More churches to close in diocese
Date: 9/1/2009
By G. Michael Dobbs
Managing Editor
SPRINGFIELD -- Catholic faithful learned from their parish priests as well as a special television address by Bishop Timothy McDonnell on Saturday that 23 parishes in Hampden and Hampshire counties would be closed, merged or downgraded to a mission status by the end of November.
The move is the second phase of closings, but neither McDonnell nor Monsignor John Bonzagni, the director of the diocesan office of pastoral planning, would rule out any more closings in the future.
The decisions were the result of a three-year process that included input from priests and parishioners as well as the outcome of an independent study conducted by the diocese by researchers at the University of Massachusetts.
In total, 33 parishes and two missions have been affected, Bonzagni said.
"It has been a long and difficult [process], yet we think a very thorough affair," he added.
At a press conference conducted Thursday morning, reporters were given the information, but were asked not to release details until after McDonnell's address on the "Real to Reel" television show produced by the diocese. At the time of the press conference the bishop had not yet notified all of the parish priests of the disposition of their church. McDonnell said that once he had notified all of the pastors, he would speak with Mayor Domenic Sarno of Springfield, Mayor Michael Sullivan of Holyoke and Mayor Michael Bissonnette of Chicopee on Friday.
Bonzagni explained the closings were not due to the finances of the affected parishes, but rather levels of attendance. The goal, he said, was to achieve "a fair and equitable access to the sacraments" for all of the region's Catholics.
McDonnell said that since 1980, the number of Catholics in the diocese has decreased by one-third and added the church facilities had to be adjusted in light of decreasing parishioners in many locations.
"We can't maintain the infrastructure," he said.
Bonzagni said the pastoral planners believe that once the realignments are in place the new numbers of parishioners will positively address any financial problems faced by an existing parish.
Bonzagni emphasized, as did McDonnell, the closing had nothing to do with the settlements made to members of the diocese who had been the victims of abuse by priests. No parish funds were used to fund settlements, he said.
In the Reminder Publications circulation area, the following churches will be affected:
• Holyoke
Bonzagni said that among parishioners in Holyoke a city that has seen churches destroyed by fires and the loss of its Catholic high school there was a feeling the city's Catholics "had suffered enough."
He said that Blessed Sacrament would remain a stand-alone church, as will Immaculate Conception, although if the religious order that currently supplies the priest pulls him out, Bonzagni said the church would be made into a mission.
Holy Cross will be linked to Mater Dolorosa and Our Lady of Guadalupe will be linked with St. Jerome's Church, the mother church of the city.
Because of its growing Latino population, Bonzagni said that Holyoke was "in a state of flux which makes long range planning impossible." He said the two sets of linked churches would be merged after a two-year period.
• Granby
No change.
• South Hadley
Currently there are two churches in South Hadley with two priests and Bonzagni said there will be one church with one priest.
• Chicopee
Bonzagni said that making plans for Chicopee was "very difficult" because of "the added wrinkle that there is a church in every neighborhood."
The diocese will close St. Mary's, Nativity, St. George's, St. Patrick's and Assumption.
Holy Name will be retained, although the church needs many physical improvements, Bonzagni said. He explained it would not be closed because it is the mother church for the diocese.
He added that at this time it is believed that Assumption Church will be given to Holyoke Catholic High School for future expansion. The rectory will remain.
• East Longmeadow, Longmeadow, Hampden and Wilbraham
No changes.
• Springfield
Bonzagni said that Our Lady of Hope would be closed as will Holy Family, which had been linked to St. Michael's.
Because of a new ministry to the city's Latinos, All Souls will not be closed at this time and neither will Blessed Sacrament.
In the Indian Orchard section of the city, Immaculate Conception will be closed.
Bonzagni explained that any assets of a closed church would go to the parish that is serving those parishioners. If the parish owed the diocese money, it would be repaid through the sale of the church property.
McDonnell said, "This is not a happy day.
"This is going to hurt and I wish it weren't," he added.
He said the closings were part of the pilgrimage on which all Catholics travel and that "something new will be built of that."
McDonnell said the diocese has been in decline since 1958 when Berkshire Cotton was the first manufacturer to move from Western Massachusetts. With each factory closing, people left the region.
He said there is new growth in the diocese and cited expansion in Westfield.
Calling a church a "memory box," McDonnell said those memories will live on "in the heads and the hearts" of the people who worshiped there.
