SPRINGFIELD -- As far as the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Office of Catholic Education is concerned, the decision to close St. Kevin School in Springfield is irreversible.
School Superintendent Mary E. Rochford told a standing-room-only crowd in the school's cafeteria to indicate otherwise would be to give false hope.
That did not stop parents and parishioners from making repeated pleas to give the school more time to reach an enrollment of 150, which, from Rochford's information, was the major number.
Irreversible was the word that kept arising when several members of the audience said the school was a handful of children away from that figure.
Rochford came equipped with a PowerPoint presentation titled "Standards for Quality Catholic Education."
However, she got no farther than the title page.
The Rev. John Moloney, St. Kevin Parish pastor, began the meeting with his personal reaction to the news.
"I was informed of the decision last Friday. The shock that I received is the same all of us understand at this point when told by the archdiocese that we are closing. It becomes personal. You can't imagine the pain and anguish I feel," Moloney said.
Pain and anguish were exhibited, but mostly anger.
Moloney offered a prayer for the wisdom to be respectful, and for the most part it was.
That did not stop parents from countering with questions almost everything Rochford said about the decision-making process, largely as to why they were never fully informed about the Office of Catholic Education's timeline.
Rochford said the office set a standard of 200 students for a school. Below that number would be a challenge to "academic integrity."
But there appeared to be a calculation St. Kevin could financially survive at 150. She said Moloney was informed of this last December.
Adding to the gap in communication was the sudden and unexplained removal on April 20 of the former principal, who was replaced by Patrick Benner on April 28.
The Office of Catholic Education began to track 2011-12 registration in May when the number was fairly stagnant in the low 90s. By mid-May, the decision was made to close the school, Rochford said.
Parents said while the enrollment number on June 3 was about 93, by last Monday it was 127, and 132 on Thursday.
"If anyone was told that the number was 150, that would have been done," said Toni Flocco, one of the more outspoken members in the audience.
Jim Hanley, president of the St. Kevin Home and School Board, said there was even a likelihood the few students might be picked up from nearby schools, including St. Philomena, which the archdiocese announced will also be closing, and Holy Cross, which Hanley believed may be near capacity.
"Your decision of this being irreversible is capricious. If you want to keep people in the pews, you will keep the school open," said Hanley. "The church and the school go hand-in-hand."
Parent Dave Caramanico also challenged Rochford on the source of authority for closing.
"These (Catholic) schools are considered a mission of the parish. This should be our decision. We are following St. Dorothy's model with our own development team," Caramanico said, underlining the commitment to bring the school into a stronger financial situation.
Rochford had also noted the school is carrying a debt service of $1.8 million from the construction of an addition. That entered into the archdiocese's decision, she indicated.
"Give us a chance to show we can do this," parishioner Alexis Artese said to Rochford. "Be Christian."
Parents insisted the May 15 date for the 150 enrollment had never been communicated to them, and some admitted they might have been slow to act.
