LeaveNoCatholicStudentBehind.com Keeping a vigil over Region 7 - Pittston area's Catholic schools since 2004... Forever In Our Hearts... Saint Mary's School, Avoca - St. John the Baptist School, Pittston Catholic elementary schools - Est'd 1917 and 1919 - Closed June 4, 2004 by Bishop Joseph F. Martino Click above to see the last group photos of Saint John the Baptist Pittston and St. Mary's Avoca children Two beloved Avoca & Pittston area Catholic private elementary schools in the Diocese of Scranton, PA.... TIMELINE of the struggle to save SJB and SMA DOCUMENTS relating to the fight to save SJB and SMA

The Unofficial* Region 7 Page

Please visit HERE for our NEW front page, which is updated regularly with news about Catholic schools, churches, priests and other concerns in the Diocese of Scranton.

We do NOT represent the Diocese of Scranton, nor are we authorized by the Bishop or his representatives in any way. This is an independent Catholic news page.

Please Note:: This page (the pages linked from this page) explaine our efforts to save the Catholic schools within the Pittston Area School District. When you read through, you will see that our efforts were unsuccessful, and MANY of our Catholic students were funneled into the public school system through closed schools, tuitions raised as high as 50%, etc.
Pittston Area Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Scranton - Luzerne County - Pennsylvania
Region 7 Faculty for 2006 - 2007
Links to Pittston area Catholic schools
*We are NOT authorized by the Diocese of Scranton to represent them in any way...read more

Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it...

Now the unbelievable has happened.
Bishop Martino is closing two more of our Pittston Area Catholic Schools:

Camp St. Andrew Tunkhannock PA Official Link
Girls' & Boys Basketball and Residential Camp Information 2007
From the Diocese of Scranton

Canon Law on Catholic Education

Our Catholic schools are disappearing...
Pray for our Catholic Schools
Pittston Area of the Diocese of Scranton!

"Dear God, Please don't let my school close..."

Thank you for showing support about keeping our Pittston Area Catholic schools available to our children!

Everyone can help! PLEASE write to the following:

Vatican Press Office e-mail: AV@PCCS.va Archbishop Pietro Sambi Apostolic Nuncio to the United States of America 3339 Massachuttes Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20008 Phone: 202-333-7121 Fax: 202-337-4036 Read about the Papal Nuncio His Eminence, Justin Cardinal Rigali Archbishop of Philadelphia 222 N. 17th Street Philadelphia, PA 19103-1299 e-mail: Archbish@adphila.org

Bishop Joseph Martino 300 Wyoming Ave. Scranton, PA 18503 Phone; 570-207-2230 Fax: 570-207-2236 Mr. Joseph G. Casciano c/o Diocese of Scranton Catholic Schools Office 300 Wyoming Ave. Scranton, PA 18503 Phone: 570-207-2251 Fax: 207-2261 His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI 00120 Via Del Pelligrino Citta del Vaticano E-Mail Pope Benedict XVI E-Mail Times Leader write Mary Guydish: Mark Guydish

