The Syracuse Post-Standard - July 6, 2007
KEEP ST. MARY'S OPEN AND TRANSFER ASSETS TO DEWITT

To the Editor:

St. Mary's Church of Jamesville should not be closed, and all its assets transferred to Holy Cross of DeWitt, because of the following:

Bishop Moynihan has ruled "one roof, one priest" (not Canon law). Why then has he allowed two parishes in Norwich to share one priest?

Why the hurry to close St. Mary's? We certainly could share a priest with Holy Cross. The parishioners of St. Mary's could do most of the administrative work, which would leave a priest with only the Mass.

It's not St. Mary's duty to provide a priest. That falls solely to Bishop Moynihan. The real problem is the acute shortage of priests, and that is not addressed. Some options that might help the bishop recruit priests are: Do away with celibacy and allow marriage. Also, women could be ordained. Then there would be enough priests for a "one roof, one priest" rule.

St. Mary's is financially solvent with no debt. It also maintains a food pantry to serve the needy, and most importantly, has a fine religious education program.

St. Mary's has appealed to the pope for relief. Although Bishop Moynihan is well-versed in Canon law, he has chosen to ignore the Canon law that suspends all administrative acts pending appeal.

The Canon also directs that the church is to remain open beyond his declared July 1 closing date. And also that there shall be two Masses every weekend until resolution.

Frank Massa
Jamesville

The Syracuse Post-Standard - November 29, 2007
ALL WE ASK FOR IS THE KEY TO ST. MARY'S

To the Editor:

We at St. Mary's had a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. I attended church services at 9 a.m. About 50 people were in attendance, which tells me that Save St. Mary's is gaining momentum. Even without a priest, I felt God watching over us.

I would hope that Msgr. Yeazel would take the time to come and attend one of our services. Closing our church is something I thought would never happen. The bishop has the right not to provide us with a priest, but no right to lock our doors. We are trying to keep the Christian faith in all of our dealing with this problem, and we expect the same from the clergy.

We only ask for one thing until our appealto the Vatican has been acted upon - a key to our building. We, the owners of this building, have that right under Canon law and civil law. You refuse to answer our letters, so I hope you get our message through this letter. In God's name we trust you will do what is right.

Tony DeBottis
Chairman, Civil Committee
St. Mary's parish, Jamesville

The Syracuse Post-Standard - February 2, 2008
EVICTING PARISHIONERS IS LIKE MONEY-CHANGERS RULING THE TEMPLE

To the Editor:

As a lifelong Roman Catholic, it did my heart good to see Bishop Moynihan and Msgr. Yeazel emulating the example of Jesus this week by forcibly evicting parishioners of St. Mary's in Jamesville from their church. How brave of them to call in the Roman Guard - excuse me, deputies - to remove those disobedient people. How refreshingly Christlike! As Jesus chased the money-changers from the temple, now the money-changers are chasing the people from the temple. Turnabout is fair play.

I admire their adherence to that famous biblical dictum, "one priest, one building." How often I have read those words in the New Testament and marveled at their wisdom. It is so heartening to see them standing firm, especially in the face of their turncoat counterparts in Albany and Rochester, who instead of closing parish after parish have listened to the pleas of their people and kept small faith communities alive.

Don't worry, our leaders know that is not what Jesus would have done. And they won't let a mundane thing like Canon Law stand in their way, either. No legalistic nonsense for them. When valuable real estate and assets are there for the taking, anything goes, right?

So thank you, good Fathers, for holding firm. I eagerly look forward to the day when the logical progression of this wise program is fulfilled. One priest, one building. Save me a seat in the dome.

Corinne E. Driscoll
Syracuse

The Syracuse Post-Standard - February 5, 2008
CHURCH SHOULD DROP BARRICADES AND CRIME TAPE

To the Editor :

As a neighbor of the St Mary's Church in Jamesville, I was sorry to see the many "NO TRESPASSING" signs plastered on all the doors after some parishioners were evicted by the sheriffs as noted in the Post-Standard this week.

To make matters worse, the parking lot of the once vibrant parish is now ribboned off similar to all crime scenes, and this creates an unattractive view of those living and those passing through our village. We do not need the barricades and yellow crime tape in Jamesville at the parking area.

Sandy Burton

Jamesville

The Syracuse Post-Standard - February 8, 2008
CATHOLIC CHURCH LET ST. MARY'S FLOCK BE SCATTERED

To the Editor:

I am saddened and angered by Monday's Post-Standard article and pictures on the prayer service St. Mary's Church in Jamesville had on Sunday. Looking at Mary Cargian praying with the crucifix in her hand was an extremely emotional moment for me, and looking at the congregation praying in the cold sent streaks of anger through me.

Unable to enter their cherished home of worship, banned by law from entering a spiritual retreat where they had gone for generations, having to see the signs "No Trespassing" on the doors of their church could have shaken their beliefs, but they stood steadfast in their thinking, and I applaud them for it.

The Catholic Church has let St. Mary's flock be scattered. There is no Good Shepherd to help them. The hierarchy of the Syracuse Diocese doesn't seem to care. The callous comments in earlier articles were words of disdain. "We cannot be concerned about whether parishioners were married there 50 years ago or if their children were all baptized in St. Mary's. We are closing the doors." This is what was said a long while ago.

