Parish Closings Fast Facts

January 14, 2004 statement on Parish Closings

February 3, 2004 letter from Jim Post and John Hynes to Archbishop O’Malley

March 8, 2004 VOTF statement calling for moratorium

March 9, 2004 letter from Steve Krueger to Chris Coyne

March 31, 2004 letter from John Hynes to O’Malley

March 31, 2004 Letter from Mark Maloney, Boston Redevelopment Authority, to Bishop Richard Lennon

May 7, 2004 statement by John Hynes

Flyer for May 23, 2004 event

Financial Implications information

For Immediate Release

Statement of John Hynes, Voice of the Faithful-Boston, to Parish Closings Announcement

Newton, Mass. – May 7, 2004 – Voice of the Faithful joins with all Catholics in the Archdiocese of Boston in mourning the imminent closure of parishes across the region. We were shocked to see almost 140 parishes on the list that was released yesterday, far more than we were lead to believe would be closed.

This process has been a painful and divisive experience for most people involved. Parishes have been pitted against each other; financial information has been withheld; there has been no attempt made at a master plan for the future of the archdiocese. In light of the recent sale of the Chancery land to Boston College, we have to ask why this process has been so rushed. Furthermore, we want to know what will happen with the money that the Archdiocese will receive from that sale, and the sale of the parishes subsequent to their closing. Archbishop O’Malley has promised us financial transparency, and as yet, we have not seen it.

Catholics are feeling alienated and demoralized, and the archdiocese has provided little practical guidance or spiritual leadership. Thus, we ask them all to join us in a vigil that we will be hosting on Sunday, May 23, 2004, at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, at 12 noon. We look forward to communing with our fellow Catholics in trying to find ways to heal this fractured archdiocese.

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About Voice of the Faithful: Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) is a worldwide movement of concerned mainstream Catholics formed in response to the clergy sexual abuse crisis. The group's mission is to provide a prayerful voice, attentive to the Spirit, through which the Faithful can actively participate in the governance and guidance of the Catholic Church. Its goals are to support victim/survivors of abuse, support priests of integrity, and shape structural change within the Catholic Church in full accordance and harmony with Church teaching. VOTF’s supporting membership exceeds 30,000 registered persons from 50 U.S. states, 38 countries and 197 Parish Voice affiliates throughout the world.