Planned Catholic school in Wentzville, Mo., won’t open

From The St. Louis Post-Dispatch: In Missouri, tough economic times have forced a Catholic school in Wentzville to scratch plans for opening this fall, another in St. Louis to shut its doors after nearly a century and two in Florissant to merge. Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic School in St. Louis would have incurred a $250,000 debt to keep its doors open. St. Sabina in Florissant needed an additional $315,000 after tuition to maintain operations on its own, so it merged with nearby St. Norbert, which had more students. And St. Gianna in Wentzville stopped short several months ago when money wasn't there to start the elementary school that had been in the works since the parish's founding in 2006. Catholic schools around the nation are shrinking in number, according to the National Catholic Educational Association. While 24 schools opened nationwide last year, 174 closed or consolidated.