November 11, 2004 - Statement of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston Regarding Archbishop Sean O'Malley's Meeting with Pastors of Parishes Scheduled to Close

(Boston, Massachusetts) November 11, 2004...The Archdiocese of Boston made the following statement regarding today's meeting with pastors whose parishes are scheduled to close in the coming weeks:

"Earlier today, Archbishop Sean O'Malley met with the pastors of the 18 parishes that are scheduled to close between now and mid-January as part of the Archdiocese's reconfiguration process. The meeting was both productive and positive. The pastors provided the Archbishop with a great deal of information including the sentiments of their parishioners, challenges they are working to resolve and other concerns they have as they ready their parishes for closing.

Archbishop Sean then offered the pastors the opportunity to extend their parish closing dates. While closing decisions will not be reversed, the Archbishop felt it would be important to provide time to facilitate transition to the receiving parishes, to plan for the best use of the receiving parishes' facilities in welcoming their new parishioners and to provide additional assistance to the parishioners who are finding this process particularly difficult. The Archbishop's decision to offer these temporary reprieves was made in consultation with the reconfiguration review committee he appointed last month. The committee is working with the Archbishop to identify ways to improve completion of the reconfiguration process.

The pastors are expected to bring this information back to their parishes and parish advisory groups to determine whether more time will help prepare the parish community for closing. The Archbishop hopes to hear back from the pastors next week."

The pastors in attendance at today's meeting included:

Rev. Paul Cornell, Immaculate Conception, Cambridge
Rev. David Burke, Saint Pius X, Milton
Rev. David Bartley, Saint Thomas the Apostle, Peabody/Salem
Rev. Joseph Murphy, Saint Florence, Wakefield
Rev. James McGowan, OL Mercy, Belmont
Rev. Ronald Calhoun, Saint Jeremiah, Framingham
Rev. Joseph Sylva, Sacred Heart, Natick
Rev. Kenneth LeBlanc, Mary Immaculate of Lourdes, Newton
Rev. Joseph Curran, Sacred Heart, Watertown
Rev. Normand Martin, SM Sacred Heart, Lawrence
Rev. Arnold Coletti Sacred Heart, Lexington
Msgr. Stanley Kempa, Holy Trinity, Lowell
Rev. William English, Most Blessed Sacrament, Quincy*
Rev. Michael Kearney, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Quincy*
Rev. Myron Bullock, Sacred Heart, Gloucester*
Rev. Timothy Harrison, Saint Ann, Gloucester*
Rev. Paul Rouse, Saint Peter, Gloucester*
Rev. Ronald Gariboldi, Saint Joachim, Rockport*

*multiple suppression with new parish being established

The reconfiguration of parishes in the Archdiocese of Boston began in January of 2004, when there were 357 parishes divided into five regions. Since that time, 47 parishes have closed and other parish communities have welcomed those parishioners. When reconfiguration is completed, it is estimated that 83 parishes and 67 churches will have been closed, eight new parishes will have been created and eight churches will remain open as worship sites. This activity will result in 282 parishes and 290 churches serving the cities and towns that comprise the Archdiocese of Boston.

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