Catholic School Controversy: Paul VI Parents Petition to Halt Move to Loudoun

Parents and Fairfax community members are petitioning the Diocese of Arlington Office of Catholic Schools, asking the church to reconsider relocating Paul VI Catholic High School to a new campus in Loudoun County. The school announced late last year that it was leaving its Fairfax City home.

The message on a new change.org petition asks the diocese to "work with alumni and elected officials of Fairfax City and County to find a viable way to keep Paul VI Catholic High School in Fairfax."

After two days, the petition has more than 100 signatures. And a related Facebook page has double that number of followers.

The new campus would replace the school’s existing Fairfax City location at 10675 Fairfax Blvd. The relocation wouldn’t occur until about 2020, officials said.

What do you think of the school's big move? Tell us in the comments below!

“A new PVI campus would be a larger, state-of-the art school facility that would further strengthen its heritage as a leading Catholic high school," Sister Bernadette McManigal, Superintendent of Schools for the Catholic Diocese of Arlington, stated in a press release in December.

Fairfax City Mayor Scott Silverthorne told Patch at the time that he views this as a big loss for the city.

"I am very disappointed in the Archdiocese's decision," he said. "I fought hard to try to get them to stay."