiocese of New York, in a statement, said that it conducted extensive research before deciding to close the schools, and evaluated the changing demographics, projected enrollment numbers, and each school’s financial stability.
All affected families will be able to attend neighboring Catholic schools, with applications for financial aid and scholarships available for the upcoming academic year where applicable.
“We understand these are challenging times for many families, and this is indeed a sad day for everyone in our Catholic schools community,” said Michael J. Deegan, Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of New York. “I personally mourn the loss of every one of our great schools.”
It’s the first major purge of parochial schools in New York City since 2020. That summer, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the archdiocese shuttered 20 downstate schools, including six in the Bronx, three on Staten Island and two in Manhattan.
The following Catholic schools will be permanently closed when the 2022-23 school year ends in June:
• Academy of St. Paul & St. Ann, East Harlem, Manhattan
• Ascension School, Manhattan Valley
• Guardian Angel School, Chelsea, Manhattan
• Holy Family School, Unionport, Bronx
• Immaculate Conception School, East Village, Manhattan
• Immaculate Conception School, Gun Hill, Bronx*
• Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Inwood, Manhattan
• Santa Maria School, Parkchester, Bronx
• St. Angela Merici School, Melrose, Bronx
• St. Brendan School, Norwood, Bronx
• St. Christopher School, Staten Island
• St. Margaret Mary School, Mount Hope, Bronx
Bronx Catholic school mergers
St. Francis Xavier will merge with St. Clare of Assisi.
St. Gabriel School will merge with St. Margaret of Cortona.
