St. Joseph Catholic School deserves respect, families deserve answers | Opinion

An organization in the West End with a long history of serving its African American community closes with little warning. Sound familiar? It’s been happening for decades, and the sudden closure of St. Joseph Catholic School will now deprive the West End of any Catholic schools.

The school and church have always been a lively and contributing force on the corner of Lynn and Laurel streets (now Ezzard Charles Drive). Its arms are wide open to serve and welcome those who are curious about the Catholic faith as well as to those who need help making ends meet. You see, St. Joe has been a resource, a place for refuge, where the weary find rest, and its congregation serves as branches on The Tree of Life. It has truly been a church to the community.

Due to systemic discrimination and wealth inequality, Black churches are much more likely to face financial issues and closure. Black students are twice as likely to face a school closure as white students. This deprives potential African American Catholic students the opportunity to nurture their faith while staying in their communities. The state of affairs is that it has happened yet again in the West End.  St. Joseph Catholic School and Church have produced leaders who have contributed immensely to our world and if given the opportunity, will continue to do so.

I believe the current leadership at the Archdiocese of Cincinnati has no idea how important St. Joseph Catholic School and Church in The West End are to the families whose relatives migrated from the Jim Crow South and encountered St. Joseph, a Tower of Faith, and were fed spiritually and academically.  Decision makers didn’t know His Grace, Rev. Clarence Rivers, the first African American priest ordained in our Archdiocese, who taught at St. Joe and led the choir at the first Mass in the U.S. after the 2nd Vatican, where they joyfully declared in song his composition, "God is Love!" St. Joseph is the oldest Catholic school in Cincinnati and the birthplace of African American Catholic music.

Anyone who attended Sunday morning in the past 25 years will remember Maestro Wylie Howell, who led the choir and helped parishioners experience the magnificence and mystery of Mass in a reverent and African American cultural celebration. St. Joe continues its celebration of African American Catholic music through Minister of Music Shon Hubble.

Last month, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati announced that the school would not reopen for the upcoming school year. Allegedly, the school was in major disrepair which would cost more than $2.5 million. This is disturbing because there have been no code violations and the school recently passed a state inspection.

St. Joseph families deserve answers. Our history deserves respect. Will repair cost more than $2.5 million, or is it just a small leak? The Archdiocese has not released its report and officials have not elaborated on what needs to be fixed at the school. The parish and community cannot force the Archdiocese to keep the school open, but we can and will report the truth about the condition of the school building.

I hope the Archdiocese will do the same.

Cincinnati City Councilwoman Victoria Parks is a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: St. Joseph Catholic School families deserve respect, answers | Opinion