Parishioners from Closed Catholic Churches Redefine Who They Are

By Maureen Kyle
WKYC
March 10, 2012

http://www.wkyc.com/news/state/article/235052/23/Parishioners-from-closed-Catholic-churches-redefine-who-they-are

[with video]

We are still waiting to hear from Bishop Richard Lennon on the Vatican's ruling to re-open 13 area churches. It's been a fight thousands across our area took on to worship where they had their roots.

"Denial. I would tell you it couldn't happen," says St. Peter's parishioner Kate Uhlir.

But the threat to shut down their church became more than a reality.

"To walk across the threshold of the church to the outside and know that you will never walk across and never come back in, that was really hard."

And despite being threatened with excommunication, the parishioners sent a message to the Bishop, that they don't need a church to be St. Peter's. Even now after the Vatican's ruling, Kate says they found the "building" makes no difference.

"You could say St. Peters never went away. You can say the community of St. Peters will go on for a long time."

Parishioners at St. Pat's in West Park carried the torch in fighting all the way to the highest power.

"Well, we were a vibrant parish, and that vibrancy doesn't just go away," says Pat Schulte-Singelton.

They wrote letters, made signs but scattered as a parish. These parishioners are confident they'll be back inside soon. Because this journey that started in disbelief has now ended in faith.

"I was the one who closed those doors, the side doors, the last day as I was closing them, I said, we'll be back."