PAST: Seton Catholic Pittston 2005... Photos, stories, etc!! Seton Photos!! PRESENT: Seton Catholic's Jeffrey Hamilton Chosen as HOB Youth Leadership Rep Read more FUTURE: Why WE BELIEVE Bishop Martino must NOT close Seton Catholic - READ VOICES: Seton Catholic student & supporters comment...CLICK QUESTIONS: The Diocese of Scranton revealed, after many demands for an answer, that the cost "thus far" of the Meitler study is "THUS FAR" $194,000... this does NOT include TOTAL COSTS or HIDDEN COSTS.... The Catholic Light CLICK "Dear God, Please don't let my school close..." Sacred Heart Novena Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Saint Seton, Intercede for us... Please pray for the future of: Sacred Heart of Jesus School Dupont Seton Catholic High School Pittston ALL our little, beloved Catholic Schools Thank You! Read more Seton Student speaks out Go to our LINKS MENU: find a Mass in the Scranton Diocese, listen to Catholic Radio, learn Catholic prayers and devotions, subscribe to the Catholic Light and much more! Friends, Families and Supporters of Region 7: Join our e-mail list - and PLEASE CARE! Canon Law on Catholic Education Our Catholic schools - and churches - need your support. Please remember to encourage enrollment in our grade and high school and donations made directly to the schools for improvements and scholarships. Because once our Catholic schools are gone, they may be gone forever. As the song goes: "Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what you’ve got ‘Til its gone They paved paradise And put up a parking lot..." Joni Mitchell - "Big Yellow Taxi" CLOSE SETON CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL? How did it come to this? In the fall of 2003, shortly after the arrival of Bishop Joseph F. Martino, the rumors began: Seton is closing, Seton is closing Where did they originate? No one seemed to know... Then, in April 2004, the bombshell announcement: St. Mary's Avoca and St. John the Baptist were being closed by the newly installed Bishop of Scranton Diocese, Bishop Joseph F. Martino. Surely this was just a big misunderstanding!! Bishop Martino didn't know anything about our wonderful schools...and he hadn't even set foot in either school!! Parents of students organized into a united group and we begged for our schools. We pleaded. Our children cried and held rosary rallies. We began this web site. We showed evidence about why closing SJB and SMA would significantily damage future enrollment of Seton Catholic: SJB and SMA made up FORTY PER CENT of incoming freshmen to Seton Catholic!! Closing these elementary schools would seriously hurt future enrolllment at our beloved high school!! Committees to save the two schools were formed, comprised of professionals who were also concerned parents. A very viable merger plan was formulated, backed up by statistics. A meeting was scheduled for mid-April between the Bishop and his officials and our Committee to Save SJB and SMA. Alas, it was all for nothing. The Bishop informed the committee as soon as they walked in that he had made up his mind, and refused to even consider the plan. Bishop Martino did not want to be known as a bishop who "concedes". Just like that, our two beloved elementary schools were closed. Many parents, aghast at what had happened, vowed not to allow their children to be traumatized again. They enrolled in the public school system... The rumors grew stronger: Seton is closing, Seton is closing The rumors about Seton Catholic's eventual closing got so out of hand that this web site set up a "STOMP THE RUMOR" section! Still, NO ONE from the Diocese officially denied that Seton Catholic was closing. No press release was issue by the Diocese or Bishop Martino. The rumors ran rampant, but no one could find out where they came from! Naturally, enrollment in Seton began to declined. "Why send my kid to Seton if they are going to close?", some people reasoned. Still, many others of great faith still sent their children to this beloved Pittston area Catholic high school anyway. Seton Catholic was down, but never defeated. Now, Bishop Martino has received "recommendations" to close another elementary school, Sacred Heart of Jesus in Dupont, and merge Seton, Bishop O'Reilly and Bishop Hafey into ONE high school - Bishop Hoban. Geographically, this is a completely unrealistic - even dangerous in winter months. In this case, merging the schools really means closing them and saving the Diocese of Scranton a lot of money. Perhaps we would NOT be receiving the Meitler "recommendations" to close our ONLY Pittston - Wyoming - Old Forge area Catholic High School and Sacred Heart of Jesus (Dupont) elementary school if Bishop Martino had listened to our pleas back then. Please, Bishop Martino, put the same energy, thought, effort and money into keeping our schools opened as you have spent in justifying (thru expensive media campaigns and expensive "studies") the closing of these irreplaceable schools. Click HERE to view documents and a summary of our battle to save our elementary schools, and therefore Seton Catholic, two years ago... Click HEREto read why WE BELIEVE Bishop Martino must NOT close Seton Catholic... ... *We are not authorized by the Diocese of Scranton, Bishop Joseph F. Martino, or any Region 7 school to do this page or represent them in any way. This page is just a place where Seton Catholic High School (Pittston PA), Holy Rosary School (Duryea PA), Sacred Heart of Jesus School (Dupont PA), St. Mary's Assumption Grade School (Pittston PA), and Wyoming Area Catholic Elementary School, (Exeter PA) students, parents and supporters can gather for news, information, and links about our top private parochial Catholic schools in Luzerne County. We believe they are the best schools! MYSPACE: SAVING SETON CATHOLIC - click MySpace.com/saveseton

How MUCH did the Meitler Study cost?
We have e-mailed the Diocese of Scranton Catholic Schools office FOUR TIMES since the Meitler recommendations were released. We requested to be told the TOTAL COST of this study. Our only response thur far: an e-mail from Diocese of Scranton secretary Barbara Barrett on Thursday the 16th, stating:
"We have forwarded your message to Mr. Bill Genello, Director of Communications for the Diocese of Scranton. He will respond."
We have NOT heard back from Mr. Genello as of this posting, but he did have time to give an interview to Chris Birk of the Citizens' Voice on the 19th, Sunday.

