(Take this for what it is, a rumor. If you take it for anything else, that’s your fault.)
Sources in the Archdiocese of Boston tell me that Archbishop O’Malley has a list of 30 parishes that he will reveal in December that will be closed. And he will have a list of another 30 parishes that the local communities themselves will have to decide whether to close. Parish consolidations are a fact of life in Boston nowadays. We’ll have to get used to it.
I’m not moaning about the closings. In fact, it may be healthy for the Archdiocese of Boston to close some parishes. We need larger communities of people gathered together and we need to make people realize the importance of their parish again. Maybe if they have to drive more than five minutes to get to Mass, they will. Especially if consolidation means that there will be larger congregations, perhaps people will realize that they’re not isolated and alone as practicing Catholics.
Sorry, Jean, just an oversight.
Of course, I’d appreciate it if you listed me correctly. It’s not Betternet.com, but Bettnet.com. And calling me gossipy isn’t very flattering.