At a time when our Country is being hit with “morality reflux”, a story recently aired on the network news programs that deserves additional attention. It was rooted in a form of civil disobedience and was centered in the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. There parishioners have defied the bishop and are questioning his plan to close 82 parishes, many of ethnic origin. Despite the fact that the Councils of Baltimore absconded parish property and assets and gave control to the bishops, a policy that remains in effect today, parishioners now feel that since they support and maintain the churches that the parishes belong to them and not the bishop. These parishioners see that the closings in Boston are nothing more than attempts by the Archbishop Sean P. O’Malley to raise money for legal judgements.

Another example of “ethnic cleansing” is St. Stanislaus, a Polish-American Parish in St. Louis, MO. It had a relationship with the diocese that worked for over 104 years. The parish had a lay board. Shortly after his installation, Archbishop Raymond Burke ordered the lay board dismantled and replaced with a board of his choosing or he would close the parish. Parishioners are concerned that the bishop is only interested in the parish’s $9-million assets and will still close the parish. They too are responding via civil disobedience.

Mired in their statistics, this “ethnic cleansing” policy is one that the Catholic bishops have endorsed. They mask their reasons around demographics, economics and vocations. Though the issues of demographics and economics are questionable at best, the responsibility for the lack of vocations rests solely with the Church hierarchy and its inability, and reluctance, to address the real issues surrounding the decline of vocations.

There’s no doubt that Catholic hierarchy is out of touch with its people. When hierarchy doesn’t respond to correspondences; when people hear priests pontificate from pulpits messages of duplicity; when too often clergy act with wanton disrespect for the traditions of a parish and rule without fear of accountability; when parishes are turned into pastoral fiefdoms what other recourse is left to the people than civil disobedience?

Perhaps the time has come when the parishes should be given back to the people and let the priests serve the people in the traditions of their faith.

P.S. By Joseph C. Brozeski