All of the major local news outlets covered the St. Thomas “closing” Mass today. Below are links to some video coverage:
- CBS/Fox
- YNN
- NBC (click on the video icon on the main page)
- Update 11/15: Catholic Courier plus photo gallery
The Mass was truly beautiful and celebrated with the honor and dignity due toward the holy sacrifice of the Mass. There were no liturgical dancers, no little Timmy and Bobby Sue processing with banners from a church anniversary, none of the showy garbage which has taken place at other closing liturgies. St. Thomas the Apostle, a 1,000 seat church, was filled beyond capacity. At least twenty people were forced to stand along the right side wall because of the amazing turnout in support of this parish community. Although Fr. Tanck may be calling this a “final” or “closing” Mass, the people do not believe this to be the case thanks to their faith in God that their appeals will be successful.
For the time being, St. Thomas will remain open for weddings and other special events. That is not good enough since this could change at any time. The leaders of this diocese worship at the altar of the almighty dollar (metaphorically speaking), and to sell St. Thomas would bring in a pretty penny to keep afloat the other three debt-ridden Irondequoit churches. The only way to ensure that St. Thomas will be around beyond Bishop Clark’s tenure, and for it to return once again as a regular house of worship, is for the people to prevail in their appeal. Please pray that they will.
I will conclude with a scary, and hopefully not prophetic statement from Fr. Tanck as found in the NBC video coverage: “If we can do it, if we’re successful, maybe others will learn something from us.” Let us also pray that this will not happen, since success here could mean consolidations and closures elsewhere.
Tags: Bishop Clark, Church Closings, DoR If I Only Had a Hart, IPPG, Liturgy, News and Media
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“We already see strengths arising. as the community has gathered together from the different sites the liturgy is coming together in a different way. We are pooling our resources this christmas to serve the poor in a way we haven’t been able to in the past,” said Reverand Norm Tanck, Pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle.
Gotta love the positive attitude 🙂
We are pooling our resources this christmas to serve the poor in a way we haven’t been able to in the past …”
… with one of those resources being, of course, the hundreds of thousands of dollars in the former STA Parish bank account.
The reverence you saw at the STA Mass, Dr. K, is exactly what the DoR can’t stand and what they want to snuff out in this diocese. Bishop Clark, Fr. Tanck, Deb Housel, and a few like-minded parishioners were able to destroy the beauty, honor, and dignity that has been the tradition of the Church for centuries as manifested at STA. However, we all know that in the end, folks like them don’t prevail and that God’s will be done.
Fr. Tanck finally delivered the head of St. Thomas the Apostle parish to the Bishop.
“If we can do it, if we’re successful, maybe others will learn something from us.”
Clustering hasn’t worked in any other region; it has only led to an overall decrease in Catholics in the diocese of Rochester. Why would Fr. Tanck think this will be any different?
Mike said, “…… with one of those resources being, of course, the hundreds of thousands of dollars in the former STA Parish bank account.” And that is so wrong. The way our Diocese asks for money and the way they spend it on their own agenda, ignoring the intentions and hopes of the faithful, is so wrong. I can’t be the only one reluctant to give generously to these people I can’t trust. But only 607 more days. Then, I have hope, things will turn around. And contributions will soar, IMO.
Don’t expect Bishop Clark to disappear on his birthday…there are others ahead of him on the replacement line,and the Pope can act in whatever order he pleases in dealing with them.
http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/country/bus75.html
What makes you think the Pope wouldn’t be pleased to deal with Clark at or near the top of the list?
That he has hardly ever whisked a resignation out of the in-basket on the day of submission.