Posted on 02/18/2020 5:28:01 PM PST by marshmallow
SEA ISLE CITY, N.J. (CBS) — A historic church at the Jersey Shore is facing the wrecking ball despite efforts by thousands of parishioners who want it saved. Churchgoers at a Sea Isle City parish are doing battle with church officials in an effort to keep their century-old church building open.
“We were married here. Our children were baptized here,” Tom Henry said.
For more than 75 years, Henry has attended and served St. Joseph’s Catholic Church parish in Sea Isle. Next to the current sanctuary that was built in 2011 is the original 135-year-old church building, which is now in danger of being torn down.
This week, the Diocese of Camden issued what’s called a decree of relegation, meaning the site is no longer considered sacred and can be demolished.
Among their reasons, “St. Joseph parish does not use nor need to use the former church for divine worship because the facility of the newer St. Joesph church, located on the same campus, is adequate and accessible to all parishioners.”
“They lied to us outright that this church would stay if we paid for the new church,” Henry said. “Well, we’re paying for the new church. Now, they come back and say all bets are off.”
It’s not just a handful of people holding onto the past.
(Excerpt) Read more at philadelphia.cbslocal.com ...
And you can’t hold your church leaders accountable even if you want to. Not in your power.
is it possible for Catholics to form their own churches?....own them, elect a council, a treasurer?...hire priests?......why should all the money be in that tight little group of pope appointed bishops and cardinals who are unaccountable?.....I suggest this as a Catholic myself, although not a good one...
but they assured us the parishes would not be at risk with this settlement....
fat chance....within a year all parishes were accessed a big bill to pay for the payout....or else...
Wow the Catholic heirarchy lied. What a surprise.
Bump
The vestry needs to contact the local historical society and let them tangle with the Bishop and stop this via the city council.
Catholic is not a brand, per se. So, Catholics should be able to break off and firm their own Catholic parish.
:::Catholics should be able to break off and firm their own Catholic parish.:::
The big question is,who will own the building?
If they are a separate parish from the general Catholic body, it should be them
All Catholic churches that fall under the umbrella of the Catholic Church are owned by the Bishop of the Diocese, or his successor in office. The property is owned by the person holding the office. Not even the Diocese owns the property.
The only vote you have in the church is with your checkbook.
Stop paying for the new church. You do not have to give them any money. If the new church is already paid for you can bet they will want more money for other things. Don’t give it to them they have proven that they lie and can’t be trusted. Continue to go to church on Sunday (that’s between you and God) just don’t give them any money.
“And you can’t hold your church leaders accountable even if you want to. Not in your power.”
Correct. So happy I’m a protestant now. SO FREAKING HAPPY ABOUT IT.
Sorry, of course I feel bad for these people, but it just shows, yet again, the RC Church does NOT protect tradition, or mystery or anything really, except their own power.
Basically they’re the democrats, albeit with fewer annoying females.
They can’t operate without the consent of the ordinary; any priest ministering to them would have his faculties removed (and at that point you’re outside of the official Church, like the SSPX chapels).
The Church in the West is basically undergoing a massive fire sale; most of their buildings/properties are no longer necessary. There is no real “next generation” of Catholics, so they are trying to wring what they can from the “last Catholics”.
Churchmilitant.com describes the situation well.
do you have a link to the article?
Yes they can. When it's time to pass the collection basket at Mass, put just one penny in. If a big enough percentage of parishioners do so, the message will be sent about breaking agreements.
https://www.churchmilitant.com/video/episode/vortex-heart-of-the-crisis
https://www.churchmilitant.com/video/episode/vortex-cut-em-off
Michael Voris touches on it in many articles; these are a couple of them.
That's not accurate. First of all, there are overlapping jurisdictions, so a parish could be, e.g., Easterm Rite or Anglican Use and have no relationship except that of cordiality with the local Latin Rite bishop.
Second, while IANAL, I understand that in most cases in the US, the diocese is essentially a sole proprietorship-with-right-of-succession. It is a corporation, and its properties, including parish physical plants, are owned by the corporation.
This is not required by canon law, and in fact a lot of dioceses are getting away from it. (It's fundamentally unfair that the pastor at St. Goofus tolerated a child-abusing subordinate, and the people at St. Aloysius down the street end up paying for it. It's penalizing people who didn't even have an incidental relationship to the crime.)
What is required is for a (Latin Rite) parish to be in union with the bishop, and that would include accepting the priests he sends them. We're not Congregationalists.
The message will also be sent that buildings can’t be heated, cooled, cleaned, or maintained without money. It’s a good way to get your whole parish shut down, not just the historic 135-year-old chapel out front.
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