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I don't know how this would affect our parish if we ever are in this kind of situation, but I thought it was interesting and worth posting here.


Vatican bars Boston archdiocese seizure of parish assets
Catholic World News ^ | 8-11-05 | Not attributed


Posted on 08/11/2005 4:44:24 PM PDT by RKBA Democrat


In a ruling that presents new complications for a sweeping reconfiguration plan in the Boston archdiocese, the Vatican has ruled that the archdiocese cannot unilaterally claim the assets of parishes that have been closed.

The Vatican decision affects not only the Boston archdiocese-- where it could delay parish closings-- but also other American dioceses that are seeking bankruptcy protection in federal courts. The decision addresses the hotly disputed topic: whether parish assets belong to the diocese, or must be considered separate.

In response to canonical protests filed by parishioners of several closed parishes, the Congregation for the Clergy said that parish assets cannot be seized by the archdiocese, and can be turned over to the archdiocese only with the consent of the pastors and their parish finance councils.

The exact content of the Vatican ruling has not been made public, but officials at the Boston archdiocese acknowledged that the ruling from the Congregation for the Clergy would raise new difficulties for the parish-closing process. However, Archbishop Sean O'Malley told reporters that the reconfiguration of the archdiocese would continue; he said that the Vatican was generally supportive of the process, and required only that the changes be made in accordance with the requirements of canon law.

The Boston archdiocese has been troubled by public protests and lawsuits-- brought in both civil and canonical courts-- by Catholics who objected to the closing of their parishes. The Vatican ruling affects seven such parishes, whose faithful had brought their canonical appeal to the Vatican.

The Congregation for the Clergy ruled that when a geographical parish is merged into another parish, the assets of the suppressed parish become subject to the control of the new parish, rather than the archdiocese. The properties of the old parish which has been closed can be surrendered to the archdiocese only with the consent of the new parish administration, the Vatican said.

The Boston archdiocese has begun talks with the pastors of the parishes affected by the Vatican ruling, hoping to obtain their consent for the handover of assets. At stake are millions of dollars in bank accounts in real-estate holdings, which the Archdiocese of Boston had planned to use to ease a severe financial crisis.

The Vatican's canonical decision has immediate implications for other American dioceses-- such as Portland, Oregon, and Tucson, Arizona-- where Church officials have told bankruptcy courts that they do not control the financial assets of their parishes. That contention has been challenged by plaintiffs in sex-abuse lawsuits, who argue that the diocese or archdiocese is the sole legal owner of parish properties.

Critics of the position adopted by the Archdiocese of Portland had pointed to the apparent contradiction between the claims of that archdiocese, which said that it could not control parish properties, and the plans of the Boston archdiocese to close parishes and take control of their assets.

The legal questions involved in parish ownership are likely to be addressed first by the federal bankruptcy court in Oregon, where the Portland archdiocese had been the first to claim a separation between archdiocesan and parish assets.

I'm sure we'll have some type of Lithuanian mass (some of the prayers in lithuanian, songs, readings), but that shouldn't concern you, it never has before. Besides, we don't have a lithuanian mass now, so anything more than we have now, with our native language, would be great. Drop us a postcard from the "new assignment". Then again, don't bother.

Here's the official announcement . Just another FYI. Check out the 6th paragraph .

Parish gets new pastor

BY CHRISTOPHER BURBACH



WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

Omaha Archbishop Elden Curtiss has assigned an archdiocese official as pastor at south Omaha's St. Anthony Catholic Church, taking over for a priest who has been at the center of a parish controversy.

The archbishop assigned the Rev. Greg Baxter to become pastor of St. Anthony's, 32nd and S Streets, effective Aug. 11. He is to replace the Rev. Peter Stravinskas, who has led St. Anthony for three years.

Baxter, formerly chancellor of the archdiocese, is now its moderator of the curia.

Stravinskas' tenure has been marked by strife in the historically Lithuanian parish, including parishioners' reporting an alleged theft of parish funds to police after an archdiocesan audit of parish finances reportedly showed irregularities.

A police investigation into the theft report has not resulted in any charge.

Stravinskas is to leave the Archdiocese of Omaha effective Aug. 11 for a new assignment, said the Rev. Ryan Lewis, vice chancellor of the archdiocese, reading from a prepared statement.

Lewis declined to comment further. The statement noted that Stravinskas is officially a priest of the Diocese of Boise, Idaho, and that he has served as St. Anthony's temporary administrator for three years.

Curtiss had brought Stravinskas, an internationally known author about the Catholic faith, to Omaha from Pennsylvania.

Stravinskas could not be reached for comment. His attorney, Mike Fabian, declined to comment.

Reached at the chancery Thursday, Baxter declined to comment on the St. Anthony's controversy. He said he is sad to be leaving the people of St. Adalbert's, a south Omaha parish he has served for six years, but looks forward to maintaining those friendships.

