HOFFMAN ESTATES, Illinois (LifeSiteNews) — In a significant development for Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Chicago, a coalition of parents from St. Hubert Catholic School received confirmation that Pope Leo’s Vatican Dicastery for Culture and Education has agreed to hear their formal Hierarchical Recourse regarding the school’s planned closure.
The parents submitted the appeal in March after the archdiocese announced it would shutter the 65-year-old school at the end of the current academic year. The Vatican’s decision to examine the case signals that the circumstances surrounding the closure warrant further scrutiny.
READ: Catholic families appeal Cardinal Cupich’s school closure directly to Pope Leo
An independent financial analysis commissioned by the parents demonstrates that St. Hubert’s closure is not financially necessary. The report shows the school could achieve positive cash flow through modest, common-sense adjustments – solutions that would preserve its mission, educational quality, and accessibility for working families without requiring major overhauls.
“This is about more than one school,” shared Julie Chirinos, parent of four students, an alumna, and parishioner. “It reflects a deeper pattern of opacity, top-down decision-making, and financial policies under Cardinal Blase Cupich that prioritize short-term balance sheets over the Church’s core mission of Catholic education.”
The parish priest, Father Tomy Abraham, confirmed to parents that the archdiocese has plans to shut down at least 25 more schools in the coming years.
The coalition is respectfully calling on Cardinal Cupich and archdiocesan leadership to take the following immediate steps:
- Institute a three-year moratorium on all Catholic school closures in the archdiocese.
- Create the executive position of Chief Revitalization Officer, dedicated exclusively to supporting and strengthening struggling schools.
- Establish an independent School Closure Review Board to evaluate all future parish-level closure recommendations.
- Reassign Chief Operating Officer Betsy Bohlen from her current role.
“Closing St. Hubert was a choice, not a necessity,” former parent and current parishioner Maria Corso said. “We welcome the Vatican’s review of the archdiocese’s policies and procedures that appear to place profit over people and money over ministry.”
The parents also sharply criticized the corporate-style approach to Catholic education. “Betsy Bohlen’s McKinsey background has brought a cookie-cutter, short-term profit mentality that is making quality Catholic education increasingly out of reach for working-class families,” the coalition stated. “It is time for a thorough review of this failed strategy.”
The St. Hubert parents’ coalition remains committed to constructive dialogue. They are prepared to present their independent forensic financial report directly to archdiocesan leadership and stand ready to partner on real solutions that keep Catholic schools open and thriving.
For more information, please contact Angel Garcia 312-375-0979 or via email at [email protected]