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	Members of Flint Church Say They Knew Closing Announcement Was Coming but Still Feel Hurt By Shannon Murphy Flint Journal September 15, 2008 http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/index.ssf/2008/09/members_of_flint_church_say_th.html GENESEE COUNTY, Michigan -- Parishioners at St. Leo the Great Catholic Church knew the announcement to close the eastside Flint church was coming. But that didn't make it any easier this weekend when the Rev. James Bettendorf read a letter during masses announcing the closure from the Lansing Diocese. "We knew it was coming, but we didn't want to hear it," said Marvis Sordyle, a church member for more than 40 years and a member of the parish council. St. Leo's closing and the potential merger of four other churches were some of the reccomendations in the diocese's Planning Tomorrow's Churches report, which was released Monday. Also included in the plan is: • St. John in Davison will be served by two priests and will merge, when necessary, with Blessed Sacrament Chapel in Burton. • St. Michael in Flint will cluster with the possibility of merging with St. Mary in Flint. • Christ the King in Flint will cluster, if necessary with St. Matthew in Flint. According to the report, Genesee County will have 18 priests, one high school chaplain and three pastoral coordinators and sacramental ministers serving 19 faith communities. If churches have plans to merge, at least one will close. If churches are clustering, they will each keep their name and building, but will share administrative duties, such as pastors. St. Luke, Sacred Heart and St. Agnes Catholic churches in Flint closed their doors in July and August and merged with St. John Vianney. It is unknown when St. Leo's will close or when other changes will happen. The plan is expected to be implemented across the region in the next 9 years. St. Leo's, 3641 Wyoming, is home to about 180 families. While the church is merging with nearby Holy Rosary Catholic Church, not all members are sure that will be their next place of worship. "Where I'll make my next home I'm not sure," Sordyle said. "I'm just not ready to give this home up yet." St. Leo's has seen a decline in enrollment in recent years, said church secretary Marti Bartosz. About two years ago, the church dropped it's religious education program because there were not enough children for the classes. Donna Scheans, a parishioner of St. Leo's for nearly 30 years, was sad and disappointed when she heard about the closing. "I don't think it's right because we have a lot of programs going on," she said, adding a craft show is planned for next month and parishioner's have a monthly pasties sale. Scheans, who relies on other church members for rides to mass because she uses a walker, also worries her next church won't be as friendly. For the past few years, she has distributed communion during mass, something she doesn't think would happen at a bigger church because of her disability. "They've given me opportunities I would not have otherwise," she said. "Long-time opportunities I have wished for but never thought possible.
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