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Parish Closings 101
There
are two types of closings: mergers, when two or more
parishes combine into one, and suppressions, wherein
a parish is closed or terminated. Traditionally, most
suppressions have occurred in national or ethnic parishes
that were originally established to serve a language-based
need. When that need no longer exists, the Archbishop
closes or suppresses that parish.
In
civil law, the parish assets are owned by the RCAB,
A Corporation Sole. The assets of all parishes are part
of this one Corporation Sole.
Canon
law considers parishes as separate juridical persons
that have certain specified rights. In a merger, one
juridical person (a parish) is merged with another,
with the result that a juridical person (the combined
parishes) still exists. In a suppression, the juridical
person (a parish) ceases to exist.
Ultimately,
the Archbishop decides whether a parish should close
or be suppressed, hopefully with considerable input
from the laity in the parishes.
In
Canon law if two geographically contiguous parishes
are merged, the assets go to the new juridical person
(the surviving parish).
In
Civil law the property belongs to the Corporate entity
RCAB, Archbishop of Boston, A Corporation sole.
In
a suppression, the juridical person ceases to exist,
and because of this, the money belongs to the Corporation
sole, and goes to the "central fund" of the diocese
for "chancery operations."
David
Castaldi notes that as a practical consideration, "a
diocese should not use any property for a purpose different
from the intention of the donor without their permission.
However, it may be difficult to determine who the donors
were and what their intentions were." Cathy Fallon
Be
mindful - the handling of parish closings now
rocking the Boston, MA Archdiocese will speak volumes
to this country's parishioners and the future of faith
in community. Read the current VOTF
Parish Closings statement and "Church
Closings and Diocesan Financial Implications: A Boston
Overview," a draft document prepared by former diocesan
chancellor David Castaldi.
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of the Faithful, VOTF, "Keep the Faith, Change the Church,"
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of the Faithful is a 501(c) 3 tax-exempt organization.
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