Church is ignoring its future: the children

Let me ask, remember when Catholic education was important? Can someone tell me when that idea changed?

Recently, it was published that the one and only Catholic school in Lehighton, SS. Peter and Paul, was being studied with the plan to close it because of low enrollment. It is becoming more apparent, at least to me, that the Diocese of Allentown has completely forgotten the value of Catholic education, especially when it comes to financial decisions. In a time when the church is struggling to keep its members and even has a campaign to bring back those who have fallen away, it is deciding to close yet another school. It is in school that the children learn the lessons as taught by Jesus. They learn how important Jesus thought children to be. The Bible makes mention in several readings how Jesus gently admonished the disciples when they tried to keep the children away from him as he preached.

Slowly but surely, the Catholic Church is dying. When it should be looking at ways to increase its members, it has chosen to discount the little ones.

They will remember only one thing, and that is how their school was closed, the family that they knew was disbanded and the ones who should have cared did nothing. Way to go, all you decision makers. Keep worrying about all the pomp and circumstance, the gold and the vestments, because soon you will be the only ones who care. The rest of us will have turned our backs on the church just as you have done on Catholic education.

Bishop John O. Barres, check back in the history of the parish, and it will be evident that the issues started when the current "leader" was assigned. No communication, no leadership and no caring all lead up to dysfunction. You say it is out of your hands; are you not the head of the diocese? The school is being used as the scapegoat of the parish. Maybe now would be a good time for a diocese audit.

The school has always been the nucleus of the parish. All the gathering functions have been school-related, so yes be prepared for the church to be next, and the family of SS. Peter and Paul will be no longer.

It is looking like Pope Francis is a brotherhood of one, the only one who is paying attention to what the church was meant to be.

Since this letter was first sent, the school will be permanently closed as of June 13, 2014.

Elizabeth Watson

Lehighton