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What we have been accomplishing in the way of spiritual warfare is taking
its toll. Satan once told me of the "domino effect." The bulwark of xianity,
the Catholic Church is losing its power. We can never be complacent. We must
keep hitting the enemies of Satan relentlessly, like a battering ram.
Nothing is over until it is over, but we *are* getting an edge.
By MICHAEL LUO
Published: January 20, 2007
Members of Mary Help of Christians in Manhattan react to the decision.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York yesterday issued a final list of
21 parishes that will close, ending a wrenching period of uncertainty for
thousands of parishioners, some of whom had waited for several years to
learn the fate of their church.
Parishes to Close
The tally was considerably fewer than the 31 parishes that were on an
initial list, released last March, of those recommended for closings.
Ten parishes in the archdiocese will close completely - the parishioners
will be forced to go elsewhere. Some among the other 11 will get a smaller
chapel built for them, perhaps within another building, that is under the
jurisdiction of another parish, or they will be able to keep their building
and become missions attached to other parishes. But they will lose their
pastor and many of the services that come with being a full-fledged parish,
a bitter outcome for many.
The announcement brings to a close a tumultuous stretch of dramatic
announcements, extended over two years, of scores of parish or school
closings for Roman Catholics in not just the New York Archdiocese, which is
made up of Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester and a swath of
upstate, but also in the Diocese of Brooklyn, which includes Queens.
The reshuffling was driven by new demographic realities and immigration
patterns that have left some once-booming churches in mostly urban settings
nearly empty; others, many in the suburbs, have overflowed. Roman Catholic
officials said they were trying to reposition themselves to better serve
their people for the 21st century.
"We sought an in-depth understanding of what our people needed," Cardinal
Edward M. Egan said yesterday at a news conference at Cathedral Girls High
School in Manhattan. "We listened, listened, listened. We learned much. I
might add, we learned well."
Cardinal Egan tried to be upbeat about the announcement, stressing the
opening of new parishes to accommodate growth in the northern part of the
archdiocese and in Staten Island: "I'm delighted to be able to share with
you a lot of good news," he said, opening his remarks.
Bishop Dennis J. Sullivan, a vicar general of the archdiocese who has
shepherded the reorganization process since early 2005, said there would be
no timetable for closing each parish. He said officials would work with
congregations to determine the "proper pastoral moment."
"We're not saying, 'We're closing you down tomorrow,' " he said. "We would
be very remiss to do that, and we won't do that."
As for what will become of the church properties, officials said their goal
was to convert them to other uses in the archdiocese. If that was not
possible, they said their preference was to hold on to the grounds and lease
them out.
"If you sell property, you can never get it back," said Msgr. Douglas
Mathers, who played a key role in the reorganization.
Four parishes recommended for closing last March were still awaiting a
decision. Church officials explained that they needed more time to evaluate
them.
"We needed more time to get it right," Bishop Sullivan said.
The 31 parishes that had originally been on the recommended list for closing
have faced uncertainty for the past 10 months. That list had also included
14 schools, but after hearing appeals from school officials and parents,
archdiocesan officials reduced the list of school closings in April to nine
before turning their attention to the parishes.
But even though parish appeal meetings were concluded by midsummer, no
decision was announced for months.
For those who did get news yesterday about the fate of their parishes, there
were moments of laughter and tears, prayers of thanksgiving and heartfelt
grief in sanctuaries and rectories from Staten Island to the Catskills.
At Mary Help of Christians in Manhattan, parishioners gathered amid the
statues of saints that have looked down upon them for generations. They
hugged, wiped away tears and prayed after learning their more than
century-old parish would be closing.
For many parishioners, there was a palpable anger toward Cardinal Egan and
the archdiocese. Their church, while small, with just 300 worshipers every
Sunday, is nevertheless full of life, with more than 30 active ministries,
they said.
"If it was a church that was not being used, then it would be perfectly
understandable," said Rafael Jaquez, 52, who participated in the parish's
appeal to the archdiocese. "This church is very much alive. It's very
vibrant."
Skip to next paragraph
Multimedia
Map
Parishes to Close He and others vowed to fight the decision. Archdiocese
officials are hoping to avoid what unfolded in the Boston Archdiocese in
recent years after a string of closings, when parishioners held sit-ins and
in some cases managed to win stays for their churches.
"There will be battles," said Josephine Gaglio, who has attended Mary Help
of Christians for more than two decades and said she would resist the
archdiocese's decision. "We will do whatever we have to do."
Most pastors interviewed yesterday were measured in their reactions.
"You run the gamut, from deep sadness to anger," said the Rev. Mark Hyde,
pastor of Mary Help of Christians, in the East Village. "It's almost like a
death in the family: why this person, why this time. The questions are
almost impossible to answer, but it's a fact of life."
