CATHOLIC ACTION LEAGUE MOURNS CLOSING OF HOLY TRINITY CHURCH

Catholic Action League of Massacusetts | 30 June 2008 | Catholic Action League of Massacusetts

[JustMytwocents70]

yep - more destruction by the baby boomer bishops that hate anything created before vatican II.

[Biggirl]

The above article said it better then I could. As I have said a few days earlier, if the Boston Archdiocesse gaved it to a TLM order of priests, it would have saved it since it was built in the first place for that. But then again Cardinal O’Mailey said something about not being for the TLM.

[Biggirl]

This is what Cardinal Sean O’Malley had said:

“This document will not result in a great deal of change for Catholics in the United States. This issue of the Latin Mass is not urgent for our country. “

[american colleen]

Funny that this parish just happens to sit on land that is worth major money.

Sad.

[Biggirl]

Please see post number 4.

[Petronski]

Since you expressed an appreciation for TLM, I will note for you that EWTN today is televising a celebration of the Extraordinary Form of the High Mass.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2039070/posts

[Biggirl]

Thank-you. I have been catching bits and pieces of TLM going on EWTN and still going on right now. I see how reverent it is. This is just my guess and I could be wrong, but it would not suprise me that when Pope Benedict XVI last summer declared in the Motu Propu, that what he was doing was that by having TLM offered for those who want it, he is working with the help of God to clean up the newer Mass and bring a bit more Latin into it. Just a reflection.

[ELS]

The Archdiocese did not consider the parish to be financially viable, although it had nearly a quarter of a million dollars in the bank and a weekly income from collections alone of more than a thousand dollars.

I wonder how the Archdiocese defines "financially viable."

[Biggirl]

That is a good question you ask.

[wideawake]

In Boston, $250K plus $50-55K a year in donations won't cut the mustard.

A good question to ask is: is that $250K newly raised? Or is it the leftovers of a once much larger endowment?

What are the annual operating costs of the parish?

Given the cost of maintaining an old building, heating it, and lighting it, and paying the staff, etc. in one of the most expensive cities in North America that $250K could have been run through in a year.

[american colleen]

I'll bow to someone with more knowledge than I have in the matter, but I recall that Holy Trinity's finances have been borrowed from for a long time - without parishioners approval or knowledge until it was fairly recently revealed. One of the former admins of Holy Trinity was funneling some money to the other parish he administered to.

My take on this is that Holy Trinity sits on very valuable (south end) Boston land that will sell for major bucks.

[Cheverus]

If you recall a recent article, the Boston Herald will be relocating shortly leaving their very large lot to be developed. Just across the Street, no doubt doubling the value of the HT site given the outrageous development opportunity now open to Major Catholic Donors to the Archdiocese.

I would think the vacant land alone would be worth 12-15MM, less if they take the structure, but I would imagine the Homosexuals in the neighborhood are salivating at the chance of turning it into a gay nightclub called

[Cheverus]

I was there, very sad, two of my Uncle’s too.

One hadn’t been to a TLM in 40 years, Latin responses still very impressively on the ball.

11:00 is tough...also the parking can be bad at the Cathedral. I can’t even make it this Sunday because of my Nephew’s birthday party so off to Dan Schutte and the Novus Ordo down the street.

I go to the daily Mass there anyway, but the Dan Schutte dribble makes me sick, so being there on Sunday is another experience all together.

Hopefully something earlier will appear.

[tiki]

You know, I’m upset when any Catholic parish is closed but that article has to be wrong on the collection. We have a small parish and our collection is closer to 2K a week.

1K a week would barely pay for the utilities, wine, hosts and missalettes. Then you add in any other expenses, priest, DRE, bookkeeper, janitor, Catechism supplies, building upkeep, insurance, ....it was not bringing in enough to sustain it even with 250K in the bank.

It takes every bit of the money we take in to run a small parish even here in the boonies where things run a little cheaper than in the Northeast.

[magisterium]

The actual dollar amount of what was in the accounts will possibly never be known. The estimates range from $175,000 to over $500,000. The wide range is explained as "accounting anomalies." Much of the problem here involves the fact that the previous administrator (who left less than two years ago), was very lax with the book keeping, and this was compounded by his taking the proceeds from various collections dedicated to a specific purpose and mixing them all together in the deposits. For nearly ten years, we contributed to a monthly "Special Maintenance Fund," which generated over $200,000 alone, yet, when we requested some repairs be made in our efforts to try to stave off closure, the funds "weren't there." The church was, overall, in pretty good physical condition, but, even before the closure issue loomed in front of us, we were figuring to use the maintenance collection on things like re-leading the stained glass windows. That, and other repairs, were pushed aside for consideration once we were on the closure list, but the Special Maintenance collection was still solicited anyway (with diminishing proceeds, naturally, once people saw the disingenuousness of it all).

