Yes, you read that correctly! Our beloved Cardinal Mahony is "absolutely ashamed of Daniel Murphy High School"!

Let me explain. The Archdiocese scheduled a "Special Deanery Meeting" at Blessed Sacrament tonight to discuss the financial arrangements of the Archdiocese's settlement of the sexual abuse scandal.

I sat in the back of the auditorium and listened as Mahony and his cronies tried to convince the local parishes to fork over 75% of the parishes' own money to the Archdiocese to cover the costs of the settlements.

I literally had to bite my lip to keep quiet. When the limited question and answer session was over and after the final prayer, I made my way up to the front of the auditorium. With two of my fellow Alumni Association members in tow, I approached the Cardinal. I introduced myself as a graduate of Daniel Murphy High School and a member of the SJV/DMHS Alumni Association. The look on his face immediately changed.

For the next several minutes, I asked him many questions - the type of questions that have been on our minds since October when the announcement to close Daniel Murphy was made.

Why is the Archdiocese telling the public that "no parish property or school would be sold" to raise funds to pay off the settlement when, in fact, that's exactly what's happening to Daniel Murphy?

His response, "Simple, Daniel Murphy High School is not a parish school - it's an Archdiocesan school."

I then reminded him that it's part of the Archdiocese' obligation to provide a quality, Catholic education to the children of it's parishioners.

His response, "You're right, but that's just it. Daniel Murphy High School is no longer providing a quality education."

I asked why he was refusing to talk to us about our financial plan to save the school. I stressed how we have already put a plan in place that would alleviate the need for the Archdiocese to subsidize the school financially.

His response, "Because it's going to happen. The school is going to close."

The conversation continued in this manner for the next few minutes. He reminded me that enrollment was down. I reminded him that Denis Munoz (the principal he sent to Murphy 7 years ago) capped enrollment and refused to accept incoming transfer students. I discussed all the negative things that Munoz had done to systematically allow the school to fall into financial disarray. Mahony had no response. Instead, he brought up other schools like Cathedral, Salesian and St. Bernard and how well they're doing and how beautiful their campuses are. I found it quite interesting that he mentioned St. Bernard. That's where he transferred Denis Munoz to be principal. When Dennis left Daniel Murphy to go to St. Bernard, he took the school's accountant with him. If that doesn't ring the alarm bell over at St. Bernard, nothing will! We don't call Denis Munoz "The Closer" for nothing. Mahony then mentioned that Murphy has horrible parking and no room to expand. He mentioned the lack of a technology program, too.

I then reminded Mahony that these things were not issues in the past and when he cuts all funding to Daniel Murphy, it's impossible to add any new programs to the curriculum.

His response, "I'm ashamed of Daniel Murphy."

Excuse me?

His response, "I'm absolutely ashamed of Daniel Murphy."

I told him I took offense at his comment and that I was very proud of my Alma Mater and of the education I obtained there. I also suggested he might want to think about using a word like "disappointed" instead of ashamed so he wouldn't offend anyone else.

His response, "You're right, I'm sorry, disappointed."

The conversation went on a little longer but when I refused to accept his lame answers about his refusal to speak with us he became frustrated and informed me he was there for another reason. I reminded him the closure of a school to pay off the sexual abuse settlement was indeed the very reason why the meeting was called in the first place.

His response, "I don't appreciate this and I don't appreciate what you're doing. I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Guess what, Roger, I don't appreciate you closing my school. I also don't appreciate you making the children pay AGAIN for the actions of priests YOU covered up for! These children deserve a good, quality Catholic education and you're depriving them of that. A good shepherd is supposed to lead his flock, not abandon them. None of these families want to pay two, three or four thousand dollars more per year to have their children bussed across the city to a school they didn't want to go to in the first place.

Cardinal Mahony, I hold you personally responsible for the decline in enrollment in the Catholic schools in this Archdiocese. I also hold you personally responsible for the closure of Daniel Murphy Catholic High School. You should be ashamed of yourself.