Across town at St. Vincent de Paul, which features a French-language Mass
that draws French speakers from across the city, the Rev. Gerald Murray said
he understood the archdiocese's decision but expressed worries about reports
that the Chelsea church, with its vaulted ceiling and images of angels, will
be torn down.
"It's sad to be losing this beautiful building," he said. "I understand the
cardinal's reasons and I think it's a reasonable decision."
Meanwhile, several miles north, at St. Rita of Cascia in the Bronx, in front
of a display case that contains a relic of St. Rita - a piece of her bone -
parishioners went to offer prayers of thanksgiving after learning the
church, which had been slated to close in March, had been spared.
St. Rita, according to the Rev. Jose Gutierrez, the church's pastor, is the
"patron saint of impossible cases."
"When we thought that the church would be closed, people came to pray to St.
Rita that it would stay open," he said. "This week, people have come to pray
for thanks."
But at St. Paul in Staten Island, there was confusion. Should they celebrate
or not? Parishioners got word that their parish would close and that they
would lose their pastor, but they would get to keep their building as they
join another parish. The church had originally been slated to close
completely.
By 10 a.m., when the announcement was expected, a small group had gathered
in the church rectory. Margaret Moschetto, one of the parishioners there,
said she was feeling queasy. "I'm just trusting in the Holy Spirit that
he'll do best for the people," she said.
Later, Michael McVey, president of the parish council, burst into the room
with the news that "we won." The pair hugged, while Ms. Moschetto burst into
tears.
Only later did it dawn on her that the picture was not quite as rosy as she
had first thought. Msgr. Vincent Bartley, St. Paul's pastor, arrived to
explain that there would be a new administrator for the church and it was
unclear whether the church's ministries to Hispanics in the area and the
poor would continue.
Nevertheless, he said was delighted the elderly in the congregation would
still have a place nearby to worship. Mary Tighe, 82, a member of St. Paul's
for 62 years, expressed a mixture of sadness and resignation about the
prospect of joining another parish but said she would press on.
"We have to go along," she said. "We can't change it. They're doing the
changes, not us."
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/20/nyreg ... 949200&en=
580f73c8bf202426&ei=5089&partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss
High Priestess Maxine Dietrich
http://www.joyofsatan.com
What we have been accomplishing in the way of spiritual warfare is taking
its toll. Satan once told me of the "domino effect." The bulwark of xianity,
the Catholic Church is losing its power. We can never be complacent. We must
keep hitting the enemies of Satan relentlessly, like a battering ram.
Nothing is over until it is over, but we *are* getting an edge.
By MICHAEL LUO
Published: January 20, 2007
Members of Mary Help of Christians in Manhattan react to the decision.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York yesterday issued a final list of
21 parishes that will close, ending a wrenching period of uncertainty for
thousands of parishioners, some of whom had waited for several years to
learn the fate of their church.
Parishes to Close
The tally was considerably fewer than the 31 parishes that were on an
initial list, released last March, of those recommended for closings.
Ten parishes in the archdiocese will close completely - the parishioners
will be forced to go elsewhere. Some among the other 11 will get a smaller
chapel built for them, perhaps within another building, that is under the
jurisdiction of another parish, or they will be able to keep their building
and become missions attached to other parishes. But they will lose their
pastor and many of the services that come with being a full-fledged parish,
a bitter outcome for many.
The announcement brings to a close a tumultuous stretch of dramatic
announcements, extended over two years, of scores of parish or school
closings for Roman Catholics in not just the New York Archdiocese, which is
made up of Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester and a swath of
upstate, but also in the Diocese of Brooklyn, which includes Queens.
The reshuffling was driven by new demographic realities and immigration
patterns that have left some once-booming churches in mostly urban settings
nearly empty; others, many in the suburbs, have overflowed. Roman Catholic
officials said they were trying to reposition themselves to better serve
their people for the 21st century.
"We sought an in-depth understanding of what our people needed," Cardinal
Edward M. Egan said yesterday at a news conference at Cathedral Girls High
School in Manhattan. "We listened, listened, listened. We learned much. I
might add, we learned well."
Cardinal Egan tried to be upbeat about the announcement, stressing the
opening of new parishes to accommodate growth in the northern part of the
archdiocese and in Staten Island: "I'm delighted to be able to share with
you a lot of good news," he said, opening his remarks.
Bishop Dennis J. Sullivan, a vicar general of the archdiocese who has
shepherded the reorganization process since early 2005, said there would be
no timetable for closing each parish. He said officials would work with
congregations to determine the "proper pastoral moment."
