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	Hundreds Attend St. Peter's Mass over Objections of Cleveland Diocese Fox 8 August 16 2010 http://www.fox8.com/news/wjw-st-peters-parishioners-attend-mass-diocese-objections-txt,0,6397666.story CLEVELAND - Over three hundred Catholics attended a mass in an empty, rented warehouse over the objections of the Cleveland Diocese. The parishioners used to attend historic St. Peter's near downtown. The diocese closed St. Peter's back in April as part of its downsizing efforts. "It's a glorious day for St. Peter's, it's a glorious day for the city of Cleveland," says parishioner Nancy McGrath. "Finally, the people have taken the church back for the people. It is no longer being directed by a hierarchy that is abusive and cruel." Cameras were not allowed in the service. Bob Kloos, an official with the group "Endangered Catholics", says a priest presided over the service and it was a mass. "We are still, in my view, very Catholic," says parishioner Benoy Joseph. Some members of the group say their congregation was financially healthy and should not have been closed. The diocese wants the members to merge into other churches in their cluster, but the St. Peter's congregation vows to stay together - even if it means going outside of the diocese. "This is a holy step because the church belongs to them," McGrath says. "It doesn't belong to the diocese." The diocese said last week that it could not comment on what was going on until there was a religious service, and the diocese itself examined exactly what took place at the service. It does say that, in general, a congregation needs about 2500 members in Cleveland so that the resources of the diocese, including its priests, can be evenly spread across the eight counties it serves. Kloos says the community of St. Peter now plans to hold mass in the warehouse every Sunday morning.
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