Parents and students at Cardinal McCarrick High School in South Amboy were shocked to hear that the school would be closing down for good at the end of the school year.

The announcement was made Tuesday by the Diocese of Metuchen. The private Catholic school has to close down because the diocese does not have the $1.8 million needed to keep the school open.

All students who were supposed to attend Cardinal McCarrick next year will be accepted at Bishop Ahr High School in Edison.

School administrators say they have been working to rectify the financial issues for the last five years. However, parents and students who attended a meeting Tuesday night said they did not even know the school was having financial issues.

"I just don't understand why they have to close the school," says Anna Metcalf, one of the parents. "They could have more fundraisers or raise the tuition."

At the meeting, parents were also upset that Bishop Paul Bootkoski was not there to break the news.

There is no word yet if the parents and students will try to rally to keep the school open.