"We're not saying, 'We're closing you down tomorrow,' " he said. "We would
be very remiss to do that, and we won't do that."
As for what will become of the church properties, officials said their goal
was to convert them to other uses in the archdiocese. If that was not
possible, they said their preference was to hold on to the grounds and lease
them out.
"If you sell property, you can never get it back," said Msgr. Douglas
Mathers, who played a key role in the reorganization.
Four parishes recommended for closing last March were still awaiting a
decision. Church officials explained that they needed more time to evaluate
them.
"We needed more time to get it right," Bishop Sullivan said.
The 31 parishes that had originally been on the recommended list for closing
have faced uncertainty for the past 10 months. That list had also included
14 schools, but after hearing appeals from school officials and parents,
archdiocesan officials reduced the list of school closings in April to nine
before turning their attention to the parishes.
But even though parish appeal meetings were concluded by midsummer, no
decision was announced for months.
For those who did get news yesterday about the fate of their parishes, there
were moments of laughter and tears, prayers of thanksgiving and heartfelt
grief in sanctuaries and rectories from Staten Island to the Catskills.
At Mary Help of Christians in Manhattan, parishioners gathered amid the
statues of saints that have looked down upon them for generations. They
hugged, wiped away tears and prayed after learning their more than
century-old parish would be closing.
For many parishioners, there was a palpable anger toward Cardinal Egan and
the archdiocese. Their church, while small, with just 300 worshipers every
Sunday, is nevertheless full of life, with more than 30 active ministries,
they said.
"If it was a church that was not being used, then it would be perfectly
understandable," said Rafael Jaquez, 52, who participated in the parish's
appeal to the archdiocese. "This church is very much alive. It's very
vibrant."
Skip to next paragraph
Multimedia
Map
Parishes to Close He and others vowed to fight the decision. Archdiocese
officials are hoping to avoid what unfolded in the Boston Archdiocese in
recent years after a string of closings, when parishioners held sit-ins and
in some cases managed to win stays for their churches.
"There will be battles," said Josephine Gaglio, who has attended Mary Help
of Christians for more than two decades and said she would resist the
archdiocese's decision. "We will do whatever we have to do."
Most pastors interviewed yesterday were measured in their reactions.
"You run the gamut, from deep sadness to anger," said the Rev. Mark Hyde,
pastor of Mary Help of Christians, in the East Village. "It's almost like a
death in the family: why this person, why this time. The questions are
almost impossible to answer, but it's a fact of life."
Across town at St. Vincent de Paul, which features a French-language Mass
that draws French speakers from across the city, the Rev. Gerald Murray said
he understood the archdiocese's decision but expressed worries about reports
that the Chelsea church, with its vaulted ceiling and images of angels, will
be torn down.
"It's sad to be losing this beautiful building," he said. "I understand the
cardinal's reasons and I think it's a reasonable decision."
Meanwhile, several miles north, at St. Rita of Cascia in the Bronx, in front
of a display case that contains a relic of St. Rita - a piece of her bone -
parishioners went to offer prayers of thanksgiving after learning the
church, which had been slated to close in March, had been spared.
St. Rita, according to the Rev. Jose Gutierrez, the church's pastor, is the
"patron saint of impossible cases."
"When we thought that the church would be closed, people came to pray to St.
Rita that it would stay open," he said. "This week, people have come to pray
for thanks."
But at St. Paul in Staten Island, there was confusion. Should they celebrate
or not? Parishioners got word that their parish would close and that they
would lose their pastor, but they would get to keep their building as they
join another parish. The church had originally been slated to close
completely.
By 10 a.m., when the announcement was expected, a small group had gathered
in the church rectory. Margaret Moschetto, one of the parishioners there,
said she was feeling queasy. "I'm just trusting in the Holy Spirit that
he'll do best for the people," she said.
Later, Michael McVey, president of the parish council, burst into the room
with the news that "we won." The pair hugged, while Ms. Moschetto burst into
tears.
Only later did it dawn on her that the picture was not quite as rosy as she
had first thought. Msgr. Vincent Bartley, St. Paul's pastor, arrived to
explain that there would be a new administrator for the church and it was
unclear whether the church's ministries to Hispanics in the area and the
poor would continue.
Nevertheless, he said was delighted the elderly in the congregation would
still have a place nearby to worship. Mary Tighe, 82, a member of St. Paul's
for 62 years, expressed a mixture of sadness and resignation about the
prospect of joining another parish but said she would press on.
"We have to go along," she said. "We can't change it. They're doing the
changes, not us."
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/20/nyreg ... 949200&en=
580f73c8bf202426&ei=5089&partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss
High Priestess Maxine Dietrich
http://www.joyofsatan.com