Speaking of diminishing proceeds...before the closure issue, the parish was routinely pulling in $2500+ per week from a relatively small congregation of Traddies and Germans. Per capita, the contributions were solid compared with other parts of the archdiocese. If the Traddies had been allowed to advertize and "grow" their numbers via such avenues (indeed, before the closure issue, we were slowly but steadily growing anyway), we doubtless could have contributed more financially, but the two Cardinals in residence in Boston during our tenure at Holy Trinity certainly weren't interested in seeing the TLM flourish - there or anywhere else!

Between the financial shell games going on with the collections over the years, the deliberate, massive underreporting of the parish's sacramental index numbers over the years (which figure hugely in whether a parish avoids closure around here, these days), and the local ordinaries' palpable disinclination toward the TLM, Holy Trinity was never given a chance. It has been a miracle of grace that we staved off the actual closure for several years. We still hope this presages a successful appeal, and the providential naming of Archbishop Burke to head the Signatura may be a continuing of the miracle of grace.

[magisterium]

The collection figures are the most recent. Consider: the Latin Mass congregation was forced to leave HT by the cardinal in April 2007. This left 30-50 Germans. Then, under the Motu Proprio, an appeal was made to the parish administrator for a return of the TLM. The current administrator is actually a pretty reasonable guy, and granted the TLM's return. From February 2008 to the end of May, the TLM attracted 100-115 people steadily, including a bunch of "newbies." Then, during June, with the closure date in sight, the TLM congregation headed toward the 150-200 range. Finally, last Sunday, there were 303. All this in spite of the "competition" of the parish in Newton where the TLM was relocated back in April 2007.

It seems simple to us...if the TLM had been allowed to flourish, it would have. There are 300 people in Newton, the 150+ showing up lately at HT, several other small "start ups" springing to life under the Motu Proprio, and a number of parishes scattered around in the process of petitioning their pastors. These people didn't just spring from the rocks last Tuesday. If Law, Lennon and O'Malley had facilitated the TLM a bit, these folks would have found their way to Holy Trinity long since, even under the old Indult.

But no! They did nothing to help us, obstructed requests for other Sacraments at every turn until very recently, gave us octogenarian and nonogenarian priests from the Regina Cleri retirement home to serve most of our needs (even while denying repeated requests from the FSSP to take over the parish), and made it abundantly clear to all of us that we were 3rd Class Catholics all the way. In spite of this, our collection numbers held their own right up until the rigged closure process (maybe I'll get into that fiasco later - I'm at work now and have to type fast on break) made it clear that nothing would change the minds of the powers that be.

With these guys, it seems to be all about the money, and pastoral considerations take a decidedly "back seat." But, apparently, in their zeal to stifle the TLM and close a church with massive historical, architectural, musical and cultural significance, even this crowd doesn't want our money!

I'm just warming up, but I have to get back to work...

[Cheverus]

Actually the expenses were reasonably low I would think.

The DRE was a Volunteer, the Parish was under joint administration and the Priest lived two blocks away in another rectory (very common in Boston to combine rectories even if not parishes). No daily Mass which drives down many of the expenses as well.

The Rectory was actually leased out as well, so I’m certain that was generating revenue.

I also believe the attendance would have been higher had the Sword of Damocles not been hanging over them the past ten years.

[Serviam1]

Folks,

Also check out Fr. Zuhlsdorf Blog. He has posted Monday’s Boston Globe article. Your thoughts and perspective can add well to the on going discussion and help dispell the usual misconceptions and administrative/pastoral apologetics.

http://wdtprs.com/blog/2008/07/tears-and-anger-in-boston/#comments

[topher]

Not much of a Parish:

From Masstimes.Org:

220 visits Holy Trinity [German] (617) 426-6142 Web Map Updated: 12/16/2007 Sunday: 10 AM [English], [German]; Address: 140 Shawmut Ave. Boston MA 02118-2227 US

Website is:

Holy Trinity (German) Church -- Boston, MA -- http://www.holytrinitygermon.org

This thread seems to be all about the second guessing of the Magisterium of the Church.

If they had two masses a week, then there might be a real reason to save this church.

But according to Mass Times, they only have one MASS a week...

When one has a Diocese in trouble, one must be practical, and try to be a Good Shepherd to the flock...