Bishop Approves Plan Allowing Mater Dei Prep In Middletown To Become Private, Catholic High School

The Bishop has approved a plan to allow Mater Dei Prep in Middletown to open in September as a private, Catholic high school, according to a notice posted on the The Seraph Fund’s website.

The plan was approved by Diocese of Trenton Bishop David M. O’Connell on Thursday, the notice said.

According to the notice:

The plans calls for the high school to re-open as a nonprofit organization, with an independent Board of Trustees that would “act as fiscal and operational stewards over the school.” The school will be finacially and operationally independent of St. Mary’s Parish, but the Diocese “will still provide ecclesiastical guidance to the school.”

The Seraph Fund was formed earlier this year, after the pastor of St. Mary’s, the Rev. Jeff Kegley, announced that the school would close its doors in June because of a $1 million operating deficit.

According to the Seraph Fund announcement, Kegley said:

“I am excited that the mission of secondary Catholic education will continue on the Campus of Saint Mary’s at Mater Dei Prep. This is great news for our parish community and all who have worked and prayed so hard to secure the future of Mater Dei Prep for generations to come. I want to thank Bishop David O’Connell for his approval of the new model for Mater Dei Prep, Jim Shaw who chaired the “Save the Seraphs” campaign, Randy MacDonald for chairing the steering committee, the Saint Mary’s parishioners for their support and, most of all, our students who never gave up believing in Mater Dei Prep.”

According to that notice, the Bishop, in his letter announcing his approval of the plan, said:

“Thank you for your diligent work and for your efforts to further Catholic secondary education. I pray for your success.”

Photo: Twitter, @SaveTheSeraphs