Is your parish on the list of churches that may close? If so, why do you think it should or shouldn't be closed?
Read the story: 60 churches will close in Boston archdiocese
Special report: Parish closings

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The churches are closing because they are massive structures with huge heating and repair bills. I have no idea how they have stayed open this long as it is. The closings have nothing to do with the fact that the Catholic Church hasn't "changed with the times." What an idiotic statement! What kind of a religion says "gee, so many nice people really want abortions and gay marriage so we really should support it." The only positive thing the Catholic Church has going for it right now it that it won't bow to the whims of public opinion. It will stand by its core beliefs whether or not "You" like it. Religion is not a popularity contest. If you don't like what the catholic church believes, go elsewhere.

Lamont, Cambridge

Its about time. How many training facilities for pedophiles do we need. The less we have the better off the world will be. I would be willing to bet that molesting young boys is not what Christ had in mind but than again they learned it from someone. Perhaps they learned it from Pope Pius the Nazi. Have a good day, men.

Frank , Gloucester, MA

Attendance at Boston area Catholic churches and church collections will continue to drop as long as the Boston Archdiocese continues to close its eyes to the reaction of so many parishioners to the Church's role in and handling of the sex-abuse scandal, and as long as the Church continues to force its political agendas at every Mass. It is ironic and sad that a Church which is guilty of so many grave errors in judgement should be so judgmental of others for their personal beliefs and lifestyle choices. I was deeply saddened, but not surprised, to see St. Susanna's in Dedham on the list to be closed. It's probably one of few parishes within the Archdiocese with an enthusiastic, involved, and rapidly expanding community. I have to question whether the decision to close it isn't more because it represents a relatively progressive Catholic community, which does not always mirror the views of the Archdiocese. The actions I've witnessed from the Boston Archdiocese over the past two years continue to amaze and sadden me. If changes do not occur soon, I predict that the divide between the Church and many of its parishioners will deepen, and massive departures from the Church will follow.

Judy, Needham

Perhaps if those nw crying over the closings would have gotten as worked up when the kids were being molested, and the coverups came, today would nt have happened. Instead most of you now crying continued to support the very people involved in the crimes. Besides, the building isn't the church people. Come on and get a grip!

joe, cambridge

I can't help thinking this is all about money and not at all about people. They had closed the only church in my town. I am sad for the community, for the older people who walk to daily Mass, for my family - we've seen 3 weddings in two generations and baptisms, confirmations and funerals - now we need to find another place in another town. Most of all, I am sad for the man who loved us more than anyone I've ever known, our Pastor -

B, Rockport

You can't sue for the church for millions and millions and then cry when the church goes broke. The victims wanted money, and they and their lawyers got it. They didn't sue for changes, accountability or control, they just went after money where ever they could find it. They didn't solve the abuse, didn't do anything to prevent it from happening again, they just went after money. Now communities are destroyed. Great, now even more people suffer, along with future generations. The abuse scandal was a disaster, but the lawsuit just expanded the list of victims to a few hundred thousand people. I hope that someone out there feels some sense of satisfaction over this.

Chris, Dracut

Archbishop give me a break: "Please do not interpret reconfiguration as a defeat," O'Malley said. "A crisis tends to bring out the best and worst in people. I hope that this time of crisis will help us to focus on what is essential, our fidelity to Christ and our connectedness to each other in his church." If this is true - then why did we all get letters about maintaining our contributions to the fund raising campaign of 2000? Shouldn't the letters have been more supportive of our spiritual needs?????

Maria , Boston

This day can be celebrated by the "liberals" who will see this as a strike against so called "antiquated values". They will toast the fact that the one organization willing to stick to the teaching of solid values while being openly criticized is taking a big hit today. The rest of us will pray for those who lost their churches but at the same time recognize that success in the church doesn't come from giving in to society's decreasing moral standards. We have much to fix in our Catholic Church but fix it we will and we won't do it by giving up on our "antiquated values".

Tim, Wakefield

It's a shame that the parishoners have to suffer for the crimes of the archbishop and his cronies. They should leave the churches alone and shut down the leaders instead.

Mark, Foxboro

Though painful, this is necessary. Don't blame Archbishop O'Malley, he and the archdiocese really have no choice. I don't think it has anything to do with the recent scandals because talks of reconfiguration may have started even before O'Malley came on board. The Church is built on communities of people, not buildings. Although I am saddened that a parish that I used to attend is on the closing list, I remember seeing deficits on the balance sheet week after week in the church bulletin -- how can it not closed?

Teresa, Canton