Church Closings

February 10, 2009

New group being formed to save Catholic churches

By Mark Guydish mguydish@timesleader.com
Education Reporter
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Citing other diocese nationwide where the percent of churches being closed was substantially smaller than here in the Diocese of Scranton, Noreen Foti stood atop the steps leading to Sacred Heart Church in Wilkes-Barre and announced the formation of the "Council of Parishes of the Diocese of Scranton" to "stop these unprecedented closing.

"We urge any parishioner adversely affected by the closing of their church to attend an "organizational meeting" 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, at the North End Slovak Citizens Club, 635 North Main Street in Wilkes-Barre.

Foti and her husband Anthony were joined by about 25 supporters. The couple formed the Sacred Heart Wilkes-Barre Foundation about 18 months ago in an effort to save the historic church, more than a century old. Bishop Joseph Martino announced this weekend that the church would be closed.

Noreen Foti asked parishioners frustrated with the closings to write to the Papal Nuncio in Washington D.C., the Pope's representive in the country. She also said a member of their group had visited a prelated in Rome, who was scheduled to come to the Diocese of Allentown in April. "We plann on being there."

Noting that Sacred Heart had 2,800 registered members and an annual income of aobut $500,000, Noreen Foti insisted the church was still viable, and promised to continue to fight to save it. "We remain committed to our cause and are pursuing all remedies to prevent the closing of this church."

 

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Related video anchored by John Baldino, shot by Rachel Decker.

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