Recap of #bigDiocesan Meeting. Save Our Steeples. There was a meeting by #bigdiocese on last Thursday night 2/1/24 at McCartyville. After a week to reflect, here are my observations and some level of “fact-checking”.

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Scott Gaier of Sacred Heart of Jesus, In the Land of the Cross Tipped Churches: Letter of Feb. 4, 2024.

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A Plea For Parishes: The spiritual life of the ordinary Catholic in America is fed by the ordinary Catholic parish in America. What nourishes the life of that parish?
by Joe Schmiesing https://crisismagazine.com/opinion/a-plea-for-parishes

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From Ted Holthaus, Procurator for Saint Michael Catholic Parish, Ft. Loramie to Archbishop, Reverend Jan Schmidt, Father Jarred Kohn, and Mr. Mike Shafer:
Advertisement in Parish Bulletin Rejected, as it *Supports the Integrity, rather than Dissolution* of the Parish. Canon Law Permits Parishes to Oppose Extinction. 

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Regarding Eucharistic Revival in the era of vanishing parishes. Commentary from Archdiocesan Procurator, Mark Pettus.

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*New*Fall 2023 Survey of Scared Heart of Jesus, McCartyville Parishioners in Response to Beacons of Light

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New* Holy Angels Parishioners' Response to Bulletin insert.

Seeking further clarification from Beacons Pathway Team about confusing Beacons information.

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*New* Re: Renovation Donation requests from Cathedral Basilica Saint Peter in Chains.
Letter from Archdiocesan Procurator Mark Pettus to Rector Father Jan Schmidt. 
"We know that when Masses are eliminated, people attend elsewhere, donate to the new
parish, and the old one closes."
Father Schmidt's letter in response. 

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We do not err because truth is difficult to see. It is visible at a glance. We err because this is more comfortable.
-Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

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Where Can the Assets of a Suppressed Parish be Transferred?

Go to Appendix (2)
By Monsignor Gray, Jason A., Diocese of Peoria.

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The assets of a suppressed parish are generally transferred to the parish that assumes the care of the territory of the suppressed parish.

 

Can the assets of a suppressed parish be transferred to an entity other than a neighboring parish.

*Yes.  There may be very good reasons for transferring the ownership (alienating) the assets of a suppressed parish to a needy or worthwhile cause.  One of the just causes for alienating assets is piety or charity (c. 1293 §1, 1º).

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Some examples of worthy recipients of these assets might include:  a needy parish other than the one assuming the pastoral care of the local territory, a local non-parochial Catholic school that provides a Catholic education to children from the region, a charitable organization that cares for the needs of the region, or even a diocesan fund that provides seed money for the establishment of new parishes in areas of growth.

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These entities can receive assets through a free act of the administrator of the juridic person that owns the assets who chooses to alienate them.  These alternative entities cannot receive the assets by right nor as a matter of policy or law.

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The competent authority to alienate these assets is the pastor of the parish to be suppressed (prior to the suppression) or the pastor of the parish that has acquired the assets (after the suppression).

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The diocesan bishop cannot compel the alienation contrary to the wishes of the pastor of the parish that owns the assets.

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The alienation of the assets must be performed according to the laws governing alienation as described above under the "sale of the property of a parish or mission."

Some canonical aspects of the closing and sale of a parish church
https://www.jgray.org/docs/close_parish.html#a2. 
 

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Mary Sayre, Letter to Father Kohn, Re: Beacons of Light 7.8.23

Father Kohn, Response to Mary Sayre's Letter of 7.8.23

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Beaconsof Light designated stand alone parish Cathedral Basilica Staint Peter in Chains issues archdiocesan-wide plea for donations for upkeep. Parishioners whose thriving self-dufficient parishes are designated for Extinctive Union asked to support another who cannot maintain itself.
*Page one/*Page two.

From the letter, content links above:
"Much attention is needed to repair the decorative plaster and painting of the ceiling damaged over the years by water infiltration due to a failing roof now having been replaced. There is need for replacement of an outdated and energy inefficient lighting system as well as boiler and humidification issues caused by a failing HVAC system and there is so much more needing attention due simply to wear and tear on the buiding and its furnishings. 
Very importantly, our world class music program is at stake as the organs are close to failure and in need of replacement due to parts not being available for an instrument of advanced age and poor quality of original design and materials.
Opinion Paper from Larry Deloye, Procurator of Sts. Peter and Paul, Newport

"My Observatios of the Beacons of Light Plan"

