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 24

I feel badly for those folks who have had their parishes close, but I am relieved that the majority of closings was in the areas where public transportation is available to transport parishoners to other churches. It is the elderly and disabled in the suburbs who don't have access to public transportation who suffer the most if their local church closes.

Maura, Pembroke

63 Down -- 294 to Go! It's sad to see what could be a great community builder turn into such a divider. The church is trying to hold onto their power by supporting ideologies that keep people uneducated, poor and socially/economically immoble -- in turn, keeping them religious. Hypocracy runs rampant throughout most religious institutions, but the Catholic church is attempting to corner the market.

Mike, Medford

This is a very sad day and it does start a new phase in the history of Boston Catholicism. Good luck to all. From old to renewed-let us hope that will be the case.

Joe, Boston

I think the Church needs to take a step back and ask themselves how they can evlolve to meet the needs of modern day Catholics with out comprimising the basic aspects of the faith. The Church clealy has resisted evolving with the modern needs of its membership which has caused thier numbers to dwindle and has precipitated these closings. The closing of 65 parishes should re-inforce this need for Sean O'Malley and the other members of the hirearchy. With out a re-evaluations, he will be at the podium next year closing even more parishes. I was a church going-catholic for 25 years, but no longer feel that the church is in touch with me or my needs, so I no longer go. I would also like to see them add the Catherdral of the Holy Cross to the list. As the seat of the Archdiocese, the place is a mess. The lawn is overgrown and strewn with trash and the building is dirty. The place needs some serious landscaping and a bath

Patrick, Boston

I am very dissapointed in the reaction of the parishoners of those parishes that unfortunately had to close. It would seem that this is a time to try and bring people back to the church and not turn our backs on our faith. Lashing out at thosee that had to make those difficult desicions is devisive and not indicative of true Catholics. Making comments such as "I won't give aother dime to the Church", are short sighted and maybe it is reasoning like that which put your parish on the list. Those who are misinformed will say this was a process that came about to pay for past abuse cases, but as we know they are incorrect.

Tony, Norwood

The Catholic Church continues to disappoint me even years after I left it... the church I grew up in is closing. Although I stopped going in the midst of the scandal, and converted to Buddhism- it just shows me more that the decision I made was right. How is my church closing when a church in the same city with noticably lower attendance and marraiges and funerals and all that stays open? It just goes to show that these leaders shouldf not be in place- including the pope who refuses to let priests marry even though little boys are being molested. Shame on the Catholic Church, the bishop and mostly shame on the pope.

Meredith, Marlboro

I expected to hear my church would close today but that doesn't make the news very easy to take; I am leaving the church and not coming back. This has destroyed my faith in organized religion and I will not go to any church anymore.

Natalie, Newton

As sad as it may be the closing of churches was an inevitable thing in this day and age. I am a parishoner of one of the churches closing in Cambridge and although it is a sad thing, it was also unavoidable. My parish was on the way to closing long, long before the abuse scandal ever broke out - partly due to an inability to change and an inability to allow the youth to take an active part in the parish thus driving away potential parishoners. Mass attendance was on the decline long before the abuse scandal. That the church closings are motivated in part by the need to settle the abuse claims I have no doubt, however, even without the abuse scandal the closing of parishes was destined to happen. As Catholics we are taught that we, the people, are the Church and the church building is nothing more than a building. With that in mind, can we not be a Church anywhere? Is it not more of a betrayal if parishes are allowed to remain open despite any circumstance? If buildings are allowed to fall into disrepair because there simply aren't funds to pay for their upkeep? If priests are run to point of exhaustion having to attend to the matters of more than one parish as the number of priests continue to dwindle? How effective can a parish attend to the spiritual lives of its parishoners if the resources are not there to do it. It is no longer a time when the pews are overflowing at Mass prompting the need for a Catholic church on nearly every major corner. Be saddened by the closing of your parish, yes, but if you truly believe in your faith can you not join a new parish and practice that faith just the same?

J, Everett

Can someone please explain why the Vatican can't tap some of it's enormous finances, (conservatively estimated at over $100,000,000,000) to keep theses parishes open for the hard working people of Boston? It's our church and it's our money!

Mike, Waltham

Many people who aren't Buddhist were saddened to see the destruction of the statues of Buddha by the Taliban. I was one of them. Everyone who sees the destruction of beautiful architecture, art, and music, which will inevitably result when these Catholic churches are closed, as "good" is no better than the Taliban!

Steve, Arlington