Non Attendance- Church closure is no excuse


Catholics grieve at church closings


The Kilgen pipe organ thundered for the last time. A rendition of “Ave Maria” echoed gloriously among the decorative oak rafters. A haze of incense hung over the pews.

And 83-year-old Florence Maziarz was reduced to tears during the closing Mass in Queen of Peace Catholic Church on Genesee Street — one of five Catholic parishes holding final liturgies Sunday.

“People’s hearts are broken,” she said. “When they sang ‘Ave Maria’ in church today, I cried like a baby.”

A deep, abiding sadness isn’t the only sentiment Catholics are expressing about church closings.

As the toll mounts, feelings of anger, frustration, disappointment and betrayal have been growing.

Some Catholics say they might never join another parish. Others insist they will have to watch Mass on television now, because, with their church closed, they won’t have transportation to a different church.

Comments

Richard Chonak said…
But the occasion for this was a decision by the Bishop - complicit in the perishing of souls.

I can't agree with that statement. If the Bishop is automatically "complicit" in the sin of those who miss Mass, then the people can hold the Bishop's eternal salvation as a hostage -- in regard to any act of governance he makes -- by threatening to sin.
In his sermon, the pastor noted that when he arrived at the parish 9 years ago Queen of Peace had $2000 in its account, and now has $300,000. The number of lectors had quadrupled in the same time period and mass attendance increased significantly. Bishop Kmiec and his commission are the only ones in the Buffalo Diocese who think this church should have closed. Here's an interior shot:

http://www.pbase.com/kjosker/image/83910815
OK you changed my mind,