BishopAccountability.org
	Local Catholic Churches' Appeals Heard in Rome Today By Julia Spitz MetroWest Daily News May 7, 2010 http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/lifestyle/religion/x2084232097/Local-Catholic-churches-appeals-heard-in-Rome-today Today, the Vatican's highest judicial tribunal is hearing the appeals of Boston Archdiocese parishes including St. Jeremiah in Framingham, St. Anselm in Sudbury, Sacred Heart in Natick and St. James the Great in Wellesley. "It's not like a court of appeals as we know it," said Mary Beth Carmody, co-chairwoman of St. Jeremiah's appeal committee. Five members of the Apostolic Signatura will discuss the appeals that have been submitted requesting the Archdiocese re-establish and officially recognize the parishes. "They could decide today," said Carmody, but there is no specific timetable for a decision, and even when a decision is made, it is not clear when local parish members will be informed. "Our advocate in Rome will get the decree and they will send it to us" by mail, she said. St. Jeremiah, which marked its fifth year of vigil yesterday, has been functioning as a parish but not officially recognized as such. St. James the Great was closed by the Archdiocese and church members have been in vigil since the fall of 2004. Sacred Heart Church was also deemed a "suppressed parish" by the Archdiocese as part of the 2004 reconfiguration plan to close about one-fifth of its 357 parishes. St. Anselm was among the closed churches whose members participated in round-the-clock vigils to keep the Archdiocese from locking the doors. The Archdiocese eventually opted to make the Sudbury church a rectorate, and though it functions as a parish and has a priest, it is not recognized as a parish.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.