The Independent News Source
NCR on Kindle - NCR classifieds - YouTube - Twitter - Facebook - Email Alerts - RSS
Printer-friendly version
PDF version40% of Brooklyn parishes can’t meet expenses
Mar. 04, 2010
BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio March 1 called for the renewal of church life in the diocese by addressing changes he said are needed in parishes, schools and diocesan structures.
In a pastoral letter titled "Renewing the Mission: Christ Jesus, Our Hope," he said changes have become necessary because "meeting the ordinary expenses of parish life and maintaining the buildings that form our parishes and schools should never detract us from the mission of evangelization."
"No parish or school should have to face the dilemma of choosing between meeting its ordinary financial obligations, including the maintenance of its buildings, beautiful as they are, over serving the pastoral needs of all of its members, 'living stones' of the church," wrote Bishop DiMarzio.
Many parishes have had a tough time maintaining the church's mission of evangelization while trying to pay for the upkeep of its plants, "many of which require extensive repairs that few parishes can afford," the pastoral said.
Forty percent of the parishes in Brooklyn and Queens -- the two boroughs of New York City that comprise the diocese -- cannot meet their ordinary expenses, forcing them to request assistance from the diocese.
"Last year, our diocese provided nearly $5 million in aid to parishes in financial need, a sum that can no longer be sustained," said Bishop DiMarzio.
He pointed out that since debts owed the diocese by parishes were forgiven as part of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, the number of parishes seeking aid has risen. More than $21 million has been requested in the past 10 years. Because of the significant decrease in revenue from investments and the general economic downturn in the nation's economy, those types of requests can no longer be met.
Bishop DiMarzio asked for a time of prayer and planning during this "decisive moment in the life of the church in Brooklyn and Queens."
All parishes have been asked to participate in a self-study report to identify their challenges and strengths. They will be given statistics about their individual parishes to aid their reports. A task force of diocesan leaders, both religious and lay, will assess their studies.
"Based on our findings, decisions will be made beginning in September of 2010, identifying specific measures that must be taken to ensure the vitality of our parish faith communities while maintaining sufficient facilities to support the broader mission of evangelization," wrote Bishop DiMarzio.
Preview NCR's Family Life Issue
Watch this video from NCR Editor Dennis Coday for highlights from our annual Family Life special section.
You won't find these articles on our website. Subscribe now to receive all the content from each biweekly issue.
The bishop called for all members of the laity to dedicate their talents and efforts to preaching the Gospel and furthering the work of the new evangelization. He also made a special outreach to young people to become even more involved.
Maybe there are too many
Maybe there are too many parishes in the diocese. I wonder if they ever thought of that?
You have some neighborhoods in Brooklyn that have more than one church. The days of the ethnic parish are pretty much over in most parts of the city and as some neighborhoods become 'gentrified' many, if not most, of the people that move in are either not catholic or just non-religious.
If the forecast over the next few years is a continued drop in attendance and involvement and thus money, the bishop has to close them. Of course, no bishop wants to be known as the guy that closes up churches but he can always create an office for some priest wanting the title of monsignor to be the 'hatchet man'.
Many of those churches and schools are also ridiculously valuable pieces of property; you can sell many to real estate developers and the city's DOE always needs educational space so there's oodles of green to be made in rent. I am sure selling the Pratt mansion where the bishop lives is off the table though ;)
I would not give this or any
I would not give this or any other Catholic bishop my money. They have no backbone to do what should have been done decades ago: Ordain women. Rethink their entire backward and ignorant concepts of human sexuality, drop the celibacy requirement for priests and bishops and show they have the moral and ethical backbones to do the right thing when it comes to addressing the sexual abuse of children by clergy and hierarchy. No, I will give my money directly to help the hungry, poor and sick people on this planet, but I will not give the hierarchy one penny. Those days are over and gone and most Catholics I know, feel the same way. Imagine the nerve also, of the Irish bishops asking local parishes to help them pay for the sexual abuse lawsuits? Rot and decay just continue from within the hierarchy. Truly pathetic!
"Christ Jesus our Hope." Why
"Christ Jesus our Hope." Why is it that we only hear of "Christ Jesus" when the church needs money? All other times we hear "Pope," "Cardinal," "Archbishop," "Mass," "Liturgy," "Roman Missal," "Latin," "Investigation" "Decree," "Rules." In times of poverty, someone finally remembered the reason why the church exists, why people form a community on Sunday and why Christ should be mentioned more often.
"The bishop called for all members of the laity to dedicate their talents and efforts to preaching the Gospel and furthering the work of the new evangelization." Laity preaching the Gospel? Where? In the church from the ambo? No? Oh...pity. Why not?
After the Laity have been told in so many words that they are dispensable, disposable, nonessential, (except when they move from Laity to Clergy -- and only less than half of them can), suddenly - now -- the Laity is recognized as being important -- even having *status* in the church as a result of diminishing returns in the collection baskets.
Wow! I think we're on to something. . .
Post new comment