BishopAccountability.org
	A Hearing for St. Teresa's Berkshire Eagle June 21, 2008 http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_9656526?source=most_emailed Saturday, June 21 The closing of six of Pittsfield's 10 Catholic churches has been accompanied by remarkably little drama, for which the Springfield Diocese should be grateful. The Boston Archdiocese wishes it had been so fortunate. Given the relative ease in which the process has gone forward, it shouldn't be too much to ask of the Springfield Diocese to give a full hearing to a committee from St. Teresa's Church that still hopes the church will remain open. There are a variety of reasons why attendance at Pittsfield's Catholic churches has dropped dramatically, among them the decline of the city's population and the fewer number of Catholics who attend church regularly. While the diocese seems reconciled to this situation, Walter Doerle, one of seven members of the Parish Closing Committee, takes a more optimistic approach, pointing out in yesterday's Eagle that closing six churches leaves no room for future growth. Even with the status quo, having only four churches could lead to overcrowding and a lessening of the religious experience for parishioners. The diocese opted for a four-church, five-priest set-up for the city, which is not far afield from the five-church, five-priest model the committee has discussed as a possible option. Petitioning the diocese to allow a deacon or lay person to celebrate Mass is another option, and while this may be unique or unprecedented, the Catholic Church in Pittsfield and in the nation finds itself at a crossroads where old methods aren't always working and new ones should be considered. At the very least, Springfield Bishop Timothy McDonnell should meet with the members of the committee to discuss their ideas for keeping the church open. An exchange of letters isn't good enough when an issue of this magnitude is at stake. The time period for the appeals process has passed, but the committee members claim they were not aware of the process and what does it matter if the time period has come and gone? Five Pittsfield churches are passing into history this summer and parishioners want to save a sixth. They deserve a chance to be heard.
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