E-MAIL US: Webmaster@LeaveNoCatholicStudentBehind.com

The MEITLER recommendations:....to close Seton Catholic High School in Pittston, Bishop O'Reilly High School in Kingston and Bishop Hafey High School in Hazelton....as well as Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Dupont.
Bishop Hoban and Bishop Hannan (Scranton, near the Bishop's residence) are to remain opened...and Bishop Hoban will be renamed.

In Lackawanna County: Meitler recommends that elementary schools St. Mary in Old Forge, Holy Rosary in Scranton, St. Mary’s Visitation in Dickson City and St. Anthony in Dunmore be closed and that a merger take place between Lackawanna county’s two high schools, Bishop Hannan and Bishop O’Hara.

FYI:

• Sacred Heart of Jesus Dupont actually had an slight INCREASE in enrollment over last six years
• Region 7 was DEBT FREE this year, except for the WAC mortgage. SO....
  Dear God, what are THEY THINKING??
  Learn more about MEITLER CONSULTANTS

  Scranton Diocese Catholic Schools Page
  Meitler Recommendations for Luzerne County

  Contact the Diocese of Scranton

  E-Mail Pope Benedict - BenedictXVI@vatican.va
  Diocese of Scranton Catholic School Closing Page
  We BELIEVE in Seton Catholic High School
  The FUTURE of our Seton Catholic in Pittston is secure because Bishop Martino repeatedly asked us to trust him in his judgement....despite the pain, chaos and concerns for Seton Catholic's future which were raised when His Excellency decided to close St. Mary's Avoca and St. John the Baptist, the two main FEEDER SCHOOLS TO SETON CATHOLIC!!...without discussion, without real input from anyone else
  ...read what we (children and parents) went thru and had to say in 2004:
  April, May, June 2004...
  We begged for the future of Seton Catholic...

  BISHOP MARTINO on Ask the Bishop - May 2004 regarding why he closed Seton Catholic's two MAIN feeder schools, St. John the Baptist in Pittston, and St. Mary's School in Avoca, and about the future of our Pittson Catholic schools...
  "But I do believe in time, when we see the health of the four schools (in Region 7 = Pittston area) that are there, and that Catholic education is blossoming anew because of this change, then I think that you will understand the analogy that I made earlier. That, sometimes, there are growth pains in life, but they are pain, but they're growth pains not death pains. And we hope that, eh, I hope that you will forgive me for any pain that I may have caused you. But that was not what I intended to do."

  About rumors, Bishop Martino said..."But I, again, I find a great cross since I've come here. The strength of the rumor mill in this diocese - people believe as gospel truth what their neighbor happens to tell them, and at the risk of sounding insulting to my new family here, I beg you, please to consider that a great temptation."

  Unfortunately, we heard NO official Diocesan denials about the closing of Seton Catholic even though such rumors have been running rampant for the past three years.

  Registration for the ONLY Catholic high school in the the Pittston Area School District...SETON CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL!

  St. John's Academy/Seton Catholic: what it looked like nearly a century ago:
  St. Johns Academy, William St., Pittston, PA
  Call 570-654-4831 for an appointment. Ask for Sister Mary Ann Cody.

  REMINDER: Please check back often for FALL updates about our schools, fundraisers, and other news!
  Please check the OFFICIAL school calendars for upcoming events.

  Please remember that we MUST support, through ENROLLMENT and other means, our own wonderful high school: Seton Catholic High School.
  Read about the 140 year history of our Region 7 high school - Seton Catholic High School in Pittston, Luzerne County, PA HERE

  Save Our Catholic Schools Updates & News - Diocese of Scranton
  

  We BELIEVE the future of Seton Catholic High School is secure because...

