Blessed Sacrament closes for good, holds final day of school Thursday
A local Catholic school that's been open since 1939 closed its doors for summer break for the very last time.
Students at Blessed Sacrament had their last day of school on Thursday, and mixed emotions could be seen from students, parents and staff.
Parents voice concerns to school board over closure of Blessed Sacrament
The Erie Catholic School System announced that they were shutting down this past February, citing what they called a 'continuous decline in enrollment.'
One parent said they are extremely frustrated, but they are hopeful about their case, which is currently being seen before the Vatican.
Protest held following closure announcement of Blessed Sacrament School
'They've really paid a lot of attention to the decision. Within three weeks of sending us the information, they have looked at it well enough to know that they wanted to go further with it, extremely encouraging,' said Dorothy Sexauer, a Blessed Sacrament parent. 'We just had schools closed down in the Bronx in February, the same month we did, we had a school in Chicago the 31st of May, so this is an event of national importance.'
Sexauer said they are taking a group of students to Waldameer to kick off the summer and keep their minds off the situation.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Sacred Heart School marks its last day
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — A local catholic school will dismiss students for the final time on Friday. The Sacred Heart School in East Providence is set to close after opening its doors more than a century ago in 1917. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence announced in February that the decision was made due to financial difficulties and declining enrollment. The Diocese said they worked with families and staff to place them in other neighboring Catholic schools. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Nun's family ask visitors to be respectful of grave
The sister of a nun, who has taken the first step towards sainthood, has appealed for people to be respectful when visiting her gravestone and her family home. Sister Clare Crockett, 33, died after the school she was teaching music at in Playa Prieta, Ecuador, collapsed during a 7.8-magnitude earthquake in April 2016. In November, Sr Clare was declared a Servant of God by the Catholic Church - the first step towards being canonised. Shauna Gill said: "There are days you come to that grave and you would have to queue and we love that people come to the grave, but they are disrupting other graves around it." The council, which owns the City Cemetery in Londonderry, is to consider installing paths and railings around the grave of Sr Clare to accommodate an influx of visitors to the site. "There are just so many people that come from everywhere, they are not just from Derry, they travel from afar," Shauna Gill told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today. "I totally understand other families' disappointment when they see other people are standing on graves. "They are touching Clare's gravestone and posing for photos with the headstone, so some people are just not thinking about their surroundings. "A lot of people are respectful, but there are some graves that are being damaged around it." Ms Gill said the narrow path makes it difficult for people to navigate the grave and believes removing hedging at the back of the grave and installing railings could help with access. "This could take all that congestion away from the front of the grave," she said. Ms Gill said she understands why people come to pray to Sr Clare, but they must understand their parents are also buried there. She said it can be hard for her family to visit the grave for a quiet moment of reflection knowing "you might not get near the grave". Sr Clare Theresa Crockett, from Brandywell in Derry, was previously an actor but turned down the chance to present on children's TV channel Nickelodeon to become a nun. Friends were said to be in disbelief after she announced her decision while holding a "beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other". She then took a vow with the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother order. Her motto in life was "all or nothing" and has previously been associated with fertility miracles. Sr Clare and another Irish nun injured in the quake, Sr Thérèse Ryan from County Limerick, had been teaching guitar and singing with five young women postulants - who were entering the religious order - when the earthquake struck. It is believed they became trapped on a stairwell as they ran out of the building. The 7.8-magnitude earthquake killed at least 480 people, injured more than 4,000 and left 231 missing. How does someone become a saint? Catholic Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown has said every grave is sacred and every family should have the right to pay their respects. He said the grave was "a major attraction" at the cemetery and a number of signposts had been erected to guide visitors to it. "Many people who have even come to visit me in Derry and have asked specifically to visit the grave," he said. "I just hope something can be done for all the family involved." He said long-term plans are being considered to manage the sheer volume of people arriving into the cemetery and sites linked to Sr Clare. Shauna Gill said they are also dealing with people arriving at Sr Clare's old house, which is currently occupied by a family member. "They can show up at any time of the day and can knock at the door," she said. "We have had people come and touch the walls or stand outside the house. "They have even asked for clothes or anything that Clare had, they just want a bit of Clare. "This is all new for everybody, so we are all trying to come to terms with it both as a town and as a family and we are just trying to find out what we can do about it." Ms Gill said it was difficult to navigate the many complexities associated with being the sister of a nun who is in the process of becoming a saint. Derry nun's family 'proud' as sainthood journey begins Funeral for nun killed in earthquake Sister Clare takes first step towards sainthood
Hamilton Spectator
8 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
First millennial saint Carlo Acutis will be canonized Sept. 7, the pope says
ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV on Friday set Sept. 7 as the rescheduled date to canonize the Catholic Church's first millennial-era saint Carlo Acutis. Leo made the announcement during a meeting of cardinals, known as a consistory, to set the dates for a handful of new saints. Acutis' canonization was originally scheduled for April 27, but was postponed following the death of Pope Francis on April 21. Acutis was 15 when he died in northern Italy in 2006, after a short bout with leukemia. He has become enormously popular especially among young Catholics who have been flocking to his tomb in Assisi. While he enjoyed regular pastimes for his age — hiking, video games, and joking around with friends – he also taught catechism in a local parish and did outreach to the homeless. He used his computer skills to create an online exhibit about more than 100 eucharistic miracles recognized by the church over many centuries. His tomb in Assisi has become a pilgrimage site especially during the 2025 Holy Year underway. It features a glass coffin in which Acutis can be seen dressed in sneakers, jeans and a sweatshirt, In setting the Sept. 7 date, Leo announced that Acutis would be canonized along with another Italian Catholic, Pier Giorgio Frassati, who also died young at age 24 after contracting polio. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
