Bishop Perez of Cleveland tapped to replace Chaput in Philadelphia

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irishcolleen45 said:
Can you clarify what you mean by “heal the community”? I’m not up-to date on all dioceses’ issues.
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The previous bishop had closed a bunch of churches. He didn’t follow the proper procedure to do so. A bunch of upset parishioners objected, hired a canon lawyer, and took their case to Rome. The parishioners won. The churches mostly reopened, except for a couple in bad neighborhoods where the parishioners there did not want them reopened. Many of the other churches were in good neighborhoods and a couple of them were historic.

One of the churches was in the city and had been renovated into a social justice type mission church by suburban parishioners so it looked very nice and had a good crowd each Sunday. When the bishop closed it, the pastor objected, quit the Church, took his flock with him and they all moved into some warehouse and had their own “Masses”. The priest got excommunicated. I think he later died and last I looked they were all still in the warehouse with some lay guy “saying Mass”…not good.

I think Bishop Lennon could have started the closure process again and followed the right procedure, but he decided to take no further action.
 
From what I have heard, Perez and Chaput were friendly. Also, it seems like many of the clergy around Philly already know Perez and are happy about the appointment. I’m not expecting a huge change.
 
It will be interesting to see how he - as a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia - does as its Archbishop. Seems to me it’s fairly rare to have a native be appointed to lead a diocese/archdiocese.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
You’re correct. Nobody cares.
I could also take you to OF churches in Cleveland frequented by “old school” ethnic Catholics and everybody would be kneeling, despite the fact that the standing business was put into effect at least 20 years ago and didn’t originate with Perez.
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Yes, when I think about it, the Cleveland diocese has been doing this for years (long before Bishop Perez took the reigns). Also, I am not saying there is anything theologically wrong with standing vs. kneeling; I am just saying I found it weird because my previous experience was different.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
The previous bishop had closed a bunch of churches. He didn’t follow the proper procedure to do so. A bunch of upset parishioners objected, hired a canon lawyer, and took their case to Rome. The parishioners won. The churches mostly reopened, except for a couple in bad neighborhoods where the parishioners there did not want them reopened. Many of the other churches were in good neighborhoods and a couple of them were historic.

One of the churches was in the city and had been renovated into a social justice type mission church by suburban parishioners so it looked very nice and had a good crowd each Sunday. When the bishop closed it, the pastor objected, quit the Church, took his flock with him and they all moved into some warehouse and had their own “Masses”. The priest got excommunicated. I think he later died and last I looked they were all still in the warehouse with some lay guy “saying Mass”…not good.

I think Bishop Lennon could have started the closure process again and followed the right procedure, but he decided to take no further action.
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That’s a bit harsh, and is your opinion. Who am I to judge what he sis if he followed procedure or not. That’s way above my pay grade.

To answer the original question about “heal the community”, when Bishop Lennon closed many of these churches, many people felt abandoned, have held onto grudges, etc and didn’t feel like they mattered. There were as stated, they took their case to Rome and some of the churches were reopened. A lot of healing still needs to happen in the community.
 
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One of the closed churches was next to my parish growing up. We had many friends there and frequently attended there. Another closed parish was one that many of my high school classmates had attended.

I spent years arguing with my mother over the situation while it was going on because she thought the churches would not reopen and I should just accept it. She was so shocked when the parishioners won. I have been back to the two churches I mention many times since and I hope they can stay open as they are also important to area Catholic history. I pray daily for the restoration of the one church.

It about broke my heart when people wanted to turn one of the above closed churches which was modeled after a famous church in Rome into a disco. Probably, if I must be very honest, a gay disco. I like a disco from time to time. But not in that church.

So if you don’t like my post, that’s your opinion and I’m sticking to mine. God bless. By the way I also still contribute to my childhood parish there and have property there and pay taxes there, so I am entitled to a say.
 
It’s great that it reopened, but lets remember something. Church (with a capital “C”) is not about us. It’s not worth getting angry over when a pastor is moved away, or a church closes, etc. It’s nuts when people get all worked up because of things like this. Yes, things change, places close, it stinks, but that’s not the reason we are part of the Church. It’s not the way Jesus would want us to act. God bless you.
 
You’re entitled to your opinion. As a lawyer, I believe that laws, including canon laws and rules, are there for a reason - to protect from injustice. People who are wronged under them have a process to bring disputes. Framing this as inappropriate “anger” is a judgment on your part too, and one that I do NOT need or welcome, in any way, shape or form.

If you’re trying to make us all feel like part of the Church and unify and make peace and so forth, judgmental, lecturing comments like the one you just made are a very, very poor way to go about it. The whole push for “unity” in response to someone else expressing a sentiment that you disagree with is grossly misplaced. How about trying to actually see the other person’s point of view instead of a lecture next time? Lectures just make people write off your viewpoint and turn off their hearing aid.

Bishop Lennon is deceased now, I pray for his soul and hope we don’t get another bishop like him, as I said above.
I’ll pray for you too. Because that is “how Jesus would want me to act”.
I am muting now, have a nice day.
 
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