Church Closings

February 5, 2009

Church-closing suggestions go to bishop

But Catholic Light did not say what parishes are on final list. Bishop will make announcement in January.

By Mark Guydish mguydish@timesleader.com
Education Reporter
Mark Guydish on Facebook   |   @TLMarkGuydish on Twitter

SCRANTON – The Diocese of Scranton took another major step toward what will almost certainly be the closing of dozens of churches, with Bishop Joseph Martino receiving the “Final Recommendations” from a central planning commission, according to an article in Thursday’s Catholic Light.

The diocese began the process, in the fall of 2007, hiring The Reid Group to assist with a long series of reviews at various levels. It included the formation and training of core teams in each parish and cluster core teams of several parishes near each other.

Using diocesan guidelines, those teams hashed out preliminary recommendations for their clusters, which were reviewed and accepted or revamped by the central Planning Commission. The commission released preliminary recommendations in July.

Those recommendations were shared with parishioners, and posted on the diocesan Web site, www.dioceseofscranton.org. The final recommendations, however, are apparently not being released. Instead the bishop will review them and announce his final decision in January, and the changes will begin July 1.

In an unrelated article in the same edition, diocesan Chancellor James B. Earley issued an “official notice” regarding The Rev. Paul Ines, who had served as assistant pastor at four churches in the diocese, including St. Gabriel, Hazleton and Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Tunkhannock. The notice has been sent to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops with a request that it be communicated to all dioceses.

Ines is a priest of the Salesian Society of St. John Bosco, founded in 1859 and named after St. Frances de Sales. According to the notice, Ines was ordered by his religious institute to return to his community in Bethlehem, Israel. He had been removed from service in the Diocese of Scranton in December 2005 because of “inappropriate relationships with adults.”

Earley’s notice says Ines has reportedly not returned to his community and is residing in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

“The diocese has been advised that Father Ines has attempted to contact parishioners in parishes where he was assigned. Please know that the diocese does not approve of such behavior, and is continuing to urge Father Ines’ superior to address the conduct and status of this priest.”

Tweet	Follow @TLnews

Send Question or Remark to the Publisher

This story also appears on the following websites...