Vatican upholds church closing
The Vatican upheld the decision by Bishop David Zubik to close a Catholic church in Monongahela that was the subject of protests by parishioners.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, in a news release Wednesday, said the Vatican decree stated the appeal filed by opponents of the closure of St. Anthony Church had no basis in canon law or in fact, and the appeal was rejected.
“Vatican authorities found that Bishop Zubik had followed all canonical procedures and exercised proper judgment in making his decision to close the building,” the release said.
St. Anthony was merged with Transfiguration Parish in 2011 to form St. Damien of Molokai.
Mass was originally held at both buildings, but the parish struggled financially to meet expenses.
Zubik in March deicided to close St. Anthony after the parish council could not reach a decision on which building should be closed. The closing was met with protests and an overnight vigil following the last Mass there.
A group of parishioners then made the appeal to the Vatican, and had some harsh words for Zubik, who responded it was an embarrassment to the church.
“St. Damien of Molokai Parish is a spiritually thriving parish, with members whose commitment to evangelization and to serving the poor is truly inspiring,” Zubik said in response to the decision.