  
  

  
  

  The future of Seton Catholic...

  We BELIEVED that Seton Catholic High School would remain opened as a high school for MANY years.

  Why did we believe?

  Because, after we were devastated by the unexpected March 2004 letter, and when we expressed our fears to Bishop Martino that the closing of St. John the Baptist (Pittston) and St. Mary's Avoca would hurt the future enrollment of Seton Catholic (the two grade schools traditionally made up the largest portion of the incoming freshman class at Seton Catholic) during a formal meeting on April 14, 2004 - (a letter was drafted and presented to Bishop Martino and his staff by our Save Our School Committee - see Fallacy 4 of the letter), Bishop Martino went ahead with his plans anyway and assured our committee that his restructuring plan was sound and was necessary and would result in a "healthier" Region 7 (Pittston Catholic schools) system. In a letter sent to our committe (from James B. Earley, Chancellor) prior to the meeting, Mr. Earley made it clear that Bishop Martino would NOT change his mind about closing St. John the Baptist and St. Mary's Avoca. "He (Bishop Martino) wants it known very clearly and explicitly that this decision is not reversible."

  We choose now to believe that Bishop Joseph F. Martino would NEVER hurt the Pittston area again by taking our only Catholic high school - Seton Catholic High School - from us! Nor any other grade school. We choose to believe that we will NOT be told that "consolidation" is necessary, as we have already suffered enough. And because the consolidation plan (a viable alternative to closing our two schools) presented to Bishop Martino and his staff in 2004 was not even considered...

  We choose to believe that our bishop has taken the time to know his flock well enough to realize that no other high school can take the place of our own high school, Seton Catholic High School, which is and has been situated centrally right here in our community for 142 YEARS! That if enrollment has gone down since the closure of SJB and SMA, that he, Bishop Martino, will realize he made a mistake by closing the two main "feeder" schools, thereby weakening future enrollment at Seton and causing the beginning of a rash of rumors about the future of Seton Catholic. We believe that Bishop Martino would not only be humble enough to admit to his mistake, but would fix his mistake- not by closing any more of our schools, not by "consolidation" (which is often only another word for "closing"), but by coming up with a solid plan to boost enrollment for our schools until the situation is corrected.

  Read the summary and timeline of the our 2004 struggle to save Seton Catholic's feeder schools
  

  (The above opinion was written by Webmaster M, also known as Marion. It does not necessarily represent the opinion of any others associated with this web site.)

  We choose to believe.

  Seton Catholic High School
  The only Catholic high school in the Pittston area of the Diocese of Scranton, PA.

  ---

  
  

  ---

  
  

  LINKS MENU Latest Region 7 School News Region 7 Advisory Council Copies of meeting minutes sent home through the schools! Join Our E-Mail List Write to us! webmaster@leavenocatholicstudentbehind.com Find a Mass Anywhere Scranton Diocese Daily Homily and Readings from EWTN OLRL.org Catechisms, Catholic Prayers, etc. Catholic Radio Station of the Cross Catholic Therapists Lost & Found Official and Unofficial Region 7 School Links Region 7 Photo Album Catholic Schools Office Diocese of Scranton Contact Scranton Diocese Scranton Diocese Heirarchy Bishop Martino Statements Seton Photo Gallery Catholic School Closings The Catholic Light Da Vinci Code DEFEND YOUR FAITH School Voucher/Choice Catholic News Far & Near Schools - Local and National News Catholic Churches, more Local & National Remembering Bill McCabe Lest We Forget... EWTN KIDS Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers Camp St. Andrew Region 6 Link Canon Law: Catholic Education E-Mail Pope Benedict XVI Parishes in Scranton Dioceses & Church closings news NCEA National Catholic Education Association

