In a deeply concerning trend that has become all too familiar in recent years, 55 Catholic schools closed during the 2023-24 school year, following 71 closures in 2021-22 and over 200 in 2020-21. This issue is not new, as I learned by reading Archbishop J. Michael Miller, former secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, who detailed these stats in his book, The Holy See's Teaching on Catholic Schools . In 1930, the United States had a population of 123 million, with 20.2 million identifying as Catholic. Then, 2.4 million students attended 7,225 Catholic schools. The peak occurred in 1965, when the population was approximately 190 million, and 5.5 million Catholics were enrolled in Catholic schools. However, by 2024, with a national population exceeding 340 million and a Catholic demographic of 62 million, only 1.69 million Catholics were enrolled in 5,905 Catholic schools. This contrast highlights a troubling reality: despite a larger population, the number of ...
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