Father Yeazel, pastor of Holy Cross Church, tried to rationalize his statements about making sure St. Mary's parishioners felt welcomed and invited. He just doesn't get it. The parishioners don't want a mega-church, beautiful and welcoming as it may be.

The Syracuse Diocese has let all of us down. Consumed by scandals that were perpetuated by fear and arrogance, obstinate in the inability to change with the times, still forbidding married priests and women to serve, they now are reaping the weak harvest of misplaced seeds. I am proud to be a Roman Catholic: I am not proud of Syracuse's Roman Catholic Diocese.

Bob Gardino
Syracuse

The Syracuse Post-Standard - February 13, 2008
JAMESVILLE SHOULD UNITE AGAIN TO SUPPORT ITS CATHOLIC NEIGHBORS

To the Editor :

As a life-long resident of the beautiful hamlet of Jamesville, I must speak of the sadness I feel regarding the inappropriate closing of St. Mary's . I am not a communicant of St. Mary's , but I feel the loss of this great institution and refuge for my neighbors.

The closing of St. Mary's affects my neighbors greatly. However, it also affects me and all those who live in Jamesville. Jamesville is one of the oldest settled areas in Onondaga County. One of the greatest things about Jamesville is its diversity, its neighborliness, its sense of hometown and community.

I call on all residents of Jamesville to come together and support their neighbors at this time.

What's next - for the hierarchy to tear the building down?

The radio talk show host who dared to mock the residents of Jamesville on Jan. 30 - saying that we're having a "hissy fit" - you, sir, owe an apology to the communicants of St. Mary's as well as all residents of Jamesville.

Mary Margaret Banac
Jamesville

The Syracuse Post-Standard - February 13, 2008
WHERE TO GO FROM HERE?

To the Editor:

The Syracuse Post-Standard - February 13, 2008
SOCIAL DARWINISM IN EFFECT:

To the Editor:

Bishop James Moynihan of Syracuse, accompanied by the local constabulary, appeared at St. Mary's Church in Jamesville on Jan. 30, and had the gendarmes threaten charges if a couple of people who were keeping a 24-hour prayer vigil did not leave the church immediately. "No Trespassing" signs were placed on the front door.

Meanwhile, across town, the Latin Mass community of St. Stephen's await word from Rome as to why the parishioners of that church cannot purchase St. Stephen's Church, which had already been purchased by the parishioners before them.

Would that the pope in Rome, in the vein of Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes a century ago, send a message loud and clear to Bishop Moynihan and to bishops throughout the land that "Social Darwinism" is not a doctrine of the Catholic Church.

Thomas A. Holgate
Syracuse

The Syracuse Post-Standard - February 13, 2008
To the Editor:

It has been my delight and pleasure to share with the people of St. Mary's in Jamesville in the beautiful and reverent services that were provided for their congregation. The services revolved around children, community and reverence.

The church was packed. Most of the parishioners stayed afterward for fellowship - sometimes for hours. For over 200 days, people volunteered to stay in the church and conduct a vigil. People willingly signed up for this duty.

It is my understanding that according to canon law, as long as their papers were accepted by the Vatican - while they were being decided on - the chancery was to provide Jamesville with access to their church - a priest and communion. Care to comment?

Then came the day the chancery could no longer abide this successful exhibit of Christian fellowship and belief. The non-compassionate stick people of the chancery office called in the sheriffs' department and headed for Jamesville.

Their aim was to throw those Christian people out. If they are inside their building, they might be doing something subversive, like worshiping the Lord and keeping his commandments. Heaven help us. Let's not let that happen. And so they locked the building, threw the people out and tromped back downtown. Shame on you all.

I know you feel the Lord is pleased with you; well, you're wrong. He looks with pleasure on the good people of Jamesville - I'm not sure what he thinks of you.

Caroline W. La Tray

The Syracuse Post-Standard - February 13, 2008
PEOPLE DESERVED BETTER TREATMENT:

To the Editor:

After his father, Michael McCrea, was killed at Brandywine, his son, Patrick, also a soldier, founded a small community on the Allegheny River in western Pennsylvania. It was first called "McCrea's Landing." Today it is known as Eagle Rock.

Historical writings from that period state that the Roman Catholic bishop swam across the Allegheny to confirm members of that small Catholic community. Certainly, this early American bishop recognized the value of a strong local church, no matter how small.

In sharp contrast, the bishop of Syracuse, without any immediate warning, had police officials take St. Mary's church in Jamesville from the possession of the people whose labor and money over the past century made that church possible. Sadly, this action showed little appreciation for the value of a small church community and even less compassion for the members of that community.

We can only hope that either the present bishop will seek additional counsel on this issue or his successor will value the small church community and respond more constructively to the people of St. Mary's.

John P. McCrea
Jamesville

The Syracuse Post-Standard - February 13, 2008
CALLING ALL CATHOLICS TO COME TO CHURCH:

To the Editor:

This is a call to all the Catholics who don't go to church to come home, come home to God and His house - the church. It's time, and it's time for all of us to pray.

