March 14, 2025 at 4:03 p.m.
A ‘NECESSARY DECISION’
In a difficult but “necessary decision” for diocesan Catholic schools, the Catholic School Office announced its decisions on the future of three Albany Catholic schools that have been up in the air for the past few weeks.
Mater Christi School will remain open as a pre-K through Grade 8 school, Blessed Sacrament School will restructure as a pre-K through Grade 5 school, and All Saints Catholic Academy will close.
In addition to the Albany closures, the school office also announced that Sacred Heart School in Troy will close after the 2024-25 school year.
The announcement was made in a press release on March 14 after months of hard talks about the future of the three Albany Catholic schools, all of which faced mounting financial debt.
“This was a difficult, but necessary decision,” said a release from the diocesan communications office. “Deficits at each school along with the inability of All Saints parish to provide financial support and needed building repairs at the school, all factored into the final decision.
“All involved want to make the best use of the resources available: material, spiritual and professional. These parishes serve the entire community. Each has different strengths, not in competition, but in cooperation. Working together, they can use those strengths to better serve their families and the school students.”
The decision to close All Saints was not taken lightly. Since November, all three Albany diocesan schools have been in talks about how to build a sustainable future for Catholic schools in the Albany area.
A strategic planning committee was formed between the Catholic School Office and the principals of the three schools to collaborate on the best steps forward. A meeting held on Feb. 25 at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Albany was the committee’s first public announcement of potential solutions for the three schools, one of which involved closing one Catholic school and restructuring all others.
Without intervention, all three of the schools would have faced closure. All Saints, Blessed Sacrament and Mater Christi collectively were running an over $1 million operating deficit, with each school’s individual deficit ranging between $300-$500K.
After the Feb. 25 meeting, diocesan leaders listened to and considered submitted feedback from attendees — many of whom included parents, faculty and staff of the three Albany schools.
“We realize these are difficult decisions,” said the release. “No one wants to close schools but, as a church, we must constantly assess our situation and consider how to be good stewards of existing resources. At times, that requires change, but it is change that is needed to maintain the mission of our parishes, our Diocese and to better serve our families and students.”
Catholic school leaders are already looking into ways to provide transportation for current middle-school students who want to continue at Mater Christi. Support and information for current staff and displaced students will be provided.
“This is the result of a great deal of prayer, discussion and input from various groups, including our very passionate parents and school community. We thank all for their dedication to Catholic education.”
Sacred Heart School in Troy was also in an uphill battle against rising operating costs and decreasing enrollment.
The CSO stated that Sacred Heart employees displaced by this closure will receive preferred status for job openings or vacancies at diocesan schools. Sacred Heart Church is already investigating new uses for the building, including but not limited to, pre-school and universal pre-K.
All four diocesan Catholic schools have strong roots in the area — each with their own history of mergers and fluctuations.
Blessed Sacrament School, offering pre-K through Grade 8, was founded in September 1916 in the basement of the church as the school building was not ready yet. Classes were overseen by the Sisters of Mercy, and initial registration was so high that the school expanded from four grades to eight. A second school building structure was erected in 1963, where the school continues today.
All Saints Catholic Academy was formed in 1996 from the merger of Holy Cross Grade School and St. Teresa of Avila Grade School in Albany. All Saints Church was officially dedicated in November 2009 as a merger between St. Margaret Mary Parish and Holy Cross Parish.
St. Margaret Mary’s opened in 1920 as a mission church, while Holy Cross Parish opened in 1850 to serve the needs of the fast-growing German population living in Albany at the time.
Mater Christi School was founded in 1953 under the building’s original parish, St. Catherine of Siena. Mater Christi Parish was formed in 2009 when St. Teresa of Avila Church merged with St. Catherine.
Sacred Heart School opened in September 1927, offering classes for grades one through four. The school was staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, and led by the first principal, Mother James Marie, who served until 1932.
“While this process has been emotional, it has also been inspirational, seeing the passion that so many have for our Catholic schools,” said Dr. Christopher Bott, Superintendent of Catholic Schools. “I am honored to serve our Catholic school community and look forward to what the future holds.”
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