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From the Beacons of Light Website Glossary:
SUBSIDIARITY (NOT to be confused with Subsidiary church.)
A foundational principle of the Church’s social doctrine
affirming that decisions should be made at the most
PROXIMATE or LOCAL level to those whom they affect. “The
teaching of the Church has elaborated the principle
of subsidiarity, according to which ‘a community of a
higher order should not interfere in the internal life of
a community of a lower order, depriving the latter of its
functions, but rather should support it in case of need
and help to coordinate its activity with the activities of
the rest of society, always with a view to the common
good.’” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1883)
file:///C:/Users/m_sayre/Downloads/BeaconsofLight_Glossary.pdf

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Parochial v Subsidiary Church. Definition from Beacons of Light website. Pay close attention to p.2 Subsidiary functions:
"Blessed Sacrament MAY be reserved."
"MAY have a baptismal font."
"Other sacraments MAY be celebrated therein."

For the Parochial Church, substitute MUST for MAY.

Defending the Faith. Maintaining Sacred Spaces. This is a resource of many articles pertaining to Parish Extinctions and Closures, along with related information.

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COMMENTARY ON DECREES FROM THE CONGREGATION FOR CLERGY UPHOLDING PETITION FOR RECOURSE MADE BY THIRTEEN PARISHES OF THE CLEVELAND DIOCESE Kate Kuenstler, PHJC, JCD

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Mark Pettus, "Beacons of Light and a Bad Day"

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Scott Gaier, Sacred Heart of Jesus Parishioner, McCartyville: Letter to the Archbishop and Clergy
(Also posted to Save Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, FB; and Save Holy Angels Parish, FB.)

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Parish Closures are Killing the Catholic Church By Patricia Dugan

"This issue of parishes is one of the most highly charged emotionally I have seen as a canon lawyer.  I believe from my experience and from other canon lawyers with experience in these cases, that when a merger or suppression is started, forty percent of the parishioners it affects, will not go along to get along in the Catholic Church.  They will not go to the newly named or appointed parish.  They just will not.  We lose them and we lose them for good.   I absolutely believe this and I am gutted by it.  I just wish the Church were as concerned as me."

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Philip Gray, explaining Canon Law regarding two Masses per year in merged/Subsidiary/secondary/non-parish churches. Oct. 2023

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Blind Obedience? By Philip C.L. Gray, J.C.L.

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Obedience and Beacons of Light, by Joe Schmiesing

Letter to the Editor SDN comparing Beacons to Forced Communal Farming

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Letter to the Editor SDN, Save Our Parishes

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St. Michael's Parish Ft. Loramie: Letter and Testimony of Mr. Ted Holthaus to Archbishop Schnurr.
(Also, click on Council Meeting Minutes linked below.)

St. Michael's Parish Council Meeting Minutes and Contemporaneous Notes/Mr. Ted Holthaus.

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Holy Angels Parish, Sidney, Ohio Evangelization Report
**Create an Evangelization Report for your Parish in anticipation of your Decree of Extinction, in order to demonstrate that a merger is not neccesary to improve evangelization, and may even eliminate opportunities for evangelization through programs and Parishioners lost. The Beacons of Light claim that mergers will increase evangelization is unproven. When we get the go ahead to post Parish appeals (already sent) on this website, you will be able to read about evangelization opportunites that are being lost due to mergers.
*Decrees are being issued already.

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COMMENTARY ON DECREES FROM THE CONGREGATION FOR CLERGY UPHOLDING PETITION FOR RECOURSE MADE BY THIRTEEN PARISHES OF THE CLEVELAND DIOCESE Kate Kuenstler, PHJC, JCD
Compare Cleveland's experience to your Parish church's.

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Duanne L.C.M. Galles THE RIGHTS OF PARISHES
"Since the context for the delivery of pastoral care is so important, canon law declares that every parish is by law a juridical person or legal entity. By its very nature a juridical person has perpetual existence, which can be terminated only by formal suppression or cessation of activity for 100 years. Fr. Coriden states that a parish can be suppressed or merged out of existence "only when the counter-indications of its continued life are overwhelming and only after careful consultation with everyone who is affected."

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Beacons of Light: Suggested Methods of Sharing Expenses Among Merged Parish Families. From Beacons of Light Website. 
file:///C:/Users/m_sayre/Downloads/Suggestions-for-Shared-Expenses.pdf
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Example Appeal Template Read this to better understand just v unjust cause for merger or amalgamation (example only), from Save Our Parishes St. Louis website sostlp.org.

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Beacons Pathway Planning Milestones from the Beacons of Light Website. Was your Parish already fulfilling the Beacons of Light mission prior to becoming a "Family of Parishes" headed toward Extinctinve Union?