Editorial: Mater Dolorosa Parishioners Can Hold Heads High

The Republican
June 16, 2012

http://www.masslive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2012/06/editorial_mater_dolorosa_paris.html

Victor and Shirley Anop, at left, and others who held a vigil in the church exit the Mater Dolorosa Church earlier this week . Anop announced those holding the vigil inside the church will leave as the Vatican has ordered.

The members of Mater Dolorosa Church in Holyoke who decided to end their year-long round-the-clock prayer vigil last Sunday can leave with their heads held high knowing they did all they could to save the building they love so much.

In complying with an order to end their vigil which began June 30, – the last day of Mass at the church – the protesters assured their case will get a hearing from the Apostolic Signatura, the Vatican's supreme court.

The road to this point was not a straight nor an easy one. Diocesan officials early on took the position that the authority to close churches rested entirely with them and that church members should concentrate their energies on adjusting to their new house of worship. As the vigil went on, they went so far as to accuse the church members of trespassing in their own church and filed a lawsuit against the group to force members to leave.

The secular court rightly bowed out on the question of trespassing, saying that was a church matter, and the church has accepted the appeal of the protesters who must now await their ruling.

Meanwhile, Diocesan officials said they hope to mend any bad feelings between protesters and church officials.

So do we. Certainly the church, like all institutions, must manage its assets amid a time of shrinking resources and changing demographics. And it would be irresponsible of them to maintain buildings past the point when doing so no longer makes financial sense. But a church is not an old textile factory. By its nature it asks its parishioners to look upon it as a house of God and holds so many memories of life's passages from baptisms to funerals. So church members are understandably upset when told that they must worship somewhere else, especially if they feel the decision was made in haste.

The church wouldn't have an appeals court if it believed that local decisions were beyond appeal. So for now, the protesters must take comfort in knowing they have succeeded in getting a hearing at the Vatican's highest level.

Until they hear that decision they can now do only what they have done each day for the past year.

Have faith.