Help me save my Church, DU.

[mdmc]

The Archdiocese in NY is closing my local church, St. Mary, in Newburgh. I have posted a thread here http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=275x4653 where I have requested the help of DU members.

Here is the story from my local paper http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2006/04/03/news_community-ajchurch-04-03.html

Bottom line - Father Bill is a great leader within the inner city community. He is a great teacher of Christ, and would make all of us progressive liberals proud to be... spiritual.

I have many problems with the Catholic church. When I discuss these differences (choice, gay rights, divorce) with Father Bill, I am always amazed at his loving, compassionate reponses.

I am asking DU members to write a letter of support for Father Bill and for Saint Mary Church in Newburgh. Click on the links provided for contact info. Thanks in advance, DU! Peace and low stress.

[rocktivity]

1. Newburgh NY--a stone's throw from my alma mater New Paltz State!

:bounce:
rocknation

[mdmc]

2. I didn't know this rocknation!

When Jason West started doing gay marriges in New Paltz, Father Bill (of Saint Mary's in Newburgh) did an entire sermon on how marriage tran-substantiates traditional existence of two humans, and allows them to become something far greater then their original, separate existence. During Mass, Father Bill suggested that everyone should be allowed to get married!

He is an amazing man, and Newburgh and the Church are lucky to have him.

Peace and low stress RoCkNaTiOn! Thanks for your post!

[mdmc]

20. New Paltz is mad cool

[myrna minx]

3. Kick. n/t

[mdmc]

15. nice sig lines

:patriot:

[politicat]

4. Wow... that's a church I wouldn't mind being a part of...

That is, if any church would take a lapsed Catholic, atheist-agnostic, liberation (a)theologist who has serious moral, intellectual and spiritual issues with the direction the Church has taken since 1982.

I've written a letter, and though I rarely do this, I'm writing a check to the church itself (not the diocese.)

I must admit that it still bothers me that the diocese speaks in terms of "Sacramental Sales". Have they not gotten the message of the Reformation? Sales of indulgences have gotten more people into trouble....

[mdmc]

6. thanks so much

I never thought that I could be a practicing catholic again. Father Bill is working very hard to ease the suffering of our inner city. He is all about love, Christ, and forgiveness. We could use more like him!

Thanks so much for your support. :cry: with :D

[CatholicEdHead]

12. Same here

while not lapsed, I can feel that I am in the minority in many ways, though our diocese is not as bad as many others.

All the scapegoating of gays since the sex scandel has really hurt the church, which is giving encouragement to the kneejerk conseravatives. I am sad that the "old is new again". But that is also part of the unfullfilled Vatican II transition, it stopped only partway. Part of the VCII changes was to take the church out of the building, which is being done but also leaves the institution wide open to go back to the old, closed society past.

[mdmc]

16. Are the closin down parishes in Minnesota?

:kick:

[Katherine Brengle]

5. That article was very moving --

I will write a letter for you and the rest of your church, because it sounds like no one has ever deserved it more.

Father Bill sounds like a man who truly know what spirituality is about, and it isn't about dollar signs.

Good luck to you!

[mdmc]

7. Thanks Katherine!

we were just discussing your OP http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=682358 on another thread.

Thanks for your thoughts and posts here on DU.:yourock:

[GreenPartyVoter]

8. If you can't get the archdiocese to keep your church alive, then perhaps

the minister and congregation need to think about going indy. I can think of at least 3 flavors of liberal catholicism.

http://www.churchofantioch.org/

http://www.liberalcatholic.org/ (Have had no luck getting messages through their website to them, though)

http://www.reformedcatholicchurch.org/

Now, the question is how important is the building itself to you? If you have to have it can your congregation find the funds to purchase it from the archdiocese? If not, you may want to talk with Father Bill about how to keep the flock together, even if it means finding a new place to hold services and figuring out where to put Father Bill up should he be willing to part ways with the archdiocese and the Vatican.

:hug:

[mdmc]

9. Out of the three churches in Newburgh, we get to keep two.

I think that the building will be sold, as the archdiocese is looking to save money.

I live right off of South Street, and St. Marys is in between Mount Saint Mary College and Downing Park (a park that was designed by the same people that designed Central Park in NYC). St. Marys is an important building in that it represents the "meeting point" between the ghetto and the middle class neighborhoods in Newburgh.

I think Father Bill is hell bent (:)) on staying with the catholic church. There is a church right across the street from St. Marys (baptist, I think. It is a black church). If St. Mary's closes, Father Bill would most likely go to another Catholic church in Newburgh.


Thanks for the info, GPV. Peace and low stress!

[mdmc]

10. offline until tomorrow - please keep kicked? PLEASE ! :-)

`:~)
Peace and low stress !

[DanCa]

11. mdmc will do

My biggest fear with this crowd is that soon there will be a law that says you can't attend church unless your a repuke. Your thread and devotion to this man gives me hope that that day wont come any time.

:hug: and god bless, man.

[mdmc]

19. peace, Dan Ca

low stress! thanks for the :kick:

[sandnsea]

13. Is it economic or political

Since Father Bill is a more moderate priest, it's a possibility. Maybe you could do a bit of research on the criteria to close a church and how the other churches fit in.

"How are sacrament sales - the number of baptisms, weddings and funerals - doing? What's attendance like on Sundays?"

Also, this is a historic church so you might want to contact a historic society because the diocese might discover it won't be so easy to sell this building as they think.

[mdmc]

14. imo, it is entirely economic.

I think that the NY archdiocese is very satisfied with all of the local churches, and that all of these cuts were hard to make.

[DoYouEverWonder]

17. My folks own property up by you

Across the road from Storm Mountain. It's really beautiful around there.

In regards to your church - I wish you success. But I've seen the RC get rid of the good priests all the time. When someone gets too popular, all of a sudden they have to move on.

[mdmc]

18. I think that father Bill will always have a home w/in the RC

but Saint Mary's might close. I have a link to the storm king art center on my journal. :hi:

[rpgamerd00d]

21. Hope this helps:

:rofl:

[mdmc]

22. dOOd

is that like Dude? :)

[mdmc]

23. I am going to the meeting tonight

I will post how it went.

[Blue_Tires]

24. ttt n/t

[mdmc]

25. uuu

:):kick: