Rome affirms parishioners, and circumscribes US bishops

[rustbeltvoice]

http://www.buffalonews.com/life-arts/religion/church-closings-in-limbo-as-rome-overrules-bishop-20140208

...Vatican’s Congregation for the Clergy, in a recent ruling on an appeal by St. Ann parishioners, has made it clear that repairs of up to $12 million are not a good enough reason for the building to be demolished or converted into something other than a Catholic church.

...So why have hundreds, if not thousands, of Catholic churches, including several dozen in Western New York, been allowed to close during the past few decades?

Simply put, it’s because bishops were not challenged on their decisions, and if they were, the people making the challenges did not follow procedural requirements as spelled out in canon law.

“The people had no clue they could take recourse,” Kuenstler said. “Bishops were not telling them about it.”

In Europe, Catholic churches may not get used to the extent they once were, but they’re almost never completely shut down or demolished, and it’s only within the past 30 years in the United States that bishops have moved to close many churches....

[rug]

1. Very interesting move.