Words from the Web
Blaming it on the population decline, the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg has announced that several churches in Fayette County will be closed and merged with other churches in the area. Do you think the closings are necessary? Or do you think the closings could have been averted?
“These churches have no mortgages as they are old parishes. I don’t understand how they keep closing churches. I get the priest shortage as one reason. I do. However, I can’t help but wonder how other denominations manage to keep small churches afloat? They do not have nearly the membership some of these churches do. The Catholic Church is the biggest entity in the world. Surely they could come up with other solutions beside closure. I see the result of these local parishes closing as keeping more people from church. My church closed several years ago, and it does make it difficult to get to a Mass.”
“I had tears in my eyes upon learning of additional closures. No one likes change. But I just don’t see this as a way to get more people to attend church. Maybe it is time to let women serve, or at the very least, [be] deacons.”
“I understand the need to be ‘fiscally responsible,’ but I agree it isn’t a way to get people to go to church. There are lots of older parishioners who depend on others to bring them to Mass. What if they aren’t able to get there anymore due to the change in Mass schedules? These older parishioners are the ones who worked to build up the churches in their communities. They deserve better.”
“We have been frauded into contributing to a capital campaign and Lenten appeal by being told in writing these monies will be returned to “OUR” parish, not a new parish. So I propose all of us with church closures request OUR monies back. If my parish isn’t going to benefit, no other church should! I know I can worship in any church anywhere or even in a tent or up on a hill, but where I send my money will never be where someone else chooses for me! Close my church, close my pocketbook!”
“The main reason for the merger also is the lack of priests. The Catholic membership has decreased 25 percent in the past 10 years. For every four members that pass on, only one new person becomes Catholic. The Greensburg diocese had over 100 priests 10 years ago. Now they are down to 68 and will be down to 27 by 2025. Mergers are the only way.”