July 5, 2005 - Archbishop O'Malley Accepts Additonal Recommendations
from Meade-Eisner Committee
(Brighton, MA) July 5, 2005... The Archdiocese of Boston
announced today that Archbishop Sean O'Malley has accepted recommendations
from the Meade-Eisner
Reconfiguration Review Committee concerning Star of the Sea church in
the Squantum section of Quincy and the former St. Jeremiah parish in Framingham.
Star of the Sea Church will be established as a chapel of Sacred Heart
parish in North Quincy. Rev. John O'Brien, V.F., pastor of Sacred Heart
and Vicar, will provide for the celebration of a Sunday Mass at Star of
the Sea church each Sunday beginning on July 17.
Concerning St. Jeremiah in Framingham, by mutual agreement the time for
the Archbishop to respond to their local appeal has been extended by 30
days. During that time the Archbishop and members of the Meade-Eisner Committee
will meet with the parish council at St. George parish and with those in
vigil at St. Jeremiah church. It is hoped that through these meetings the
concerns of those who are in vigil at St. Jeremiah can be resolved.
Peter Meade and Sr. Janet Eisner noted the Archbishop's acceptance of
these recommendations as a sign of the Archbishop's continued openness,
willingness to listen and desire to achieve consensus.
With the exception of the consultation at St. Jeremiah the Meade-Eisner
Committee has completed the work it began in October of 2004. The Committee
does not plan to initiate any further evaluations.
Expressing appreciation for the work of the Committee Archbishop Sean
said, "I am most grateful for the time and effort expended by Peter
Meade, Sr. Janet Eisner, S.N.D. and all the women and men of this committee.
Their commitment to our faith and love of the Church was evidenced in their
countless hours of meetings and site visits, research and extensive deliberations.
Assisted by the generosity of their spirit we can prepare to go forward
with the work of the Lord.
About the Reconfiguration Review Committee:
Recognizing that the consolidation of parishes was painful to the people
directly affected, the Archbishop believed he could benefit from an external
review of the reconfiguration begun in January 2004. He sought an objective
assessment of the past that would help the Archdiocese improve the reconfiguration
process.
Having previously received the results of the very significant work done
by the Archdiocese's Central Committee for Reconfiguration, in October
2004, Archbishop Sean O'Malley formed an eight-person, external review
committee to evaluate the reconfiguration process underway in the Archdiocese
of Boston and to make recommendations that would aid the Archdiocese
in a fair and compassionate completion of the process.
Since its formation in October of 2004, the eight-person Meade-Eisner
Committee has been credited with advising Archbishop Sean O'Malley in
a number of
revisions and refinements to the Archdiocesan reconfiguration plan.
The Committee is chaired by Sr. Janet Eisner, SND, President of Emmanuel
College, and Peter Meade, Executive Vice President of Blue Cross Blue
Shield of Massachusetts and Chairman of the Board of Catholic Charities
in Boston.
In addition to the chairs, the committee is comprised of community and
business leaders both lay and clergy:
Mary Lou Batt, Vice President for Administration and University Centers & Institutes
of Lesley University
Jack Connors, Jr., Chairman of Hill, Holliday
Neal Finnegan, Director of the Board, Citizens Capital, Inc.
Donna Latson Gittens, CEO causemedia Inc.
Jeanne Lafond, Pastoral Associate of St. Patrick's in Brockton
Monsignor Dennis Sheehan, Pastor of St. Paul's in Cambridge
Due to declining numbers of clergy, changing Catholic demographics and
financial pressure, the Archdiocese of Boston began the process of parish
reconfiguration in January of 2004. Through this process, the Archdiocese
is seeking to serve the needs of area Catholics by building parish communities
with resources to match needs.
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