The news of merger between my daughter’s Catholic school, Holy Trinity in Robinson, and St. Malachy School in Kennedy, was hastily handed down without input from the faculty or even parents on Feb. 23 (“Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh to close 2 schools, merge 2 others next school year,” Feb. 23, TribLIVE). To date we have not been given any further information.
My message to our priest administrator: I think Information Society from the ’80s summarizes how I feel: “I wanna know what you’re thinking. There are some things you can’t hide. I wanna know what you’re feeling. Tell me what’s on your mind.”
The stakeholders in the education of the students — the parents and faculty — had no opportunity to collaborate with the church administration. Many of us might have been upset but would have respected that change was both eventually, but not imminently, inevitable and necessary to ensure the vitality of Catholic education in our region. We have no idea what their plans are.
I wish the decision-makers had followed Bishop David Zubik’s words from his summer 2018 article in America magazine, “9 rules for civility from the Catholic tradition”: “Authentic, empathic listening takes to heart the feelings of another’s heart and builds bridges among people who differ on important issues.”
Unfortunately, this process was neither transparent nor forthcoming. “Act now, explain later” doesn’t work to “build bridges” but rather sows distrust and discord.
Samuel Urick
Moon