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St. Louis King of France (BR) school to close at end of academic year
Posted on 9/22/17 at 5:02 pm
Posted on 9/22/17 at 5:02 pm
Both the school and the church parish bearing the "St. Louis King of France" name will close in the next nine months as the Catholic Diocese grapples with a priest shortage that has become especially apparent in north Baton Rouge churches.
The Advocate
The Rev. Michael Alello, pastor of St. Louis King of France, told teachers and staff Friday afternoon that the school will close on June 30. The church parish, which started a merger in July with nearby St. Thomas More, will also close no later than then.
St. Louis King of France has 283 students who will be looking for new schools to attend next year, and 148 of them are scholarship students, according to the state's Department of Education.
But while the closures of some local Catholic schools — like Redemptorist High School — hinged on declining enrollment figures and problems accepting voucher students, Alello said that is not the case for St. Louis King of France.
The school cannot stay open without being tied to its parish, he said. Alello said he realizes that the news will be difficult for some people to swallow but said the decisions to close both the school and church parish are final.
"The priest shortage is the challenge," Alello said. "We are attempting to serve our people with the resources we have."
The priest shortage has manifested itself in church closures and mergers primarily in the northern part of the parish. St. Pius X Catholic Church closed in late May and St. Isidore the Farmer absorbed its churchgoers. And declining enrollment led to the closure of Redemptorist High School at the end of the 2015 academic year.
North Baton Rouge has been left with only a few Catholic schools — Redemptorist St. Gerard Elementary and Middle School; St. Francis Xavier; and Cristo Rey.
Dan Borné, a spokesman for the diocese, also said Sacred Heart Catholic School on the outskirts of downtown serves north Baton Rouge students.
"We cannot deny the reality of population shifts," Borné said. "And that's really affected St. Louis King of France in terms of first its parishioners and then its school. The commitment to Catholic education will always be there. Where it happens may change with population shifts."
Alello is hosting a parents' meeting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday to discuss possible schooling options for students who currently attend St. Louis King of France. Though the parish is merging with St. Thomas More, he said STM's school is not large enough to accommodate all of the St. Louis King of France schoolchildren.
The Advocate
The Rev. Michael Alello, pastor of St. Louis King of France, told teachers and staff Friday afternoon that the school will close on June 30. The church parish, which started a merger in July with nearby St. Thomas More, will also close no later than then.
St. Louis King of France has 283 students who will be looking for new schools to attend next year, and 148 of them are scholarship students, according to the state's Department of Education.
But while the closures of some local Catholic schools — like Redemptorist High School — hinged on declining enrollment figures and problems accepting voucher students, Alello said that is not the case for St. Louis King of France.
The school cannot stay open without being tied to its parish, he said. Alello said he realizes that the news will be difficult for some people to swallow but said the decisions to close both the school and church parish are final.
"The priest shortage is the challenge," Alello said. "We are attempting to serve our people with the resources we have."
The priest shortage has manifested itself in church closures and mergers primarily in the northern part of the parish. St. Pius X Catholic Church closed in late May and St. Isidore the Farmer absorbed its churchgoers. And declining enrollment led to the closure of Redemptorist High School at the end of the 2015 academic year.
North Baton Rouge has been left with only a few Catholic schools — Redemptorist St. Gerard Elementary and Middle School; St. Francis Xavier; and Cristo Rey.
Dan Borné, a spokesman for the diocese, also said Sacred Heart Catholic School on the outskirts of downtown serves north Baton Rouge students.
"We cannot deny the reality of population shifts," Borné said. "And that's really affected St. Louis King of France in terms of first its parishioners and then its school. The commitment to Catholic education will always be there. Where it happens may change with population shifts."
Alello is hosting a parents' meeting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday to discuss possible schooling options for students who currently attend St. Louis King of France. Though the parish is merging with St. Thomas More, he said STM's school is not large enough to accommodate all of the St. Louis King of France schoolchildren.
Posted on 9/22/17 at 5:06 pm to Tigeralum2008
There's been an acute priest shortage for years now. This is merely the tip of the iceberg. Moreover, isn't the fact that Livingston and Ascension are exponentially growing a cause for concern in EBR?
Posted on 9/22/17 at 5:06 pm to Tigeralum2008
Well the Catholic Church doesn't display much interest in solving the priest shortage so whatcha gonna do. Let them get married and the numbers will increase.
Posted on 9/22/17 at 5:08 pm to Tigeralum2008
That sucks. I remember being in pre-K there with my brother in the early 90s
Posted on 9/22/17 at 5:14 pm to boosiebadazz
quote:
I remember being in pre-K there
Posted on 9/22/17 at 5:15 pm to biglego
I believe Louis I and Louis viii where both saints
Posted on 9/22/17 at 5:20 pm to Tigeralum2008
Dang, this must be hard for Hooch. He led me through some hard times in high school. Hope they can make everything work out with the parishioners and students.
Posted on 9/22/17 at 5:23 pm to Tigeralum2008
Likely a casualty of location. Nobody wants to drive to NBR anymore
Posted on 9/22/17 at 5:24 pm to biglego
quote:
Well the Catholic Church doesn't display much interest in solving the priest shortage so whatcha gonna do. Let them get married and the numbers will increase.
If this was true, Protestants wouldn’t be struggling as well.
Posted on 9/22/17 at 5:25 pm to athenslife101
Lived in the Parish for over 30 years and this church was a big part of our lives. Changing neighborhoods throughout the Parish really hurt and we left for AP some 10 years ago and I'm surprised the church held on as long as it did. Father Mike is a really a great priest.....such is life I guess!
Posted on 9/22/17 at 5:27 pm to athenslife101
Louis IX is the saint.
Louis I is merely Louis the Pious
Louis I is merely Louis the Pious
Posted on 9/22/17 at 5:29 pm to Tigeralum2008
quote:
Rev. Michael Alello
Damn. No wonder they made him head of STM too.
Praying for ya Hooch!
Posted on 9/22/17 at 5:31 pm to SwaggerCopter
Religion in the western world is declining except for Muslim immigrants. But the Catholic priest shortage is more severe than anything the Protestant churches are facing. There are plenty Protestant preachers and there's a Protestant church on every other corner.
Posted on 9/22/17 at 5:31 pm to Tigeralum2008
I went to school there in the early 80s. I remember the day a nun smashed two little kids head together in the middle of assembly. I was shocked to say the least.
Posted on 9/22/17 at 5:31 pm to Tigeralum2008
(no message)
This post was edited on 9/30/20 at 11:52 pm
Posted on 9/22/17 at 5:33 pm to baseballmind1212
This also brings an end to one of BRs finest recreational softball leagues (and field).
Posted on 9/22/17 at 5:35 pm to dixiechick
quote:
This school wil most likely be sold, leased, converted to a Charter school
Absolutely.
Will read about the dean/headmaster/whatever locking a 5 year old in a closet in +/- 3 years
Posted on 9/22/17 at 5:35 pm to Tigeralum2008
Damn my middle school and high school are now closed with St. Louis and Redemptorist. All I need now is for Lasalle elementary to be closed down then that will complete it.
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