Parents and Students Rally at Holy Name Cathedral to Oppose St. Hubert Catholic School Closure

Community members gathered to urge Cardinal Blase Cupich to reconsider the decision to shut down the school in Hoffman Estates.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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A group of parents and students from St. Hubert Catholic School in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, rallied outside Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago on Sunday to protest the impending closure of their school. The community members urged Cardinal Blase Cupich to engage with them and consider new financial insights that they believe could keep the school open. After the rally, the group proceeded to the archdiocese offices to present findings from a forensic accountant they hired, which suggested the school has sufficient funding to operate for the next five years.

Why it matters

The closure of St. Hubert would leave the local community without a Catholic elementary school, forcing some families to travel long distances to keep their children in the Catholic school system. Parents argue the archdiocese has not been transparent and claim they were given little time to try and turn the school's finances around.

The details

St. Hubert Catholic School in Hoffman Estates learned a month ago that the school would be closing due to financial constraints and low enrollment. On Sunday, parents and students gathered at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago to rally against the decision and urge Cardinal Cupich to reconsider. After the Mass, the group proceeded to the archdiocese offices to present findings from a forensic accountant they hired, which suggested the school has sufficient funding to operate for the next five years with some cost reductions.

  • St. Hubert Catholic School learned of the impending closure one month ago.
  • The rally and protest took place on Sunday, February 23, 2026.

The players

Michelle Flowers

An alum and parent at St. Hubert Catholic School.

Jillian Bernas-Garcia

A parent at St. Hubert Catholic School.

Julie Chirinos

An alum and parent at St. Hubert Catholic School.

Laura Alvarez

A parent at Our Lady of Humility, another school facing closure.

Cardinal Blase Cupich

The Archbishop of Chicago who the community is urging to reconsider the closure decision.

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What they’re saying

“Faith and well-being are the cornerstones of our community. The archdiocese seems to be dismantling these rather than strengthening them.”

— Michelle Flowers, Alum and parent at St. Hubert (ABC7 Chicago)

“There is sufficient funding for the school to operate for the next five years without any adjustments. With a slight 10% cost reduction, we could be cash flow positive in two years.”

— Jillian Bernas-Garcia, Parent at St. Hubert (ABC7 Chicago)

“Our deficit was over half a million dollars when they brought it to our attention. We worked so hard to turn that around, that in the very next year, our deficit was only $140,000.”

— Julie Chirinos, Alum and parent at St. Hubert (ABC7 Chicago)

“They gave us six weeks, six weeks to raise $1 million. There was lack of leadership in regard to transparency.”

— Laura Alvarez, Parent at Our Lady of Humility (ABC7 Chicago)

What’s next

The community at St. Hubert is appealing the closure decision through a process known as a Remonstratio, hoping to present their new financial insights to the archdiocese and convince them to keep the school open.

The takeaway

This case highlights the challenges facing Catholic schools in urban areas, as declining enrollment and rising costs put pressure on institutions that are cornerstones of many local communities. The St. Hubert community's fight to save their school underscores the importance of transparency, community engagement, and creative solutions to address these complex issues.