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Contact: Suzanne Morse 617-680-2131, smorse@votf.org
For Immediate Release
Statement of John Hynes, Voice of the Faithful-Boston, to Parish
Closings Announcement
Newton, Mass. – May 7, 2004 – Voice of the Faithful
joins with all Catholics in the Archdiocese of Boston in mourning
the imminent closure of parishes across the region. We were shocked
to see almost 140 parishes on the list that was released yesterday,
far more than we were lead to believe would be closed.
This process has been a painful and divisive experience for most
people involved. Parishes have been pitted against each other;
financial information has been withheld; there has been no attempt
made at a master plan for the future of the archdiocese. In light
of the recent sale of the Chancery land to Boston College, we have
to ask why this process has been so rushed. Furthermore, we want
to know what will happen with the money that the Archdiocese will
receive from that sale, and the sale of the parishes subsequent
to their closing. Archbishop O’Malley has promised us financial
transparency, and as yet, we have not seen it.
Catholics are feeling alienated and demoralized, and the archdiocese
has provided little practical guidance or spiritual leadership.
Thus, we ask them all to join us in a vigil that we will be hosting
on Sunday, May 23, 2004, at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, at
12 noon. We look forward to communing with our fellow Catholics
in trying to find ways to heal this fractured archdiocese.
//end
About Voice of the Faithful: Voice of the Faithful
(VOTF) is a worldwide movement of concerned mainstream Catholics
formed in
response to the clergy sexual abuse crisis. The group's mission
is to provide a prayerful voice, attentive to the Spirit, through
which the Faithful can actively participate in the governance and
guidance of the Catholic Church. Its goals are to support victim/survivors
of abuse, support priests of integrity, and shape structural change
within the Catholic Church in full accordance and harmony with
Church teaching. VOTF’s supporting membership exceeds 30,000
registered persons from 50 U.S. states, 38 countries and 197 Parish
Voice affiliates throughout the world.
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