RETURN to NEWS HEADLINES page
Statement by David Clohessy of St Louis,
national director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
(314-566-9790)
For immediate release: Sunday May 20, 2007
We feel deep sympathy for Steubenville Catholics who
are watching their bishop obsess with physical edifices rather than on human and
spiritual needs. We also feel compassion for Steubenville priests, who are
working harder than ever, while their boss fixates on a self-glorifying
structure rather than real problems.
It's sad to see the diocesan
hierarchy focusing on material items like new buildings instead of healing
deeply wounded victims, comforting worried parishioners, and preventing child
sex abuse.
Most corporations or organizations, if their work force or
membership declines, move to smaller quarters. Conlon wants to do the reverse.
On a rational level, his decision makes no sense. On an emotional level, his
selfish choice rubs more salt into the already deep and still fresh wounds of
Catholics who care deeply about Christ's teachings and clergy molestation
victims who are still suffering.
We hope that parishioners in the
Steubenville diocese will do what Catholics across the US are doing: uniting in
strong organizations of lay people to rescue their church from arrogant bishops.
We hope that victims in Steubenville will do what victims across the US are
doing: coming forward, speaking up, reporting crimes, getting help, and exposing
corruption.
A diocese is not it's bishop. A church is not it's
officials. Catholics have the ability - indeed, the duty - to try and preserve
and strengthen their parishes and diocese regardless of Conlon's poor
choices.
Finally, does anyone truly believe that if Christ were here, he
would fixate on a new building while the priesthood is shrinking, the pews are
emptying, child rape victims are hurting, and kids are vulnerable?
(SNAP is the nation’s oldest and largest support group for clergy
abuse victims. We’ve been around for 17 years and have more than 7,000 members
across the country. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who
were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis,
bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is
SNAPnetwork.org)
Contacts: Judy Jones (636-433-2511), David Clohessy
(314-566-9790 cell, 314 645 5915 home), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747), Mary
Grant (626-419-2930), Joelle Casteix (949-322-97434)
-
- POSTED: 4:01 pm EDT May 18, 2007
- UPDATED: 4:55 pm EDT May 18, 2007
- Church leaders in the Diocese of Steubenville are facing a number of
challenges regarding the economy, loss of population and the shortage of clergy.
- Bishop Daniel Conlon announced major changes, which include the closing of a
half-dozen churches and the construction of a new cathedral.
- The Diocese of Steubenville was established in 1944 from 13 Eastern Ohio
counties formerly part of the Diocese of Columbus. The Catholic population in
the Diocese has been dwindling over the years from more than 60,000 in 1950 to
less than 40,000 now.
- And so has the number of priests. There are currently 70 parishes in the
Diocese with 51 active priests. More than half of those priests are over 60
years of age.
- Several years ago Conlon commissioned a task force to study the changing
circumstances in the city of Steubenville and the needs of the eight parishes.
- The task force recommended that Holy Family and St. Peter parishes should
stay open and the remaining six parishes will merge into one parish, which would
serve as the Diocese's cathedral. But that decision isn't sitting well with all
parishioners.
- "We still have a lot of pain, even anger expressed on the part of people who
are members of the six parishes who are merging, because no one likes to lose a
parish that has been an important part of their life," said Conlon.
- Some Catholics have questioned the need to build a new cathedral because
there is already a beautiful church, St. Peters downtown, which was renovated in
1994. Conlon said he looked into remodeling the church a few years ago and the
estimated cost was more than $3 million.
- Conlon said more people are realizing the practicality and wisdom behind
building a new cathedral for $9 million. Nearly $7 million have already been
pledged, he said.
- "When we're finished, we're going to be maintaining one church rather than
five. It will be a brand-new building, which will be a lot more efficient," he
said.
- The Rev. Tim McGuire will oversee the new parish. Triumph of the Cross will
be built between Catholic Central High School and Holy Rosary Church.
- Once it's complete, weekend Masses in the city will be reduced from 15 to
four, and only two priests will be needed instead of eight, Conlon said.
- The Rev. Leonard Cencula, who is the pastor of St. Pius, one of the six
scheduled to close, said he has received mixed reactions from his parishioners.
- "There's people who are opposed to it ... and some very much in favor of
it," he said.
- Church leaders said the task force did not want to put a Band-Aid on the
problems facing the Diocese and deal with more critical problems down the road.
- "I think 10 years from now we're going to realize even from a lost point of
view this is the smart thing to do," Conlon said.
- They hope to break ground in June for the new cathedral, which will seat 800
people. The project should be completed by the end of 2008.
- Copyright 2007 by wtov9.com. All
rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast,
- RETURN to NEWS HEADLINES page