. . . the IPPG and its members would be truly blessed.
The following was sent to us by a loyal parishioner at St. Thomas the Apostle.
So the three major requirements for the parishes that will remain open are location, space for programs, and condition of the facilities. This fellow takes these criteria and aims his shotgun of callousness at the parishes of St. Thomas the Apostle and St. Salome (surprise surprise). He declares, “St. Thomas is comparatively a bit out of the way.” Well, yes, it is. If you’re a St. Cecilia parishioner it is. If you are actually attending St. Thomas the Apostle (STA) then the parish is not out of the way. This logic is so deeply flawed I barely know how to approach it. The recommendation to close a parish shouldn’t be made by people outside of the parish, especially is these outside people have no personal experience with the parish.
Also, note how strategically located STA is: it is on a major bus route from the heart of Rochester out to Irondequoit and beyond – perfect for people fleeing the failing parishes of the inner-city. It is going to be within a very short distance of a new housing development that will house hundreds of new families. This development, “Lighthouse Point” or some such, will practically be in St. Thomas’ back yard, providing a definite influx of new parishioners. If this fellow in the proposal gets his way, ALL of the parishes he wishes to keep open will be “comparatively a bit out of the way” for these new residents.
Secondly, this man fails to consider the enormous debt of St. Cecilia’s. (It’s huge, Rochester. Huge.) He leaves this parish open due to some filial devotion to it (as anyone would), but he does this at the expense of hundreds of others who are at STA and St. Salome. Of all the parishes in this area, STA and St. Salome are the ones with the least financial stress – it’s called “not having any debt.” That’s a good thing, in my experience. However, St. Cecilia is in debt, and is so to exponential degrees. The parish still owes several thousand to Partners in Faith (remember that initiative from yester-year?) and also owes money to the CMA, Catholic schools, and from what I have read, $400,000 on their social hall. If I am wrong here, someone please leave a comment. So, at the very least, I would say that St. Cecilia is around $500,000 in debt. (And this is a generous estimate. It is probably closer to $800,000.) This is before the “consolidation.” Also, St. Cecilia is a parish which, as much as it pains me to say, is dying a natural death, devoid of diocesan politicking and backstabbing. Fr. Leone is presented with a parish with vastly more funerals than baptisms, whose parishioners are dying off and not being replaced. The parish is in debt “that can never realistically be paid off.”
St. Margaret Mary is also having similar problems – parishioners have simply disappeared. Perhaps this has something to do with the duration of time Mrs. DeRycke spent there? The few occaisions I have talked with Irondequoit Catholics, they strike me as the kind of people who would have an allergic reaction to a feminist in a white alb.
Also, the money that would be required to turn St. Cecilia into a “viable” worship site for the entire “St. Irondequoit” parish is vastly more than what would be on hand. Why close parishes who are not in debt, who are actually “turning a profit” as it were. This makes no sense. Closing these two parishes will leave a massive section of Irondequoit without a Catholic presence. No matter what programs are run to bring Catholics back to church, the testimonial against coming back would be the unrivaled self-serving of the IPPG. I know if I were a lapsed Catholic, and I saw what is going on, I would just go to the Baptists who have expanded the Northridge Church of whatever they call it. I don’t commit Protestant shenanigans to memory. These people have seen a 300% increase in attendance while Catholic parishes in the area are seeing massive amounts of decline.
Behold the glory of Bishop Clark’s Rochester.
Tags: Bishop Clark, Church Closings, IPPG
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After having attended the IPPG's Forum, and listening to their plan for presentation to the bishop this morning at St. Ann's community auditorium, it's pretty clear to me that, for the IPPG, treachery IS indeed virtue! The snow job that was foisted upon the people of both St. Thomas the Apostle, and St. Salome Parishes, was only exceeded by the number of inches of the fluffy white stuff outside in the parking lot!! I have heard from at least three or four different sources, that both Fr. Joseph Hart, and Bishop Clark, have told certain individuals, as long ago as 2005, that these two parishes (St. Thomas, and St. Salome) would be closed in the very near future! This IPPG group is only going through the motions, of pretending to go through an honest assessment process… only to please Bishop Clark at the end of the day. The parishioners of St. Thomas and St. Salome's certainly deserve better than this travesty of justice!
Does anyone know how to post on the Save St Thomas blog? Do you have to sign in first? I can't seem to find any place to write comments.
(http://savestthomas.blogspot.com/
Thank you.
I believe this project is still in the works. It should be up and running soon.
~Dr. K
Yes indeed – that blog should be **officially** ready come some time this coming week.
The IPPG and the diocese have no answer to facts. The truth shall set you free.