It was smiles all around yesterday at St. Joseph’s Church in Collingdale.

That has not been the case in recent weeks. Some have said that is in no small part because of this newspaper.

I would hope that all those happy faces yesterday also were in some way caused – at least in part - by the newspaper.

St. Joseph’s has been in turmoil now for weeks. The parish was in danger of losing their beloved elementary school. A steering committee had recommended to the archdiocese that the school be closed at the end of the year.

It was the same old song that had been repeated in some many parishes in the eastern end of the county. Costs continued to go up; enrollment continued to go down.

But the parishioners at St. Joseph’s were not going to go down without a fight. In fact, they did not believe they had been given a fair shot at saving the school, or even ample warning that it was in danger of closing its doors forever.

And they had some very strong beliefs about who to blame for the school’s problems.

That’s not what I want to deal with here. We covered the story because it was a big issue in Collingdale, and part of an even bigger issue facing the archdiocese when it comes to Catholic education, particularly in older suburbs such as those in the eastern part of the county.

Not everyone was a fan of our coverage. Not everyone believed we were fair.

In all honesty, I did not think any of our coverage was going to make a difference. I believed the writing was on the wall, that St. Joseph’s School was doomed.

Oh ye – or me – of little faith.

On Friday the archdiocese announced that the Rev. James McVeigh, pastor of St. Joseph’s, was retiring for health reaons. The Rev. Michael J.
Reilly will succeed him. More importantly, the archdiocese indicated they will consider keepinmg the school open.

Cardinal Justin Rigali came to St. Joseph’s on Sunday to celebrate mass.
A lot of parishioners were celebrating a lot more than that.

I like to think the newspaper may have had a little bit to do with that as well.