St. Stanislaus Kostka Church - Adams, MA
Exteior above and interior below
3 Mass. churches may remain open, Vatican rules
CHICOPEE — The Vatican has ruled that three western Massachusetts churches closed by the Springfield Diocese should remain open, parishioners learned today, including one that parishioners have occupied in protest for two years.
The Vatican’s Congregation for the Clergy ruled that Bishop Timothy McDonnell didn’t justify closing St. Stanislaus Kostka church in Adams or two Chicopee churches, St. Patrick and St. George. That means the churches will remain open for worship, though it’s not clear to what extent they can be used.
Laurie Hass, a leader of the vigil at St. Stanisluas Kostka, called the decision "monumental."
"Everyone here in Adams is rejoicing and full of joy!" said Hass, whose church has been occupied by parishioners around the clock since December 2008.
With similar rulings on churches in the Allentown Diocese in Pennsylvania, the Massachusetts decisions could signal a new Vatican policy that makes it tougher for local bishops to close and sell church buildings, said Peter Borre of the Council of Parishes, a group formed to fight church closings.
Keeping churches open, even on a limited basis, is important because it continues the church’s vital evangelical mission where it otherwise might be lost, Borre said.
"The principal item in the job description of the bishop is the salvation of souls," Borre said. "And you do not achieve that by destroying the presence of the Catholic church in a diocese."
The Springfield Diocese can appeal to the Vatican’s high court, and it will have much to say about how the three churches should be used — conceivably for occasions as frequent as regular Mass to a more sporadically opened place to pray.
"This is not mission accomplished," Borre said.
A diocesan spokesman said he wouldn’t comment until the Vatican rulings have been closely reviewed.
In recent years, Roman Catholic dioceses around the country have closed dozens of parishes, citing falling attendance, a lack of priests and financial strain. In Boston, for instance, five churches have been occupied since a broad reconfiguration in 2004 reduced the number of parishes from 357 to 291 today.
The Congregation for the Clergy rulings, dated in late January, distinguishes between Roman Catholic parishes — which are territorial entities that include all of the Catholic buildings within them, such as rectories, schools and meeting halls — and the main church building within those parishes.
In their appeals, parishioners argued the bishop did not meet the high standard under canon law for shutting down those church buildings and converting them from holy to secular use. The Vatican agreed, saying McDonnell did not provide the "necessary grave motivations" for closing the churches.
Borre said similar appeals are pending at the Vatican from other regions, such as in Cleveland and in seven Boston-area churches.
At St. Patrick church on Tuesday, the front door was locked, but a side door opened to the brick church’s cool, well-kept interior. Scattered signs, including one that read, "Save Saint Patrick’s — Save Souls," made pleas for money and support in the fight to keep the parish open.
St. Patrick's - Chicopee
(Exterior above and interior below)
The decision was not a full win in any of the three cases — the Vatican upheld McDonnell’s decision to close the larger parishes. St. Patrick parishioner Margaret Page said she’s still hoping the entire St. Patrick Parish, which closed in 2009, will one day reopen. But, she added, "I’m very happy we got a positive decision."
Rachel Bradford was a lifelong parishioner at St. George before it closed in 2009, and drove to the church for weekly services throughout college, law school and even after she moved to northern Connecticut. Bradford, 28, said though the future of St. George was unclear, she was happy there was one.
"It’s partial win," she said, "and we’ll take it for now."
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1317002
St. George's - Chicopee, MA
(Exterior above and interior below)
Regrettably the neo-modernists already got a hold of this interior. Of course we believe Christ is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament - body and soul, humanity and Divinity. That's why we put the tabernacle where He is physically present in transubstantiated form in the corner, otherwise it would distract us! Gads.
Below see how it was before the "Conciliar" changes. 
One wonders how many parishioners were lost over the decades by the destruction of true houses of worship like this?
'Conciliarosity killed the The Mass.'
Posted by: Mona | Friday, February 18, 2011 at 08:06 AM
Is it that we no longer believe in God ?
Is it that in our search for God we have found Him not in the church ?
I somehow cannot, not believe in God ?
Through out my life I have given myself many reasons & opportunities to abandon my faith , but here i am still.[go figure]?
SO/AND : I see & feel God in many places & many ways.
AND SERIOUSLY, ACCORDING TO MENTAL HEALTH I BELONG INSIDE ?
A while ago I had occasion to tell a friend in trouble to pray & things will turn out okay, God will fix it:
To which the people with us :
smirked , rolled their eyes, the 'oh please' attitude was displayed, one said
"He has never done anything for me" & in general we were dismissed as nutty at best.
We both prayed & my goodness what a positive result, she even got a little compensation [$$$] not bad hey !
So why do we not go to Mass ?
I have a funny feeling that we all want to believe & we are all looking & God is willing - & even Science says that we are wired for religion.
......So what's the problem ?
OR :
AM I REALLY NUTS & BELONG ON A FUNNY FARM ?
Posted by: Rosie Davis | Friday, February 25, 2011 at 05:30 PM