  LATEST NEWS for Region 7 Schools Seton Catholic High School - Pittston PA Pittston Area's ONLY Catholic High School The Alternative Plan to save Seton Catholic High School in Pittston has been rejected by Bishop Joseph F. Martino of the Diocese of Scranton. A Private School Task Force, independently formed to organize a school to succeed Seton Catholic High School, is now being formed. The Committee on this Task Force currently has tentative plans to attempt to purchase the Seton Catholic High School building on Church Street/William Street in Pittston PA If you are intersted in helping, please contact Janice - Sportsmom478@adelphia.net Seton Catholic High School (Phone: 570-654-4831) Please call the above phone number for an appointment about attending Seton Catholic! For fun...: Old Scenes from Pittston, PA! Photos include the old Pittston Hospital, Pittston Y.M.C.A., St. John's Academy, St. John the Evangelist Church, Lehigh Valley Railroad Station, and other nostalgic Pittston scenes! STOMP THE RUMORS! Heard a rumor going around about a Catholic school? Please, don't pass it on. Find out from the authorities if it's true or not. And please, lets think - and speak - as positively as possible about the future of Catholic education in our Diocese. : Catholic School Closings in the Diocese of Scranton Page Nearly 1300 students in 5 Catholic Schools in the Scranton Diocese lose their schools Pittston Area - Region 7 - Catholic Schools 288 students in 2 elementary schools (St. John the Baptist & St. Mary's Avoca) Hazleton Area - Region 4 - Catholic Schools 283 students in 2 elementary schools (Holy Trinity & Tranfiguration School) UPDATE JANUARY 2006: Transfiguartion School (instead of Holy Spirit) is now scheduled to be closed by the Diocese of Scranton and Bishop Joseph F. Martino via recommendation of the Hazleton Board of Pastors. However, Transfiguration parents have set up a "Save Our Catholic School" web site: Save Our Catholic School Hazleton Carbondale Area - Region 1 - Catholic Schools 376 students in 2 Catholic Schools (Sacred Heart Jr/Sr High School & Sacred Heart Intermediate Parochial) Sacred Heart of Carbondale raised money to keep their school opened, but to no avail. However, many former Sacred Heart students now attend St. Rose Academy in Mayfield. We are not affiliated with St. Rose Academy. Williamsport area Catholic Schools Williamsport Catholic Schools to reorganize "The decision reached by area Catholic leaders is not as drastic as steps taken in other counties, where schools have been closed or consolidated. Although the action announced Wednesday does not mean any school will close, it will involve cutting back on the number of faculty members and limiting outside use of the facilities. All of the county schools will restructure to form the newly named St. John Neumann Regional Schools for the 2006-07 academic year." This all changed in the spring of 2006, when the news of a school closing was made public. Williamsport's Sun Gazette MEETINGS The Region 7 Advisory Council (Pittston area schools in the Diocese of Scranton) meets regularly throughout each school year. Copies of the minutes are normally sent home with all Region 7 students Any updates we receive from these meetings will appear HERE Seton Catholic High School 37 William St., Pittston, PA 18640 Phone: 570-654-4831 www.SetonCatholicHS.org Mr. James J. Redington, Principal Please encourage your friends, family and loved ones to enroll their children in Catholic Schools! Only We Can Keep Our Catholic Schools Strong Thru Enrollment & Support Something exciting is ALWAYS going on at Seton Catholic High School. We Seton Catholic and all Region 7 Schools Individuals & Corporations - Please DONATE! Families, please ENROLL Please CLICK HERE to find out how to help. Remember, the children are the future of our Catholic faith. Thank You and God Bless to Everyone Who Supports Catholic Schools! All Region 7 parents and students, as well as faculty and staff, are invited to send school news! Seton Catholic Saint Mary's Assumption - Holy Rosary - Sacred Heart School - Wyoming Area Catholic We check the official web pages of all our Pittston area Catholic (Region 7) schools on a regular basis. If we have missed any news that should be here, please e-mail us: Webmaster@LeaveNoCatholicStudentBehind.com Thank you! Seton Catholic Quick News: Did you know that Seton Catholic High School in Pittston PA offers a variety of sports? Sports activities and teams at Seton Catholic High School in Pittston include: Boys Basketball - Girls Basketball - Boys Soccer - Girls Soccer - Golf - Boys Tennis - Girls Tennis - Cross Country - Baseball - Softball - Cheerleading ! LATEST Region 7 - Diocese of Scranton SCHOOL NEWS Thank you for visiting, reading and viewing. You will find older photos here...Region 7 Photo Gallery and Seton Catholic *Unofficial Page to find more photos and LINKS to more photos!

