A couple of news events occurred over the past couple of days regarding parish closings in Boston. First, closing extensions were granted to six of the 18 parishes whose pastors met with Archbishop O’Malley last week. All of the parishes were offered extensions, but only six have taken up the offer so far. At least one has been put off until next May. The so-called Council of Parishes, VOTF in sheep’s clothing, calls it an empty gesture. I think it might be a mistake, too, by drawing out the process and the pain for people involved. I think it might be better to do it like pulling off a bandage: make it quick, the pain will be intense but short.
Also, the Archdiocese asked the local prosecutor to drop criminal charges against the guy who was arrested after he was removed from a closed parish. For all the talk of his “martyrdom” there is still no sign that anyone else in the parish was contemplating holding a sit-in. He was just a lone, stubborn crank. And it’s not just up to the archdiocese whether he’s prosecuted, because the trespassing wasn’t why he was arrested, but it was the fighting with the cops.
