Bishop accepts decision of Priest Team to keep Wildwood Catholic open for new school year

 – Statement of the Diocese –

Given his own commitment to providing Catholic secondary education in Cape May County, Bishop Joseph Galante has been open to considering possible solutions to the challenges facing Wildwood Catholic High School. He also has been greatly heartened by the support and immediacy with which the community responded to the needs of the high school, which indicates the value that they, too, have placed on maintaining Catholic secondary education in Cape May County.

After a period of collaboration with the local school community, the Priest Team at Notre Dame de la Mer parish last week informed Bishop Galante of its decision to keep Wildwood Catholic High School open based on a budget that they and the community developed.

Bishop Galante on Thursday informed the Priest Team that he has accepted their decision and believes that they have developed a viable plan that will allow the school to open for the new school year, while addressing the challenges facing secondary Catholic School education in this area of the diocese.

The Priest Team, led by moderator Father Michael Field, will provide more information in a letter to the school community today (see letter attached, above).

In the meantime, Bishop Galante extends his prayerful thanks for the effort that all have made on behalf of students and families in this area of the diocese.

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 Letter to Faculty, Parents and Students

Dear Wildwood Catholic High School Faculty, Parents and Students:

It’s hard to believe that just two months ago we came to you with heavy hearts to relay the sad message that the decision was made to close our beloved high school. From that very moment you rose as one against formidable odds to raise the funds needed to open the doors in September. Through this crucible of testing we have all leaned many lessons about faith, perseverance, compromise, trust and of course hard work! It is so much more gratifying to us as your Pastoral Team to be bearers of good news! We are happy to announce that the decision to close has been reversed and our doors hopefully will never close. As the mission statement of our parish, Notre Dame de la Mer begins, “The Love of Jesus Christ Gathers Us Together.” This love has gathered us together in heart and purpose to now ensure the successful transition to a new revitalized vision of Catholic education here in Cape May County.

We will be working closely with the newly empowered Wildwood Catholic High School Board and its subcommittees to ensure a viable, academically excelling and financially stable school for many years to come. The Board has nominated and Bishop Galante has appointed Father Joseph Wallace, a member of the Pastoral Team, President of Wildwood Catholic High School. This appointment begins immediately. He will work closely and collaboratively with the other Pastoral Team members and the Wildwood Catholic High School Board to help reshape and revitalize Wildwood Catholic High School. We will be working on various aspects of this revitalization and restructuring in the upcoming weeks and report to you in a timely fashion as we move forward together.

In the midst of our jubilation, as we celebrate new life for our beloved high school, we cannot forget the gathering storm that brought us to the precipice of closure. We must continue to keep the flame ignited. The flame that inspired in only two months the gathering of over $300,000.00 and promises to bring in the remaining $200,000.00 by summer’s end. We thank Save Wildwood Catholic and all others who rallied the troops, organized, solicited, collected and kept the flames burning brightly. Now we all need to rally together to ensure a sizable enrollment and the establishment of an endowment that will see us safely into the future.

We will soon provide you with information regarding registration for the coming school year, as well as our plans to strengthen school leadership, to enhance lay involvement through a reconstituted school board and to boost our institutional advancement and marketing efforts.

In the meantime, we thank you for your patience and understanding, your financial generosity and most importantly, your great love and tremendous support of Wildwood Catholic High School, Cape Trinity Regional and Catholic education in general. It is our great hope and prayer that the enthusiasm we feel today and the wonderful, collaborative spirit demonstrated in recent weeks will grow steadily into an even stronger Catholic school presence in Cape May County for many years to come.

Your Pastoral Team,

Reverend Michael J. Field                 Reverend Joseph D. Wallace                Reverend Gustavo Agudelo

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