St. James Kansas Blog

Click this link to find out more.

Note the portion of the article which demonstrates the inconsistency of the diocese which says:

“A diocese spokesman said the crew, which returned to Columbia Station empty-handed, had been hired to remove the windows and other sacred items, put them in crates, and place them in storage for future use.

The workers again showed up at St. Mary’s Tuesday morning with a van and a trailer, but the parish’s ex-members turned out in force and the workers left. Sally Oberski, a spokesman for the Toledo diocese, said the workers were there to clean up water in the basement. But several ex-parishioners said the crew had set up scaffolding around some windows and had taken the Stations of the Cross plaques off the wall.”

Click this link to see a slide show of the events outlined in the article. Note the scaffolding placed by the windows which is no doubt, only there to help workers clean up the water in the basement.

Also,Click here to find out what the diocese considers fair play with the funds for parishes that they close.

you might like to know that not only could little old St. James come up with the funds for a civil suit to get back what belongs to them, but that they were capable of funding both sides of the lawsuit to do it!

In the article linked below, the Director of Communications for the Diocese says that “in light of the pending litigation …” it is “inappropriate to comment about the meaning of documents exchanged as part of the discovery process – especially internal administrative bookkeeping materials…”

Soooooooo, it is inapprpriate to comment about how these funds are handled due to the pending litigation, but not inapprpiate to spend them even though they are a principle component of the pending litigation. Interesting.

Click here to find out more

Click here to find out how the diocese said they would handle St. James funds

Click here to find out how the diocese actually handled St. James funds

Also, over at United Parishes, there is some information about what needs to take place to protect parishes Take a look there and show your support for Junction in the comments section. They need our prayers and words of encouragement.

Why oh why hasn’t the diocese learned that they just aren’t supposed to take what does not belong to them? A message to the diocese: If you do not want things like what took place in this article (click to read) to keep happening, than why don’t you start conducting the church in a way that restores trust. Taking property just because you believe you have the right to (which you don’t have the right to do in this case) just isn’t going to win you any friends, much less the hearts and minds of those whom you depend upon for generosity.

As I stood inside the sanctuary of St. Mary in Junction, Ohio; I looked in awe at the beauty of what I was taking in. As I looked through each of the stained glass windows, donated by families and other members of this historically rich parish community, I felt as though I stood in the middle of the crossroads between the past and the future. The sanctuary was empty, and has not been worshipped in since July. But it is still completely intact, and had it not been for the chill in the air or the small puddles of water in the basement, one might not be able to tell that this was a closed church. After all, why would it be? It is in immaculate condition, and the stained glass is world class. It isn’t the biggest church I’ve ever seen, and it isn’t the most decadent either. We can save those types of buildings with all of their splendor for the lavish and luxurious expenditures of the hierarchy with their fancy robes, flashy jewelry, and the rest of their royal architecture and attire. This place is a magnificent monument to the will of this Junction community to have a place to gather and worship God together. I stood in there wondering if it would be the last time I would ever see it; and thought about what a tragedy it would be if it was.

I remember when we at St. James were told during a similar moment in our recent history that if we were not willing to do all that it took to preserve what is ours for our children and the future of our community, than perhaps His Excellency made the right decision. Never. Never. Never. Nothing about pillaging St. Mary of her windows and stripping her of her parish identity is right either. Nothing. Now it is up to the good people of Junction to save her. It isn’t fair. They didn’t ask for this burden. We are here for you; and we will support you. Together as one community of God, we will not fail.

To find out more, click here

Recent news regarding the diocese plans for the former school building for Holy Rosary Church needs to be monitored with a watchful eye by lay persons of any parish.

As you may all be aware, both the Holy Rosary Church and school were closed in the project that brought about the permanent closure of 16 other parishes in 2005. The closure of St. James was also a product of this restructuring project. Throughout the administration of this effort, from conception to closure, parishioners from these churches were told many different things about what would be done with the assets that they helped to maintain through generations of Catholic history in northwest Ohio.

As you read the article below, please note that this is nothing less than a re-distribution of the wealth of Holy Rosary parish, Holy Rosary Parishioners, and Toledo tax payers; all in one confounded effort to enrich the diocese. The will of the parishioners in the decision of the fate of any parish or its assets is not considered, even if the diocese claims to ask for the input of those of us who built up what they liquidate.

The role of the Catholic Church in Education

If you should read some statements from the diocese in the near future regarding the future of the Junction St Mary building and/or windows, or the liquid funds of St. James Parish, or the Salem St. Joseph building and/or cemetary funds, remember this article. Should the diocese make referene to any negotiations with parishioners or attempts to solicit their feedback in order to make a decision, keep in mind that Holy Rosary was promised something alltogether different regarding their parish assets and specifically their school.

In case that is not evidence enough, the diocesan statement regarding the suit brought forth by St. James contained these two sentences in the very same document:

“The former parishioners claimed that they were entitled to all parish property, and a request of an accounting of funds, which still remain in a diocesan deposit account in the approxomate amount of $77,957.60. All funds currently in the account of the closed parish were transferred to the diocese to be held until a decision is made between the diocese and former members of the parish as to the disposition of the funds.”

“The former parishioners of St. James will receive their personal belongings, and possibly additional requested sacred good if those items are not needed in other parishes, and the funds of the former parish will be properly distributed in the interests of the local parishes” (my emphasis is added)

As the diocese is still attempting to facilitate the aftermath of the 2005 re-organization project, now is not the time for complacency. Somebody better be watching the store.

It’s like explaining to a bully that they don’t have a right to your lunch money. Sometimes you have to force the point home. This is dedicated to all of the “safe” parishes out there. This is what it will take to hang on to what belongs to you:

Paulding County Parish Fights On

Junction, Kansas, Salem, and Perrysburg will never have to take public measures again once the their ownership is vindicated. Until then, you need to re-establish ownership of your parish. If you don’t, you may never have to worry about it being taken from you, but the only thing “safe” about a “safe parish” lies in the prerogative of your bishop.

The mission of the Church is to spread the message of God’s grace to all of God’s children. The vision of Toledo’s bishop is to establish religious population centers for the already faithful to travel to by car. Where does the part about spreading the message come into this vision? If your parish is “safe” while such a visionary gap exists, than what is your parish doing to move the Church back toward bringing the message to ALL of God’s children?

If you never have to worry about taking back ownership, this question still compels “safe” parishes to take ownership.

If you would like to order a DVD of the 2007 “Together We Can” conference, fill out the form at this link.

Pastor is named a ‘Priest of Integrity’

Stanbery honored for speaking out
By JOE VARDON BLADE STAFF WRITER

“The Rev. Stephen Stanbery has railed against sexual abuse, parish closings, and an alleged murder cover-up involving the Catholic Church.
His fighting of these and other injustices has apparently landed him both a national award and a stern reprimand by Toledo Bishop Leonard Blair….. “

So lets make sure we’ve got this straight. A problem doesn’t exist as long as nobody talks about it. A problem is only a problem if someone talks about it. And in that case, the problem is only the person who is talking about it. Do I have that right?

Congratulations Father. The diocese does not yet realize that the framework of their criticism only serves to validate you, and discredit themselves. This award is well deserved and long overdue.

Click HERE to read the whole article.

In the following editorial, is an appeal to not give into the temptation to skip going to church. But deeply embedded within is the need for community to exist within the parish. For the month of September, you can read the National Catholic Reporter online without a subscription. This EDITORIAL and the article in the post below are highly recommended to go along with your free subscription this month.

Small Christian communities revitalize faith, strengthen parishes, participants say

Click HERE to read more