'Light of faith will burn . . . brighter in renewal'
Excerpts from yesterday's statement by Archbishop Sean P. O'Malley on the closing of parishes in the Archdiocese of Boston.
Today is not an easy day for the people of the Archdiocese of Boston. This morning all of our pastors and parishes were notified of the results of the reconfiguration process. Many parishes received the news that they would be remaining open and welcoming people from other parishes in the months ahead.
As a result of this process there will be 65 less parishes, but this translates into the closing of 60 churches, since five of the former parish churches will continue as worship sites. Although this reconfiguration responds to the very special needs of the present, a radical reconfiguration of the archdiocese has been discussed for many years. Changes in population, the movement of people from the cities to the suburbs, the decrease in the number of active Catholics have all contributed to the present predicament. At this time, over one third of our parishes are operating in the red, the deterioration of our parish buildings and churches (that in the city of Boston alone would cost over $100 million to repair), and the aging clergy (130 pastors are over 70 years of age) have forced us to make the hard decisions that we have announced today.
At every step . . . we took great care not to place the burden of reconfiguration on the backs of the poor. We have tried to distribute closings across all regions of the archdiocese, so that we shall be able to ensure the church's presence in all areas of the archdiocese in the future, especially in the inner city and in rural areas.
I am profoundly aware of the emotion the announcement of the closing of a parish evokes. It means the loss of a spiritual home, the place where so much time and resources have been invested, the house where so many important moments in people's lives, from birth to death, have taken place. I wish there was some way that all of these wonderful houses of life and prayer could remain open and alive and full. But there is not.
Yet, I know from my own experience of being uprooted many times in life that the church's faith can be as alive in one place as it is in another. As one church is closed, another church is waiting to welcome its people to a place which can become more alive, more spirit-filled, and more able to proclaim the good news of our faith because of the talents, treasure, and time its new members will bring. Doors may be closing and lights may be extinguished in one church, but other doors are open and arms are extended in welcome in another church in which the light of faith will burn all the brighter in renewal. Closing a parish does not mean an end to the book, just a chapter in the story of life and faith that is being written every day. . . .
I am asking the Catholics of the archdiocese to lay aside their anger and disappointment, to cast off their sadness, and join hands with brothers and sisters across the archdiocese. We need to be united, we need to help and support one another. It is not a time to foment divisions but a time to strengthen relationships and build a strong church. The Lord is counting on us. We cannot let Him down. We are His people. 