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	Diocese to St. Stan's: Forget the Parish North Adams Transcript February 17, 2011 http://www.thetranscript.com/ci_17402350 ADAMS - The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield says the future of St. Stanislaus Kostka Church won't be the same as "when it was a parish church." The diocese this afternoon released its first statement with regard to the Vatican decree that it re-open St. Stanislaus Kostka Church as a place of worship. The church was closed in 2008 after three of the town's parishes were consolidated into one, and about 200 parishioners have held vigil since to keep it open. In its decree, the Vatican's Congregation for the Clergy upheld Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell's decision to merge the Adams parishes, and today's statement from the diocese said, "It has to be stressed that the parish itself is not being re-established and that any permitted use of the building will not be the same as when it was a parish church." The statement, which underlined for emphasis the Vatican's rulings that upheld McDonnell's decisions, does not indicate a time frame as to when the bishop would decide how the church would re-open as a place of worship. New England Newspapers has sought further clarification on this. In its statement, the diocese responds to the Vatican's ruling on five appeals by five separate parishes that had appealed their consolidations. Only St. Stan's and two churches in Chicopee won their appeals to re-open the churches. The Vatican's Congregation for the Clergy's decree was made public on Tuesday. The Springfield Diocese closed a number of churches and consolidated parishes in recent years because of fewer priests, declining membership and financial difficulties. St. Stan's parishioners argued their church was well-attended and profitable and should have been the Roman Catholic church to stay open in Adams. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield's complete statement, issued by spokesman Mark E. Dupont this afternoon at 2 p.m., is as follows (underline sections indicate the diocese emphasis): Feb. 16, 2011 STATEMENT "The Diocese of Springfield has now received official notification on five appeals which were under consideration by the Congregation for the Clergy. These decisions involve St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish, Adams; Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Chicopee; St. George Parish, Chicopee; St. Patrick Parish, Chicopee; and Our Lady of Hope Parish, Springfield. "In the matter of Our Lady of Hope Parish, Springfield, the Congregation has upheld the decision by Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell to amalgamate that parish into the new Mary, Mother of Hope Parish also in Springfield. "In the matter of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Chicopee, the Congregation has upheld the decision by Bishop McDonnell both to amalgamate that parish into the Holy Name of Jesus Parish, Chicopee and allowed its closing as a place of worship., It should be noted that subsequently the Bishop has allowed the Assumption Church to re-open temporarily while structural concerns at nearby Holy Name of Jesus Church are investigated. It is currently open as the place of worship for Holy Name of Jesus Parish. "In the matters of St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish, Adams; St. George Parish, Chicopee; and St. Patrick Parish, Chicopee, the Congregation has upheld the decision by Bishop McDonnell to amalgamate those parishes, St. Stanislaus into Pope John Paul the Great Parish and both St. George and St. Patrick into the Holy Name of Jesus Parish, Chicopee. In these three instances, however, the Congregation has indicated that, in its judgment, sufficiently grave reason was not provided to close each of these church buildings and that they should be used in some manner as determined by the Bishop. It has to be stressed that in each instance the parish itself is not being reestablished and that any permitted use of the building will not be the same as when it was a parish church. "In the case of these three churches the Congregation seems to be undertaking a new application of Church law. For example it should be noted the circumstances in these three cases was consistent with the diocesan reasoning in the case of the Assumption Church for which the Congregation did uphold closure of the Church. Because of these factors the Bishop is seeking immediate clarification from the Vatican as well as through canon lawyers. "The diocese has also received a request for additional information from the Congregation, but no decision, regarding an appeal by former parishioners at St. Mary Parish in Northampton. "Finally, late yesterday the Prefect for the Congregation for the Clergy, Mauro Cardinal Piacenza, issued an apology to Bishop McDonnell for having failed to provide the diocese with these decisions in advance of their public release."
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