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	Sacred Heart Group Confronts Closure By John Baloga Times Leader August 26, 2008 http://www.timesleader.com/news/Sacred_Heart_group__confronts_closure_08-25-2008.html WILKES-BARRE - The Sacred Heart Foundation and members of the Sacred Heart/St. John’s parish vented issues they have about the Scranton Diocese’s plan for closing the church and consolidating the parish and moving to St. Stanislaus of North Wilkes-Barre. During the presentations, Noreen Foti, the founding member of the Sacred Heart Foundation argued that the parish is growing again in members and its financial situation has improved due to its efforts and the closure of the elementary school in 2007. She said, however, that “the Scranton Diocese’s business plan is not a rational plan.” Her husband, architect Tony Foti, explained that although the Sacred Heart Church building is older and has need of certain repairs to its bell tower and roof, the parish is the larger of the two proposed to be merged and it has undergone renovations in 1983, installation of an elevator for handicap accessibility and other repairs since then. Michael Horvath, treasurer of the Foundation, said that part of the Sacred Heart/St. John parish improved financial statement is due to having its assessments reduced to the average of all other parishes in the Scranton area partly because of the closure of the school. The issues for church members attending Monday night’s meeting, however, are many and emotionally charged. Foremost is parish members’ sense of identity as a Slovak parish, founded by a parish priest who was an inventor, artist and scientist. The foundation has been invited to express its views at a meeting 7 tonight at St. Stanislaus Church that will bring both parishes together with the Holy Savior parish, which will be consolidated with the two in three years.
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