Despite Court Order, St. Frances Parishioners Will Continue 11-year Church Vigil

By Allison Pohle
Boston.com
October 15, 2015

http://www.boston.com/news/local/2015/10/15/despite-court-order-frances-parishioners-will-continue-year-church-vigil/lUzzWK53dlDDEhv9PpiqsL/story.html

[with video]

Nancy Shilts looked beyond the open doors of St. Frances X Cabrini Church Wednesday afternoon during her vigil shift. Dark clouds hung in the sky, but she couldn’t stop searching for what she called a “sign from heaven,” that something good was going to happen.

It never came.

When she left the Scituate church that night, the sky was still dark. She had just heard the news that she and the other parishioners of the church had lost their appeal. The state appeals court ruled that the parishioners of St. Frances X. Cabrini Church were trespassing, and would need to leave.

They haven’t.

About 100 parishioners—known as the “Friends of St. Frances X. Cabrini”—have kept a 24-7 vigil inside their beloved church for nearly 11 years. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston decided to shutter the church in 2004 as part of its reorganization plan, but the group had other ideas. They’ve made sure at least one member of the church is inside at all times to prevent the archdiocese from closing it.

They say that in the past 11 years, they’ve lost so much that they can’t bear to lose the church, too.

Before a press conference Thursday morning, the 82-year-old Shilts set out coffee and donuts as she greeted parishioners.

“How are you doing?” she asked as people walked through the open doors. They gave her half-hearted smiles. She gave them hugs.

“I know, I’m pissed, too,” she said. “I’m allowed to say that because the doors are closed, and we’re not in the church.”

She isn’t the only one who’s disappointed. As he addressed the crowd, John Rogers, who leads the Friends of St. Frances with his wife Maryellen, said the parishioners are frustrated with what he called an epic legal battle.

Their lawyer, Mary Beth Carmody, said the fight isn’t over.

The parishioners have 14 days to file a petition for a rehearing with the appeals court, which they plan to do, she said. They will also file a motion with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in the next 20 days so they have a chance to have their case heard there.

“We don’t know the process beyond the next three weeks,” Carmody said. “But we’re fighting on several levels.”

Vigil volunteers Margaret O'Brien, Evelyn Morton, Barbara Nappa and Nancy Shilts at the press conference.

In addition to pursuing action through the courts, Carmody also pointed out that the parishioners are seeking action from Cardinal Sean O’Malley. She said that, with just one stroke of his pen, O’Malley could choose to reopen the church. But parishioners said O’Malley hasn’t visited the church once throughout their vigil.

The last time parishioners met with him was in November of 2014. That February, however, they were served with a court notice claiming they were trespassing on the archdiocese’s property.

In a statement Wednesday, archdiocese spokesman Terrence Donilon asked that parishioners consider joining other churches.

“We appreciate the court having taken the time to review this matter and issue its ruling,” he said. “We ask the Friends of St. Frances to respect that decision and conclude the vigil. The parishes of the Archdiocese welcome and invite those involved with the vigil to participate and join in the fullness of parish life.”

St. Frances X Cabrini was one of many churches the archdiocese decided to close in 2004. Carmody said this was directly tied to the clergy sexual abuse scandal, when scores of Catholics left the church and the parishes didn’t have enough funds to keep the doors open.

Carmody said two priests accused of sexual abuse have ties to the church. Thomas Forry was defrocked, and she said another unnamed priest left the church and reached a settlement with the victim’s family.

“The archdiocese will have you believe this is a separate issue, but it really isn’t,” Rogers said. “The closing of the church is in a lineage of reactions. We here want to make sure there are no more victims and that churches are not sold off to repay the cost of sexual abuse. You don’t get to abuse children and then steal our church to pay for your sins.”

The clergy sexual abuse scandal is directly tied to the devotion the parishioners have for their church, he said.

“We ask: When does the pain stop?” Rogers said. “The pain the families have gone through is only exacerbated by the fact that you want to tear down this church. That’s where our inner anger comes from. That’s why we’re still here.”

Because they’re still in the appeals process, they won’t have to leave just yet.

In the meantime, the devoted group of 100 parishioners will continue to staff their 24-7 vigil. They’ll continue to sleep on lumpy mattresses and pass the time by solving puzzles and playing mahjong. They’ll continue to pray that O’Malley will come to their parish to see just how much it means to them.

After the press conference, Shilts looked at a poster hanging on a wall of the church. It read “Working together for a fair solution” in bold blue letters. On the side, in smaller print, it said “4002 days in vigil.” Someone taped the number “4003” over it, and drew smiley faces inside the zeroes. Shilts smiled when she saw it.

“We’re not rebels,” she said, as she looked outside where the sun was shining on Thursday. “It’s looking beautiful out there. That’s a better sign.”

She turned away and looked at the poster again.

“I’ll be back tomorrow.”