Here's an update on one of many disputes about dioceses closing parishes.
Parishioners of Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church in Port Bolivar, Texas, have sued to keep the Galveston-Houston archdiocese from closing their parish, the last remaining Catholic church building standing on the Bolivar Peninsula after Hurricane Ike.
Last month, the archdiocese tried to move the case to federal court, saying the suit was interfering with church doctrine in violation of the constitutional separation of church and state.
Don't miss a thing:
Sign up to receive free NCR email alerts.
But Monday, July 20, U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon ruled that the case concerned property rights and not a constitutional question, so it will stay in state court.
NCR Comment code:
We are not able to monitor every comment that comes through. If you see something objectionable, please click the "Report abuse" button. Once a comment has been flagged, an NCR staff member will investigate.
For more detailed guidelines, visit our User Guidelines page.
For help on how to post a comment, visit our reference page.