"WE DEFINITELY HAVE NOT GIVEN UP' - PARISHIONERS FORCED AWAY FROM ST. MARY
Post-Standard, The (Syracuse, NY) - January 31, 2008
Author: Renee K. Gadoua Staff writer

For the seven months St. Mary Roman Catholic Church in Jamesville has been closed, Syracuse Bishop James Moynihan made it clear a group of parishioners' round-the-clock vigil there was unauthorized.

But he didn't make them leave until he recently learned someone had brought Communion to the church and the group was holding prayer services there. Then he decided to take action.

"It crossed the line," said Monsignor Robert Yeazel , the former pastor of St. Mary.

About 10 a.m. Wednesday, Yeazel , Moynihan and members of the Onondaga County Sheriff's Department arrived at the church and asked the one person inside and others to leave.

Ed Carroll said he left the building without resistance.

"This is something I expected," Carroll said. "I had hoped it wouldn't happen."

He and several people who have kept the vigil there since June 28 say they'll continue their battle to reverse the Roman Catholic church's closure.

"As of right now, we definitely have not given up," said Ciarrai Eaton, an organizer of the vigil.

But Yeazel , pastor of Holy Cross Church in DeWitt, said it's over.

"The bishop ordered it closed," he said. "It's time."

Eaton would not name the person who brought Communion to the church, and Yeazel said he does not know his or her identity.

According to church rules, a group cannot hold Communion services if the diocese has provided it liturgical care from another church.

In 2006, St. Mary became a mission of Holy Cross Church, which placed it under that parish's administration. When St. Mary closed July 1, its liturgical care, including the distribution of Communion, became the responsibility of Holy Cross.

The group of parishioners appealed the closure to the Vatican, saying they were not included in the decision-making process and closure deprived them of a vibrant faith community.

Since July, about 100 volunteers have taken turns staying in the church, maintaining a 24-hour presence. The group prayed the rosary together regularly.

About 40 churches will eventually close in a massive reorganization of the Syracuse diocese announced last spring. The restructuring is the result of a decline in the number of clergy and demographic shifts from urban to suburban areas.

Members of St. Andrew the Apostle and St. Stephen in Syracuse are also appealing to the Vatican to reverse decisions to merge or close their churches.

Eaton said her group has not received a response from the Vatican. Diocesan officials say they followed church procedure and it's highly unusual for the Vatican to reverse the decision of a local bishop.

The diocese was within its legal rights to ask the group to leave, said Chief Assistant District Attorney Rick Trunfio. He said diocesan officials had met with the Onondaga County District Attorney's Office for legal advice.

Yeazel said religious items were removed from the church, including a crucifix and the tabernacle, a cabinet that holds the Communion bread.

He said personal items belonging to Eaton's group, including a bed and TV, were removed. The group can make arrangements to retrieve them, he said.

Eaton's sister, Theresa DiCosimo, cried as she talked about her lifelong parish.

"I feel the most at home here," she said.

She's disappointed by the bishop's action.

"This is turning me away from the church," she said.

She and her sister said the group will meet for prayer services at a private home.

The diocese changed the locks at St. Mary before its July 1 closure. Now the power is off, Yeazel said. Two "No trespassing" signs are on the front door.

About 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, sheriff's deputies stopped at the church and reminded Eaton and others they had been asked to leave and told them if they continued to trespass they could be charged.

"You have to remove your cars from the premises," Lt. Jon Anderson said.

The group complied quietly.