For most people, “God will provide” is a pleasant platitude hurled forth from lay-occupied pulpits. However, for the people of St. Thomas the Apostle church in Irondequoit, it is an absolute truth. I have received a few emails (all within a couple hours of each other) brimming with the joyous news. I post the email below in its entirety – my commentary added.
1. Fr. Tanck stated that STA has been contacted by attorneys representing a large trust fund in New Jersey. Fr Tanck has been informed that STA will be one of the recipients of a large amount of money from the trust fund. Apparently, the family of this trust attended STA in the 1950s. They had two handicapped children that attended STA school. Both children have now passed away and the trust is being dissolved. From what I understood of Fr. Tanck’s comments, STA parish will receive $100,000 to $200,000 (closer to $200,000) from the trust! The attorneys were inquiring whether in fact STA parish was an existing entity! The bishop, the presbyter council, stewardship council, and the entire parish should be made aware of this new development asap. These funds would clearly put STA in the strongest financial position of all Irondequoit parishes and should be considered by the bishop. (If St. Thomas the Apostle does, in fact, receive this money, how could anyone in their right mind consider closing the parish? To give this money, along with the Msgr. Burns fund, to the “new parish” to be created upon the closuer of STA, would be absolutely corrupt. To rob the people of STA of this $700,000 is to show an agenda, not an unfortunate series of events.)
2. I was able to see a copy of the IPPG financial report presented by _______ to the IPPG. It was shocking to see that $1.7 million dollars has been slated for upgrades to the three surviving parish campuses. Listed in the report is $500,000 for expansion of the CTK parking lot, $200,000 for the expansion of the SC parking lot, $50,000 for the removal of the SC rectory. (Why spend millions of dollars to add/change the campuses of other parishes, especially when St. Thomas already has ample parking, facilities, and income?) Also listed were funds for a new parish meeting center at SMM since they have no meeting space! The total expenditures for these three campuses amounted to over $1.7 million! _______ sent the report to the Bishop but is interested in getting it to the presbyter council members too. I don’t believe that this information was ever shared by the IPPG. I don’t see the finance committee report published on the IPPG website. (It’s because they don’t like seeing their plans threatened, in my humble opinion. Either this or they don’t have enough time to divulge the truth.)3. Fr. Tanck stated that the bishop has called an “emergency” joint meeting of the presbyter and stewardship councils for March 15th. He does not know what the meeting is about but he did say it is very unusual to have such a meeting. He went on to say that it would not be about Irondequoit although he readily admitted he had no idea what the meeting was about. He promised to share the agenda with J__ once he receives it. This may mean that the decision about STA could be pushed off to the April meeting of the presbyter council. In any case, this is an interesting development…..does it have something to do with item #1? (I would bet money on it.)
4. Fr. Tanck stated that he recently attended a meeting with the bishop whereby it was announced that new by-laws for parish corporations have been developed by the DOR. Fr. Tanck promised J__that he would share the new by-laws document with her via electronic file. He really didn’t share with the council what the changes were in the new by-laws but it would be interesting to see what is going on here and how it may relate to STA’s situation. (One hopes these new by-laws actually serve to help parishes, not make it easier to strip them of finances for the sake of other parishes.)
Tags: Bishop Clark, Church Closings, IPPG, Orthodoxy at Work
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A very interesting development, indeed.
JESUS HAS HEARD OUR PRAYERS!
Let the money rain down on St. Thomas to keep her open! The bishop let Holy Name stay open because they paid off their debt. St. Thomas deserves the same opportunity to demonstrate that they have the financial capital to keep the ship afloat. God bless this donor!
That's great but please don't put anything past these people. I am afraid they will keep the parish open only to collect the money. I hope the benefactors can make a prescription that the parish HAS to STAY open!