By Bronislaus B. Kush
Telegram & Gazette
October 6, 2007
http://www.telegram.com/article/20081006/NEWS/810060336/1008/NEWSLETTERS02
Diocese closing St. Casimir
WORCESTER — Dark storm clouds quickly gathered over lower Providence Street yesterday morning just as some members of the former St. Casimir Church began a prayer vigil to protest the Diocese of Worcester’s decision to close their 114-year-old parish last summer.
As some raindrops began to fall, Raymond Jakubauskas, one of the participants, sought to reassure those standing near him that they wouldn’t be soaked by a downpour.
“It’s just a sprinkle of holy water,” he said. “God is with us and he is blessing us. It’s the bishop who we need to get back on our side.”
However, most of the 75 or so gathered in front the twin-towered, red brick church yesterday admitted there was little chance Bishop Robert J. McManus would reconsider his decision and they vowed to continue their appeal to the Vatican.
St. Casimir, which was founded by Lithuanian immigrants, was one of five city churches shut down in June for a variety of reasons, including a shortage of diocesan priests, dwindling financial resources and the movement of Central Massachusetts Roman Catholics from the cities to the suburbs.
Chancery officials also said that St. Casimir had an aging membership and, based on the number of baptisms and marriages that had occurred at the church over the years, they expressed little hope for the parish’s growth.
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| Members of the former St. Casimir Church hold a prayer vigil outside the church yesterday. |
Members of the Friends of St. Casimir have formally notified Bishop McManus by letter that they’re taking their case to Rome and are in the process of hiring a canon lawyer from New York to represent them.
Yesterday, the Friends held a vigil before the 10 a.m. Mass, which included the recitation of the Rosary that was led by Chester Savickas and Anna Leseman.
Though it’s formally closed and its assets and membership have been transferred to St. John Church on Temple Street, Bishop McManus is allowing the Lithuanian community to hold Sunday Masses, funerals and special services at the church for another year.
But some Friends members even questioned that commitment after the chancery late last summer named the Rev. Richard A. Jakubauskas as administrator of Our Lady Immaculate and St. Francis of Assisi parishes in Athol; St. Peter parish in Petersham, and Our Lady Queen of Heaven mission in Royalston.
Rev. Jakubauskas, who is Raymond Jakubauskas’ brother, was St. Casimir’s last pastor and was appointed, after the church’s closing, as chaplain to the Lithuanian community.
Some former St. Casimir parishioners complained that Rev. Jakubauskas is having difficulty “balancing his schedule,” given his new responsibilities.
“There’s still some hope the bishop will change his mind,” said Frank Statkus, a Shrewsbury resident and chairman of the Friends group.
Mr. Statkus said former St. Casimir parishioners still see themselves as “family.”
For example, they held a luncheon yesterday and a ham and bean supper is planned, as well as the annual St. Casimir dinner.
“This fight is not about the building but about the people,” Mr. Statkus said.
Many protesters said few St. Casimir members are attending services at St. John, as the bishop suggested they should. They point out that those who do, drop St. Casimir envelopes into collection baskets.
A lot of St. Casimir members still maintain that the church should not have been closed because it was economically viable and ran annual budget surpluses.
“The immigrants from Lithuania scrimped their nickels and dimes to build this church,” said Rasa Chiras of Worcester. “The bishop didn’t pay for anything.”
Ms. Chiras said she’ll stop going to church altogether when the Sunday Mass at St. Casimir is finally suspended.
“We don’t know how this fight will end,” said David M. Moulton, the church’s former music director and a Friends’ member. “But we can always say we tried. That’s our mentality.”
Contact: bkush@telegram.com
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