May 24th marked the end of an era. It was the last Mass for the last graduating class of St. Pius X Catholic School in Aurora.
It’s been 65 years since the doors of St. Pius first opened its doors. The Sisters of Charity built the school around their convent, naming it after Pope St. Pius X, who was known for his liturgical reform and going back to the basics of our faith and Catholic doctrine.
In its prime in the 1960s, St. Pius School had an enrollment that exceeded 800 students. Like most Catholic schools at that time, the school flourished. And like nearly all other Catholic schools, St. Pius relied on its religious sisters to serve in nearly all capacities, working as teachers and administrators and almost every other position within the school.
As time passed, religious orders facing declining vocations were no longer able to fully staff schools and pastors needed to hire lay people to fill all of the roles. Salaries and benefits for those lay people had to be paid, which meant a much higher cost for the parish.
Earlier this year, with enrollment at a fraction of its heyday in the 60s, the difficult decision was made by Father Jorge Agüera and Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila to close the school.
Facing an annual half-million-dollar deficit along with other challenges, the parish and Archdiocese could no longer continue to sustain operations.
Principal Karen Shannahan, while sad to close the school, is happy to have been a part of the school and community these past two years.
“I have been truly blessed to have been a part of St. Pius X Catholic School,” she told the Denver Catholic. “This school has welcomed generations of families and there is great pride in that. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the people of this special community.”
Shannahan says graduation this year was particularly bittersweet, because unlike most schools who say goodbye to a group of 8th graders matriculating to high school, this was a final farewell to all of the school’s students as well as its families and staff.
“This school has been so blessed with an absolutely extraordinary staff. They truly cared about the students and their families and our mission of getting kids to heaven. We have become a family here, and I will miss them dearly,” Shannahan said.
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Graduates prepare for the final Mass and graduation ceremony at St. Pius X School in Aurora. (Photo by Lena Hall)
Graduates and teachers gather before the final Mass and graduation ceremony at St. Pius X School in Aurora. (Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
Teachers help the final graduating class of St. Pius X School prepare for Mass and the ceremony. (Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
Proud parents assist their scholars to prepare for the final Mass and graduation ceremony at St. Pius X School in Aurora. (Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
Karen Shannahan, principal at St. Pius X School, at the school's final graduation Mass and ceremony. (Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
(Photo by Lena Hall)
Most of the St. Pius students will be moving on to nearby Catholic schools, including St. Therese, Blessed Sacrament, Christ the King and St. James.
Fortunately, St. Pius teachers have new positions in other Catholic schools that will certainly welcome them with open arms in the coming school year.
For most of them, their new schools are closer to their homes. Shannahan has accepted a position as principal of St. Peter Catholic School in Monument, much closer to her home and family.