Like the good people of St. Mary's in Jamesville are doing, we need to pray for more clergy, more people to fill the churches, and pray that the ones lost will find their way home to the church. Remember, only you and God can make it happen. And God is always listening, so please pray.

Thomas Owen
Minoa

The Syracuse Post-Standard - March 21, 2008
CHURCH FALLOUT - CLOSINGS OFFER OPPORTUNITY AND TEACH A LESSON

To the Editor:

Dear Central New York Catholics :

I feel your pain about the recent closings and consolidations, in particular the closing of St Mary 's in Jamesville . Really, I do. Roughly 30 years ago the church I grew up in, St . Andrew's, closed and merged with another Episcopal church in South Orange, N.J.

I was here at SU at the time, so it didn't affect me directly, but I recall feeling sad that I wouldn't have the opportunity to go to another midnight Christmas Eve service in that old familiar Tudor building that had been my home for many years.

And yet, while feeling this sadness, I understood the population changes that made the merger necessary for both congregations. Good stewardship meant that it was time to consolidate two churches with shrinking populations into one that had a chance of surviving.

Years later, a friend of mine who is a Lutheran pastor, presided over the closing of the church she served. This once-thriving church, one of many Lutheran churches that seemed to be on every other corner in this portion of Philadelphia, had also seen population changes, and was down to a regular Sunday attendance of 24 people - not even enough to be able to afford to keep her on as a part-time pastor.

She saw the writing on the wall, and decided that the time had come for them to accept the inevitable and merge with one of the other small congregations a few blocks away.

In addition, a number of Presbyterian churches here in Syracuse closed and consolidated because of changing demographics. Recently, I've even heard of synagogues that have consolidated. So you can see that you are by no means alone in this. In fact, you are probably the last to have to deal with it.

I have to admit that I was a bit surprised to see the statement from Sister Marie Schenk that ideally a parish should have no activity for 100 years before it's closed. That just seems like incredibly poor stewardship to me.

It is never easy to see a beloved church close, especially one where you and your family have had a long history. But times change, circumstances change, and trying to hold onto the past is futile. It does no one any good, and is poor stewardship, to insist that a church remain open for a shrinking population when there are limited resources.

And so I hope that having said all this, you will look at the current closing and consolidation process not as something that you have to continue to fight in order to keep your old church open, but as an opportunity to build something new with the others who have also had to give up their beloved churches because of the demographic realities we're all facing.

It can be a great adventure.

Keith E. Gatling
Syracuse

The Syracuse Post-Standard - April 23, 2008
WHAT IS THE PROPER ROLE OF CATHOLIC LAYPEOPLE?

To the Editor:

Pope Benedict's visit to the United States has been widely covered. But to make various statements and actions of the Catholic Church better understood, the expected role of Catholic laypeople should be widely known.

In 1906, Pope Pius X issued an encyclical (Vehementer Nos) to denounce France for its passage of a law establishing the separation of church and state. It contains a passage that puts the recent St . Mary 's Church (of Jamesville ) controversy, and many other actions of the Catholic hierarchy, in perspective, saying:

"The Scripture teaches us, and the tradition of the fathers confirms the teaching, that the Church is the mystical body of Christ, ruled by the pastors and doctors -- a society of men containing within its own fold chiefs who have full and perfect powers for ruling, teaching and judging.

"It follows that the Church is essentially an unequal society, that is, a society comprising two categories of persons, the pastors and the flock, those who occupy a rank in the different degrees of the hierarchy and the multitude of the faithful.

"So distinct are these categories that with the pastoral body only rests the necessary right and authority for promoting the end of the society and directing all its members toward that end; the one duty of the multitude is to allow themselves to be led, and, like a docile flock, to follow the Pastors."

I have added the italics, but do so with no further comment, asking the readers to judge for themselves the proper role of Catholic lay people (the body of Christ) in view of this papal pronouncement.

Carol Coufal
Cazenovia

The Syracuse Post-Standard - June 30, 2008
ST . MARY 'S PARISHIONERS STILL SEEKING ANSWERS

To the Editor:

Last June, 2007, our parish was "closed" by Bishop Moynihan. Since that time the diocese has staunchly maintained our closed status in the media, although we have an appeal in process with the Vatican. This appeal, which is being carried out through the laws of the Catholic Church, gives us the right to remain as we were when open: two masses a weekend, religious education classes, maintaining the food pantry, and access to the building.

All of these things have been taken away from us as parishioners of Saint Mary 's in Jamesville . However, several parishioners received letters this April 2008, requesting a donation of funds to the Bishop's Hope Appeal campaign. If our parish's assessment is not met by donations, then the total amount will be removed from our bank account.

If we are a closed parish, why are we being assessed for the Hope Appeal? To add to the confusion, we were asked to send our donations to a post office box in Jamesville in the name of Saint Mary 's Church. Why would a closed church need a post office box? Throughout this entire process we have looked for answers to our questions, and we ask now, how can this be?

Ciarri Eaton
Saint Mary 's Parish president
Jamesville