YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Parents, students and teachers of a Catholic high school in Youngstown are having a tough time trying to understand the sudden termination of long-time principal John Young.

While supporting their basketball game Saturday night, students at Cardinal Mooney also showed support for John Young by holding a big J and Y and wearing shirts that say, "forever Young."

The long-time principal was released of his duties Thursday afternoon, and students say they're confused as to why.

"We don't know why he was asked to leave. We feel that it was unfair for him not to be able to finish out the school year. He loved the students and he was a good guy, so we didn't want him to leave," said Joseph Valentini, a senior at Mooney.

Young has not commented on camera, but told 21 News over the phone on Friday that he was asked by the diocese to resign or retire.

Instead, Young requested that the diocese to draft a letter calling on him to step down.

An assistant superintendent with the diocese told 21 News she did not wish to comment on personnel matters, only that Cardinal Mooney is making a change in leadership.

The change came without warning to those who were impacted by the principal.

"All of a sudden we get a letter saying that he's not coming back and that Vollmer is now taking over and it's just really sudden," said junior, Delaney Reardon. "I feel really bad about the whole situation and everything that's happening."

Another junior, Renee Santisi, told 21 News that Young had been a supporter of all things Mooney.

"He has so much school spirit. He's always at the girls games. He's always cheering everybody up when everybody's down. It's just really hard for everybody," said Santisi.

Young is an alumni of Cardinal Mooney and has been in education for 42 years.

Although the school's community has appeared to rally behind the now former principal, the dioceses says the search for a new principal for Mooney will begin this week.