Church Resurrection?: Easter Sunday Services Held outside

WOIO
April 9, 2012

http://www.woio.com/story/17361374/easter-sunday-services-held-outdoors



[with video]

CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) - On this Easter Sunday the faithful everywhere celebrated the resurrection of Christ but for some local Catholics this holy day takes on a new meaning as they pray their closed churches will come alive again too.

Since before they could walk or talk Ray Kasperski and Ray Michalski have been parishioners at St. Casimir church in Cleveland.

"I went to school here," said Ray Kasperski.

"I was baptized, married and hopefully will be buried here," said Ray Michalski.

Despite a lifetime of membership for the second Easter in a row Ray and Ray are forced to worship outside their home church along with other lifelong parishioners. St. Casimir remains locked up -- even though the Vatican has ordered the church to be re-opened.

"It's very sad, you go to another church but you think of this church at the same time."

St. Casimir Church is one of 13 that the Vatican has ordered to be reopened but so far no one has seen any move by Bishop Richard Lennon to allow parishioners back in.

"Enough is enough. Why delay any longer?"

By Easter Sunday, they thought their church would be resurrected.

Bishop Lennon presided over his usual Easter Sunday services at St. John Cathedral but he has yet to come out and talk about why these churches remain closed.

"We are all expected to listen to our managers. The Pope to our bishop is his manager."

Some say they're starting to wonder if they will ever see these chains come down.

"If he was going to reopen it I think he would have done it by now."

Until they can worship inside parishioners and supporters of the church say this is where you'll find them -- every Sunday.

"We won the battle but we haven't won the war yet."