In a chance encounter with Alice, the parish's cemetery bookkeeper, we have been assured that IHM will not be sold. She claimed that the Salvation Army had put in a low-ball offer that had been rejected. Old news, she said. But what she didn't say, or perhaps didn't know, is that the Salvation Army is prepared to pay more and is actively pursuing final funding approval from their organizational hierarchy. It is only a matter of time.
But according to Alice, even though the For Sale sign is prominently displayed, IHM is not in danger of being sold! She can guarantee it, she said. Since we are led to believe that deacons can lead parishes, why shouldn't we also believe that a bookkeeper can make definitive decisions about church property?
According to Alice, we are troublemakers who apparently don't attend Mass regularly and are not involved in the parish. She adamantly refused to admit that the For Sale sign in front of IHM meant that it would be sold if an acceptable offer came in
She also said that she understood the issue was already in Rome. Really? She knows that for sure?
Not to be logical, but if the church ISN'T for sale, why is there a BIG FAT FOR SALE SIGN in the front yard, just to the side of a statue of Mary our Mother? According to Alice, it just hasn't been removed yet.
Yeah. Guess that meeting between the real estate agent and Captain John and Deacon Dean never happened, either. Nothing to see here. Move on, folks. Go back to sleep.
BISHOP MATTHEW CLARK SUBMITS HIS RESIGNATION TODAY.
ReplyDeletePRAISE GOD!
On that note, check out the farewell article: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20120714/NEWS01/307140009/Bishop-Matthew-H-Clark-retirement.
ReplyDeleteThis is no time for sleep! It is time for neighbors to talk to their neighbors it is time for everyone in the area to make a difference. IHM is for sale and the offers are on the table. The only person or people to beleive otherwise would be that small and insignificant group of 'followers' of DD. Captain John of the Salvation Army has talked to many about the current status of IHM, his organization would love to see IHM turned into a gymnasium. So much for sacred ground. There are many of you who attend Campbell or Addison churches who once belonged to Immaculate Heart of Mary or Saint Vincents or Saint Patricks or maybe even Saint Mary's. For most of you the reason that repeats itself over and over is that you will return when a new administrator is put in place. There are many who feel the way you do, but right now we need to hear from you. We need you back. Please email admin@savingourparish.com and they will let you know how you can make a difference. Bishop Clark submits his resignation soon and his reign will end and just as his term has ended so will the current administration.
ReplyDeleteI have an unrelated question. Why does this parish have a ministry in place for meals for funerals and births, but only for the Condon family? This is very odd? That would be wrong if parish members don't pull together for each other in times of sorrow and need. Does anyone know the answer to this?
ReplyDeleteHow can you pull people together to save a church in this parish if there is no ministry set up for parishioners to be there for each other?
Something should be organized for this need if it is not in place.
I do know of a couple ladies who do organize meals for families in need. They are Shena Rossettie and Jessica Pak. They have done that for many parishioners. I wonder if they would be able/willing to make it a parish ministry.
ReplyDeleteThe parish is a good place to find out about the need and organization is good for large efforts. But I would not wait for that if you know of a neighbor in distress no permission or parish ministry is needed to be a good Catholic.
ReplyDeleteOf course 9:16, but I think 10:40's point was that there may be nothing organized for ANY parishioner in time of need and perhaps it should be. Other churches have this set up and at a moment's notice one can sign up for meals or help host an after funeral lunch in the church hall.
ReplyDeleteThe parish web site has a lot of ministries for taking care of parishioners. They have a a visitation, shawl ministry, and funerals. They also do jail visits. Just what are you saying?
ReplyDeleteControl, control, disorganization, control , no creativity unless it comes from the staff or someone who has been part of the elite volunteers on committees for way too many years...like over twenty years. Parishoners are not lackeys.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 3:00 pm , I think its called the strategic way.
ReplyDeleteCan we talk about IHM? Why does not our deacon tell us what is going on? Why are we kept in the dark?
ReplyDelete3:00pm- We are in the dark because too much light would expose the agenda of the parish leadership; a narrow-minded, self-agrandisizing vision to destroy our many Churches en route to establishing the Catholic version of the Wesleyan church. One. Big. Church. With much music. Many programs. Lots of focus on stuff. Lots of focus on staff. Little focus on the sacraments.
ReplyDeleteOk...how much of this is for real? I kind of doubt that we have all the facts. Bad as things have been, there is NO WAY that the Diocese or parish council or this catholic community would consent to selling a church with full knowledge that it will be turned into a gymnasium. NO WAY in hell it could happen. The church has laws to protect things like this from happening. They would have to. How can the place where we believe Jesus resides become a dodge ball court?
ReplyDeleteWe look to Dodge Ave. for leadership but I have to question who we are following.
The Church does have laws to protect things like this from happening and there is a group of individuals who are also trying to keep this from happening. Truth is though, that our current administration chooses to ignore said laws and just make their own up as they go along. A good example of this would be the fact that Deacon Dean did not have the authority to sell St. Patricks Church but as you can very well see there is a gymnasium there now!?! As for our parish council, bobbleheads, yes men who only do as they are told and do not consider questioning or educating themselves on canon law. This is for real. If you would like to check further make a call to the local Salvation Army (962-4681) and ask to speak with Capt. John Merchant he will be more than happy to talk with you. No way in hell.....think again. Pray .
ReplyDeleteBobbleheads? Really? People, please try to keep things civil. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteAdding to what 2:50 said, canon law, like civil law, is only effective if a) People are willing to press charges and be witnesses and b) Those with a responsibility to enforce the law do so. Otherwise, it's just words. If someone breaks into your house but you won't file a police report, the police will move on....
ReplyDeleteThe problem is this- In a healthy Diocese, if an issue arises with parish decisions that may violate Canon Law, one would turn to their shepherd, the Bishop of the Diocese, who, in turn, could be trusted to respond in accordance to the laws governing the universal church. Not so here. Not so here.
ReplyDelete