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 18

A very sad day. I am almost completely disillusioned. I hope that the Boston Archdiocese serves as an example to others in terms of the consequenses of the church not confessing its own sins. The statements about denying the sacrements to some politicians will only serve to further the church's decline.

Ken, Peabody

Remember, the church is not a building. It's the faith and belief of the people.

Bob, JP

I grew up and still live in the North End. Sacred Heart was my family's church and I was baptized there. However, because I went to the elementary school which at the time, was affiliated with St. Leonard's I made all my other sacraments there (including my wedding last year). It was with great sadness and some ambivalence that I learned Sacred Heart was on the list of potential closures. Today I found out that Sacred Heart parish is closing, but the church is staying open as a "worship site" under the jurisdiction of another parish (probably St. Leonard's I would guess). This makes absolutely sense whatsover! If the church is staying open as a worship site, than why not keep it open as a parish, period!

Susan, Boston

We all know the Church brought this upon themselves. Anyone who believes this abuse is something new is being extremely naive: it's been going on for centuries. What's heartbreaking is that the parishioners, who have already suffered at the Church's hands, are still being punished for the Church's arrogance & lies.

K., Easton

Using the excuse that a shortage of priests is the reason for closing parishes only stalls the real argument that much of the work in parishes can and should be done by religious and laity as it is in other pasts of the U.S. and others countries around the world. Priests are burning out not from celebrating mass but having to be financial administrators, support group leaders, therapists, landlords and fund raisers. Lay people can and should be doing much of this other work as well as some of the pastoral duties that they can be trained for and do equally well if not better. The American Catholic Church is still pretending that Vatican II did not happen and it fails to recognize that many people have vocations and gifts that compliment and assist the priests at the parish level.

Larry, Hyde Park, Ma

We have been through the closing of St. Aidan's in Brookline, in 1999- an historic church as the lst Catholic President of the United States was born here. It does not make any difference your political view points. It was a beautiful church built in 1910. and deserved to be preserved due to the above if for no other reason. Better to buy the property and build 2 million dollar condos inside the church!!!!!!!! The vote to close the church was not even valid!!!!! St. Mary's church was in debt. St. Aidan's was not. St. Mary's was absolved of their debt. HOW COME? St. Aidan's had to support St. Mary's School System. We fought and fought and fought to keep the church open. Deaf ears. As far as I am concerned, I am ashamed to be a Catholic.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What has happened to the church. M O N E Y!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mary, brookline

It is sad but the good archbishop had no alternative. The sex abuse scandal didn't help the situation but church attendance has been in decline for decades. The scandal only hastened things some; it did not casue it. Some think that is a good thing. I don't. Some also think that the church did not change with the times, and that this "fact" played a part in the situation the Church finds itself in today. I disagree. I believe that the Church should hold steadfast in the face of a decadent and decaying culture, which, not incidentally, is a big part of the reason why church attendance has declined, and monies have dried up. Some comments I have read on here stem from ignorance and selfishness. The Church is down, but it's been down before. It will be here till the end of time.

Bob, South Boston

The Church failed to recognize that we live in a liberal society that demands accountability. Those running the Church felt that it was more important to protect the image of the Church than certain parishoners who were the victim of heinous crimes. The Church is now having to pay- and justifiably so- for its inability to recognize the difference between sin and crime. However, churches are just buildings and those who want God in their lives will have no trouble finding Him. Its impossible to defend the recent scandal that has plagued the Church, but most objective thinkers also know, as Speaker Finneran pointed out, that no other organization in the history of the world has done more to feed people, to clothe people, to educate people and to heal people. This just in: most priests aren't pedophiles!

Marc, West Roxbury

Thanks Cardinal Law. No court will try you for what you've done to the Catholic Church and it's parishioners but I wonder what St. Peter is going to have to say when you reach the pearly gates.

michael, danvers

Reading some of the anti-Catholic bigotry on this site is incredible. Can we imagine anyone saying something similar about believers in Judaism and getting away with it? Can we imagine anyone so critical of African-American Baptist ministers and getting away with it? Why such a double-standard. Regarding the closings, the Archdiocese is rightfully right-sizing the number of parishes it needs to serve the people that go to Church every Sunday. In cities like Lowell there are 2 churches in each neighborhood where one would suffice. In towns like Concord and Dedham, there are 2 churches where one is sufficient. Can people in those towns financially support more than one church? Perhaps - but that misses the point. They only need 1 and the church will be more vibrant with the pooled resources. This is for the better. Thankfully Archbishop Sean could come in here and do what has been needed for a while.

Faithful Catholic, Belmont