Cardinal Burke: Stick to canon law when closing churches

Catholic Review ^ | 5/9/14 | George P. Matysek Jr.

[Welchie25]

When considering the suppression of parishes or the closing of church buildings, bishops should hew closely to canon law not simply because it’s a legal requirement of the church, Cardinal Raymond L. Burke said, but because it helps foster unity.

In a May 7 interview with the Catholic Review, the prefect of the Supreme Court of the Apostolic Signature, the Vatican’s highest court, said following proper procedures helps ensure legitimate decisions.

“When we don’t follow the requirements of the law, then people rightly claim that they’ve been aggrieved by this,” said Cardinal Burke, who was a featured speaker at the Eastern Regional Conference of the Canon Law Society of America, held May 6-8 at the Hotel Monaco in Baltimore. The cardinal’s presentation was closed to the media, but he granted a brief interview to the Catholic Review.

“(When) we do follow the requirements of the law,” he said, “even if we take a decision that’s unfavorable to people, at least they know that it was taken legitimately with respect to what the church requires for that decision.”

According to canon law, a bishop has the authority to suppress (close) a parish when there is a “just” reason. He must consult with his diocesan presbyteral council, and parishioners have the right to make their views heard.

Closing a church building, a process canon law refers to as relegating it to “profane, but not sordid use,” requires that a bishop have a grave reason for the closure.

[Salvation]

**Cardinal Burke said he knows no bishop “in his right mind” who would want to close a parish unnecessarily. He acknowledged that it is always “a source of a lot of suffering for the lay faithful.”**

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

If there isn’t an official “decommissioning” ritual, there likely should be. Likewise, it needs to take into consideration the reason for the closing.

1) Closed in time of peace, in a voluntary manner in a time of choosing for the diocese, a ceremony to return all the times of good spirit and prayer to heaven.

2) Closed because of damage, destruction or disaster not brought about because of anger or sin, but of sadness. That this mood not curse the place.

3) Closed because of hate and sin, by those who sought to destroy it utterly because of their meanness and contempt.

4) Destroyed with intent to profane and befoul its sanctity and erect in its place a domain of evil and corruption. This would need a “ritual from afar”, both to remove its sanctity and spirit and to dispel that which now dwells within.

[omega4412]

Closing a church building, a process canon law refers to as relegating it to “profane, but not sordid use,” requires that a bishop have a grave reason for the closure.

Use as a mosque should be defined as a "sordid use." A betrayal of Christian martyrs.