St. Bartholomew in Elmhurst (Courtesy Facebook)
By MOHAMED FARGHALY
mfarghaly@queensledger.com
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn announced on February 10 that it will close seven Catholic elementary schools at the end of the 2025–2026 academic year, six of them located in Queens, after years of financial strain and declining enrollment.
Diocesan officials said the decision came after an extended review of school finances, enrollment patterns and future sustainability. Rising insurance and pension costs, combined with shrinking class sizes, left the schools operating with deficits totaling millions of dollars. Church leaders said that despite attempts to stabilize enrollment and cut costs, the schools could no longer continue in a financially responsible way.
“This is an extraordinarily difficult moment for our school communities,” said Deacon Kevin McCormack, Superintendent of Schools. “These schools have served generations of families with dedication and faith. The decision to close them was made only after careful consideration and with great sorrow.”
The six Queens schools slated for closure have all seen sharp enrollment declines since 2019. Sacred Heart in Cambria Heights fell from 225 students to 134, St. Bartholomew in Elmhurst dropped from 175 to 138, and St. Nicholas of Tolentine in Jamaica declined from 320 to 144. Incarnation in Queens Village decreased from 183 to 98, St. Thomas the Apostle in Woodhaven fell from 182 to 105, and St. Elizabeth in Ozone Park dropped from 212 to 157. The six Queens schools slated for closure have all seen sharp enrollment declines since 2019. Sacred Heart in Cambria Heights fell from 225 students to 134, St. Bartholomew in Elmhurst dropped from 175 to 138, and St. Nicholas of Tolentine in Jamaica declined from 320 to 144. Incarnation in Queens Village decreased from 183 to 98, St. Thomas the Apostle in Woodhaven fell from 182 to 105, and St. Elizabeth in Ozone Park dropped from 212 to 157.
St. Thomas the Apostle in Woodhaven (www.stawoodhaven.org)
The closures also include one Brooklyn campus, Our Lady of Trust in Canarsie, which saw a decline from 202 to 115 students over the same period, bringing the total number of affected schools across the diocese to seven.
Diocesan leaders said the sharpest losses occurred between 2024 and 2025, accelerating an already difficult trend. They said the closures mark the end of an era for many families but are necessary to preserve the broader Catholic school system.
The diocese said it will help families transition students to nearby Catholic academies and provide support to affected teachers and staff.
“Our responsibility is both pastoral and practical,” McCormack said. “We will walk with our families and employees through this process, while continuing to strengthen Catholic education throughout Brooklyn and Queens.”
All classes and school activities will continue through the end of the academic year. Church officials said expanding access to Catholic education in Queens remains a priority as students prepare to move to other diocesan schools.
