December 8, 2024

The “Last Mass” of Sacred Heart of Mary proceeds as scheduled. In his homily, Father Jim describes numerous improvements that have occurred over the last fourteen months only to be informed that we have to close. The Blessed Sacrament is removed from the tabernacle.

Fact: The Decree states that the church, as a subsidiary of Our Lady of Hope retains “permission to reserve the Blessed Sacrament there.” So why was The Blessed Sacrament removed?

Also in his homily, Father Jim mentions a “history of debt” and that we “owe the Archdiocese a lot of money.”

Fact: Most of that “debt” is Archdiocesan tax. SHM’s “debt” mushroomed by over 50% due to a recent single entry by the Archdiocese’s Controller. The (non-tax) entry, is one of many troubling findings discovered buried in the parish’s financial documents. The entry was made on September 12, 2022—the same month Seek the City’s consolidation program commenced. Was debt added to parishes’ Balance Sheets just prior to placing them on a short list for closure?

From www.seekthecity.org:

“Parishes are separate entities from the Archdiocese; therefore, all assets or debts that belong to a parish, stay with that parish, including following that parish when merged into a newly formed parish. All newly formed parishes will also remain entities separate from the Archdiocese.”

Reality: A parish is a separate entity only insofar as it can pay Archdiocesan tax; if it can’t, the tax will drive it into closure. The proceeds of its sale will then satisfy the amount of debt calculated and claimed by the Archdiocese.