With enrollment seemingly stabilizing after a post-pandemic dip, the superintendent the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh’s schools said there are no plans for school closures on the table in the near future.
“As of right now, we are pretty stable and happy where we are,” said Superintendent Lauren Martin.
Martin was among the diocesan leaders, including Bishop Mark Eckman, who gathered in East Carnegie to tout the release of the annual schools report.
It was the first such gathering for Eckman, who was installed in July, and Martin is also new to her job. She started as superintendent in July 2024 and replaced Michele Peduto, who died in August 2024 of cancer.
Martin was previously principal of Seton LaSalle High School in Mt. Lebanon.
Stability is noteworthy after a years of changes that started more than a decade ago as now-retired Bishop David Zubik oversaw a downsizing he called On Mission for the Church Alive that combined parishes and closed churches to better serve a declining number of Catholics with fewer priests.
During that time the church has also weathered the coronavirus pandemic, the elevation of Pope Leo XIV to replace Francis, and Eckman to replace Zubik.
There are 10 Catholic high schools in the diocese that serve more than 3,300 students.
There are 35 elementary schools with an enrollment of nearly 10,000, according to figures compiled in the report.
Among the diocese schools in the Mon Valley are Madonna Catholic Regional School in Monongahela, Mary of Nazareth Catholic School in White Oak and Serra Catholic High School McKeesport.
It also noted the schools’ religious education programs and its financial aid programs, which can cover 50% or more of tuition costs depending on a families size and income levels.
Each school’s financial aid programs are individualized because of the differences in demographic in the diocese, but some programs, including the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit program, are available to most families, Martin said.
By tom Davidson, TribLive