"I am very happy to be going to St. Anthony parish to serve the good people of that community," Baxter said. "I know that the people of St. Anthony will work with me to keep the parish moving forward and will understand the commitment I have as moderator."

That is interesting. Maybe if he is watching, he might take the hint. Probably just wishful thinking on my part. Anyway, thanks for the update.

Just an FYI to whoever is still interested . Some of you may have already seen this article, anyway here it is

---

The Epicurean Gadfly

Sunday, June 19, 2005 - Vocation of Destruction: The Fall of the Purple Vicar

It is only a matter of time before one who has spent his entire life rummaging through other peoples closets, displaying their contents before the few low enough to listen, is brought to his knees by his own tactics. Ah, the death of the Rev. Peter Stravinskas, self-made archbishop of hypocrisy and fantasizer of purple piping. According to the Omaha press, it looks as if the never-could-have-been-monsignor will only be seeing the purple capes of justice draped upon his embezzeling behind. Anyone who has known this chap is not surprised an ounce by these allegations. Though he remains uncharged, his Archbishop has decided to make a personal judgement. This coming from a catholic prelate who is rarely befalled or pressured by the press. His usual response to allegations or such matters is to verbally flip the press a bird reading "CATHOLIC PREJUDICE!" From the Jesuits of Boston to the Legion of Mexico, everbody had this guy's number. At an ecclesiastical affair, one utterance of his initials: P.M.S., an early indication of his temperament, draws hisses and laughs crackling the same comment: he likes those Latin waiters; he has been wishing for the episcopacy since infancy: he'll never have either. He has spoken ill of too many people. Between his attempted "outings" of what he believes are closeted clergy to his irresponsible and outright crude criticism of his superiors to their face in front of those entrusted to his "spiritual leadership", it was his own destruction in the making. It just so happens many knew of his obsession with money and only did the slightest ear to the ground motion and gave some attention to a few questions and soon it became apparent. Financial misconduct along with the rap sheet following him to Omaha, boiling his vocation as a priest to one of convenience. Looks like you should have stayed where you belong: in Boise, with only cows and chickens to offend and corn meal to steal.
posted by Sainte Chopin @ 6:42 PM 0 comments

First, I have never said anything in any of my posts as to whether or not they were fact. Most of my posts have been responses to you and the people who agree with your stories. As to my being a liar and using the word "hell", you don't know who I really am, so how can you even say this ? I can turn around and say the same thing about you and all your "facts", but I don't.
It most certainly does matter where you're from because if you're not directly involved you should just follow the story from the outside.
When you say "my work here is done" does that mean you won't post anymore comments ? If so, Buh-Bye !!!!

I don't know about this Bond thing, so I'll just comment on the rest of this post. Using words like "hell" to get your point across (or lack thereof), doesn't sound like the good God fearing person you've been purporting to be in your posts and I'm almost certain YOU are keeping track of all these "scandalous" posts (leaving out all of yours and your friends, of course) , so you can turn them over to the Archbishop, who I'm sure will appreciate coming from someone NOT of his Archdiocese, complaining about people who have been parishioners for over 50 years. Yes, I do have loyalty for my parents' homeland which is mostly Catholic and our parish, which is an extension of the homeland. Besides, I don't think there is much of a defference between our loyalty and your loyalty to the "temporary" administrator.

Sorry, my mistake

I had heard bits and pieces of this story when he first arrived 3 years ago (by the way his trial basis contract is up in August as we were told when he first arrived), but haven't heard anything since. All his dealings with finances, antics, comments, suddenly make sense and follow the same thread as some of Palladin's observations in PA. Good job on the research.

I don't think we've really done anything to her, I think she's done it to herself !!!!

WELCOME BACK !!!!!

"hogging up thread space"------ don't worry about it, not your problem.
If these posts were way over my head, I wouldn't respond to them.
I didn't know defending one's parish from the likes of people like you and your leader was supposed to be fun.
What's fun is watching all the stuff you keep saying about the parish that really doesn't matter because you've only been here a short time. The way all of you newcomers think you are just so much better than everyone who built the parish. I think I read something in an earlier post where it was stated that you are now in control. That's okay, maybe when all is said and done you will be accomplices to this whole financial theft, since the "new" parish council advises the administrator where and how to spend the money.(which I also read in an earlier post). Maybe you can all use the prison chapel together.

oops, pastas

pastas

Works for me ---- I'd like to be from PA

Definitely sounds like the current administrator and company. I always forget to put in "temporary". They just prefer Paris, Rome and those are only the ones we know about.

mail

You're obviously not bilingual, unless you consider pig latin a language. I speak the language to someone else because they understand it, nothing else. Me, childish. Who's speaking pig latin ? If you don't know what a word is, don't guess, it's embarrassing.

I was wondering why she was asking them offline, I thought she knew EVERYTHING about the administrator, the parish, catholicism------ everything inside and out. Sure the society is "self-supporting" with money that belongs to someone else.

Again...How old did you say you were ?????