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

Page 15

My heart goes out to the folks whose churches are being closed -- we pray for you. And also for Archbishop O'Malley, who now will be known, for better or worse, as the man who presided over all these parish closings. His were not easy decisions, but necessary. And also for the thousands of Catholic priests -- living and dead -- who dedicated most of their adult lives to teaching so many of us. The majority of priests, we should remember, never preyed on and never abused innocent children. It is days like this that we should be grateful for the priests who did so much good, and not simply recall the horrific, criminal acts of a minority of ex-priests. Finally, this comment: Yes, the abuse and subsequent lawsuits may have led to this day in part. But a simple fact of life for any business with multiple locations is that when your customer base is dwindling and you're suffering financially, perhaps it's necessary to shut a few locations down.

James, Washington, DC

I have been following this toic for quite a while. Boston was my home and the Roman Catholic Church my church. Note the past tense on both. The Roman Catholic Church closed my church years ago. They merged it with another church that was not on this list but probably should have been. I became aware of the evil nature of the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church when my old home church was closed. Alothough the two merged churches were very different, the archdioscese put them together with NO input. They just made a decision. They then tore down my old church. I am quite bitter about this since I grew up there and these people just took it away. Now look where it has come. Because of Cardinal Law, a good portion of the churchs in Boston are now closing. This is DIRECTLY due to his actions of hiding dirty priests. Folks, please wake up and smell the coffee. The hierarchy of the church is evil. They protect themselves and each other. Only when the light comes on them do they scurry and try to hide. Read the book "People of the Lie". It will open your eyes. These people are evil in EVERY sence of the word. Now, the people of God are paying for their evil. Although not a member of any church, I still believe in God and the things I was taught since a child by the Roman Catholic Church. The concepts there are good. It is just that the hierarchy does not live by them as they wish you to. Give up this church and find yourself one where the leaders follow in what they say. Avoid the rush. Quit now!

Joe, Phoenix

I think it is a real tragedy that these churches that have historically anchored the neighborhoods they serve have been abandoned by an archdiocese that continues to ignore what is best for its parishoners. It is my understanding that the Catholic Church is still one of the wealthiest institutions in the world, perhaps they should sell some of the relics in Rome before that's all there is left.

Greg, Somerville

I agree with Paul, Salem. My father went to school at St, Joseph's, My parents were married there, My brother and I was babtised there and we also made our first communion there. I was hopping to also get married there. We also had both of my parents asnd grandparents funerals there. PLEASE SAVE ST JOSEPH'S.

Barbara, Georgetown

It is a really sad day for the parishoners of these churches. Although I am not Catholic, I can certainly empathize with the "ordinary folks" that this will affect. It makes me wonder if the Diocese/Vatican (not the individual churches and certainly not the lay people) spent as much time minding their own business,(literally) instead of minding everyone else's if this would have happened. As a gay man who feels like the Catholic Church is working against me at every turn, these closings give me no sense of satisfaction, just sadness for the folks in the parish. The loss of these churches will be felt for years to come.

Randy, Providence, Formerly Brighton

65 down, hopefully 300 or so, to follow...

Paul, Salem

Once again, the laity suffer at the hands of the Church leaders.

Paul, Lowell

I have lost all faith in the Catholic church. I have no intention of getting married in a Catholic church anymore. I fail to see how this is helping anything. If the church is going to do this, then I do not want to be part of a church that closes the doors on it's members.

Nicole, Weymouth

The Catholic Church is the biggest corporation on the planet. Business has been tailing off for decades, so this was inevitable. Go to Church and see that the vast majority of the attendees and priests are 50+ years old. The only thing to be sad about is the lives of children who were victimized over decades while the Church leaders shuffled the pedophiles around and refused to do something about it for fear of stopping the contributions from continuing to pour in. Why is Bernie Law relaxing at an oceanfront estate owned by the Church, while community churches are being closed to cut costs? The valuable land and estates should have been the first to be sold off to pay these settlement claims.

Hoss, Boston

I agree that the situation needs to be dealth with but closings do nothing but hide what's really wrong. Sexual, spiritual, physical, racial and ethnic abuse and misconduct happen in all factions of our society...that's why we have laws, courts and jails. I think it's interesting the amount of hatred that is being expressed here. I too think that pedophiles, and anyone who hurts children, deserves the harshest punishment but can you imagine if we all got what we REALLY deserve.

smm, Charlestown