Coronavirus claims first Lawton victim

Subhead

St. Mary’s Catholic School To Close In May

Image
  • Photo provided: Students pass behind a statue on the campus of St. Mary's Catholic School in Lawton.
Body

For 113 years, thousands of children have roamed the halls and grounds of Lawton’s St. Mary’s Catholic School, learning, praying, and playing while growing up.

Sadly, more than a century of education and religion at the school will come to a permanent end when the last bell rings on May 29.

Facing dramatically decreasing enrollment, monetary woes and the onslaught of the coronavirus, the leadership of the well-known Lawton red-brick schoolhouse has decided it’s time to close the school for good.

In announcing St. Mary’s closing to parents and the church’s congregation, Rev. Brian Buettner said while many factors were at play in the school’s demise, the financial hit ignited by COVID-19 was simply too much for the school to withstand. No one attending the school has been reported with the virus.

The pending closure is only one of the latest Catholic school shutdowns across America that have been occurring over the last few years. The schools are closing for a variety of reasons, many with problems similar to the issues that have led to St. Mary’s pending shutdown.

It is unclear whether any of the other recent closures around the country have had anything to do with the virus pandemic.

“So grateful for the 12 years I spent there,” Lawton resident Nancy Bonifield wrote on the school’s Facebook page when the closing was announced. “Graduated in 1962 with a class of 14. We were so much more than classmates. It was like having more brothers and sisters, more parents and God in our lives at all times.”

“We’re so sad but understand that these are very difficult times,” parent Christine Murphy Taylor wrote on the school’s Facebook page. “We loved our short time at St. Mary’s and will miss everyone. Praying for all the wonderful staff, teachers and families.”

Sister Dolores Ann Cameron who once taught at St. Mary’s for three years lamented the school’s closing. “I’m praying for a miracle,” she said in a Facebook post. “St. Mary’s is very much needed in our society today. I still keep in contact with many of my students and their families, as well as teachers. I will keep you in my daily prayers.”

Fred Kelley posted on the Internet that he went to St. Mary’s in 1956 through 1957 when he attended first grade. “I learned more in the first grade at St. Mary’s than I did in the second and third grade at other schools.” Comments also came from outside Oklahoma, with Wichita Falls resident Matt Ledesma sending condolences to the school and its staff and families.

“I am sorry to hear this. Please note that the Notre Dame Catholic School in Wichita Falls, Tx., is praying for all the faculty, staff and students affected by this. May God bless you all.”

In his comments, Father Buettner said student enrollment had slipped significantly to 95 students when he arrived at the parish several years ago and was likely to dip lower in the future, even though the current enrollment is 135.

He lauded the hard work put in by Catholic Church leadership in western Oklahoma, school administrators and staff, graduates and numerous other community supporters to keep the school open during the institution’s financial difficulties.

“When I became the pastor of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church and St. Mary’s Catholic School in July 2016, it was clear the school was struggling. This was not due to poor leadership, but more from an entire community that could no longer financially support a parochial school.”

Buettner said he commissioned viability studies for the school, hired a fundraiser and retooled the school’s image through social media. But those changes didn’t stop the church from having to dip significantly into a designated investment fund operated by the Catholic Foundation of Oklahoma.

However, the fund is limited, Buettner said, and use of that money has created “significant opportunity losses” for future school and parish endeavors. He noted a May meeting had been planned to discuss the school’s financial situation but the virus pandemic erupted and exacerbated the school’s growing problems.

“The catastrophic chain of events was outside of our control,” he wrote. “I have poured my heart and soul into St. Mary’s Catholic School,” he said. “I will miss having lunch with our students in the cafeteria, teaching classes about faith and praying with them in school masses.

“As heartbroken as I am for the loss of the last Catholic school in southwestern Oklahoma, I am grateful for the wonderful memories and blessing St. Mary’s has been for our entire community.”