  
  
  

  
  Lost and Found!
  
  Currently, there are no lost and found items. Please feel free to send them in.

  Webmaster@leavenocatholicstudentbehind.com
  Please put "LOST AND FOUND" in the subject column. Thank you!

  ---

  Remember, the CHILDRENare the future of our Catholic faith... Please support our Pittston area Catholic schools through ENROLLMENT and DONATIONS Official School Page Links Region 7 Schools of the Diocese of Scranton Seton Catholic High School, Pittston, Pa (high school) Holy Rosary School, Duryea, PA (elementary) St. Mary's Assumption School, Pittston, PA (elementary) Wyoming Area Catholic School, Exeter, PA (elementary) Sacred Heart of Jesus School, Dupont, PA (elementary) Catholic Schools Week January 29 - Feb. 3, 2006 Pictured above are selected students from the 5 remaining Region 7 elementary and high schools *Unofficial School Page Links LeaveNoCatholicStudentBehind.com Pages Seton Catholic High School, Pittston, Pa (high school) - Photos Galore! Holy Rosary School, Duryea, PA (elementary) - St. Mary's Assumption School, Pittston, PA (elementary) Wyoming Area Catholic School, Exeter, PA (elementary) Sacred Heart of Jesus School, Dupont, PA (elementary) STOMP THE RUMORS!! Ask the Diocese of Scranton Catholic Schools Office Catholic Schools Office Diocese of Scranton 300 Wyoming Avenue Scranton, PA 18503 Phone: 570-207-2251 FAX: 570-207-2261 Catholic-Schools@DioceseofScranton.org Please contact the Diocese of Scranton Catholic Schools Office and Chancery Office with any questions or concerns about Catholic schools or churches. Sometimes people write to us about rumors they have heard about churches and schools. Obviously, this web site does not have any answers about schools or churches- we can only supply general information. Please! If you have concerns, call the Diocese of Scranton Catholic Schools Office and ask them to please give clear, definitive answers to your questions. We will then be happy to post a copy of any e-mail you receive from the Diocese on this web site. Catholic Schools Office of the Diocese of Scranton Link Diocese of Scranton Web Site Link Without School Choice in Pennsylvania - Catholic School Enrollment May Continue to Decline... School Choice/School Vouchers in Pennsylvania Page " We are healed of a suffering only by expressing it to the full." -Marcel Proust 288 smiling faces full of innocence, trust, and hope HOPE that we, the grown-ups, would save your schools before the Last Day Please know we tried our best But sometimes even our best efforts, our most fervent prayers just are not answered Someday we may understand why But for now, little ones... there are some things no one can take away- your innocence, trust, hope and FAITH Don't let them slip away Carry them with you wherever you go And never forget the days of joy and laughter at SJB and SMA St. John the Baptist Elementary School in Pittston Pennsylvania and Saint Mary's Grade School in Avoca PA closed their doors on June 4, 2004- despite our efforts to keep them opened and/or our hopes and pleas with the Diocese of Scranton and Bishop Joseph F. Martino for a merger. This page is dedicated to our children's future happiness, to the memory of two wonderful, irreplaceable Catholic grade schools, and to everyone who ever made them what they were: St. John the Baptist Elementary School, Pittston, PA 1917 - June 4, 2004 Saint Mary's Grade School, Avoca, PA 1919 - June 4, 2004 CLICK HERE for St. John the Baptist School, Pittston, PA last days& fond memories. CLICK HERE for Saint Mary's Avoca, PA last days and fond memories. On the SJB "last days", you will also find links to all Guest Book entries- many hundred of entries expressing the tremendous grief and pain felt by the children and families of SJB and SMA. Photo of St. John the Baptist Students in Pittston by Art Lombardo, Copyright 2004 by Art Lombardo Photography Photo of Saint Mary's Avoca students by Ken Hoover, Copyright 2004 Free DHTML scripts provided by Dynamic Drive All other - Copyright 2005 - 2007 by LeaveNoCatholicStudentBehind.com All Rights reserved

  Return to TOP of page