Parishioners urge Bishop Richard Lennon to quickly reopen closed Catholic churches in Greater Cleveland

CLEVELAND (OH)
The Plain Dealer

By Pat Galbincea, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio — A day after Bishop Richard Lennon officially received orders from Rome to reopen 13 area Catholic churches, members from a trio of the closed parishes urged him Thursday night to comply with the Vatican decree.

Representatives from St. Patrick Church in Cleveland’s West Park neighborhood, St. James Church in Lakewood and St. Casimir Church in Cleveland each read their letters to the bishop of the Cleveland Catholic Diocese during a news conference at Brennan’s Party Center in Cleveland.

About 100 people politely clapped as high points from each of the letters, which were basically worded the same, were read.

The three parishes urged Bishop Lennon to:

• Restore all property and use of all assets to the churches.
• Name new pastors.

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