February 10, 2005 - Archdiocese of Boston Announces Changes
to Reconfiguration Plans in Stoughton St. James Parish to remain open
(Boston, Massachusetts) February 10, 2005…The Archdiocese of Boston
today announced changes to the reconfiguration plan in Stoughton. The Archdiocese
has determined that St. James Parish in Stoughton, originally slated for closure,
will remain open and Our Lady of the Rosary Parish will close on February 27,
2005. The decision to change the closing parish was based on new information
received about the physical condition of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish and
affirms the recommendations made by a local parish committee and the Presbyteral
Council.
“Working with the parishioners of both Our Lady of the Rosary Parish
and St. James Parish, we determined that the facilities at St. James Parish
would best serve the Stoughton community going forward,” stated Bishop
Richard Lennon. “I am grateful to the many parishioners who participated
in this process for their help in effecting a thoughtful and peaceful resolution.”
As part of the reconfiguration process, the Archbishop announced the decision
to close St. James parish in May 2004. Following this announcement, the Archdiocese
received information indicating that the physical facilities of Our Lady of
the Rosary Parish were in questionable condition. Having received this information
the Archdiocese in accord with its commitment to validate new information instructed
the Facilities Management department to visit and evaluate the properties of
Our Lady of the Rosary Parish. It was during this evaluation that the Archdiocese
discovered that Our Lady of the Rosary’s facilities were in need of major
repair and restoration. In light of this new information, Archbishop O’Malley
reconsidered his initial decision by sending Bishop Lennon to meet with parishioners
of St. James and Our Lady of the Rosary parishes and shared these developments.
At the meeting, Bishop Lennon requested that the parishioners from both parishes
form a committee to provide a recommendation to the Archdiocese as to which
facilities would best serve these Stoughton Catholic communities going forward.
In December 2004, this committee made a recommendation to the Archdiocese to
close Our Lady of the Rosary and designate St. James Parish as the welcoming
parish.
|
