Mar 20, 2015 2 min read

MONONGAHELA – Former members of a closed Roman Catholic church in Monongahela have enlisted a noted canonical adviser to assist them in their second appeal to the Vatican to reopen the building.

The former congregation of St. Anthony Church will host a meeting Tuesday in Monongahela with Peter Borré, who has been involved in similar challenges in the “Catholic rust belt” from Cleveland to Pittsburgh and in other parts of Pennsylvania.

“We’re going to Rome to fight this all the way,” Borré said Friday.

The protesters lost their first appeal to Rome to reopen the church when the Vatican found in November that Bishop David Zubik had followed canonical procedures and exercised proper judgment in closing the building at Chess Street and Park Avenue. The closure was blamed on a dwindling parish congregation, and St. Anthony was absorbed into the Transfiguration worship site of the St. Damien of Molokai Parish in Monongahela.

Members of St. Anthony initially responded to the decision by holding protests before the church closed, and some of them temporarily refused to leave the building after the final Mass was celebrated there April 27.

Borré said the “refugees” of St. Anthony will appeal to the Vatican Supreme Court to reconsider the decision to close the church and also reach out to those involved in similar battles.

“The bishops are systematically shutting down financially viable churches,” Borré said. “St. Anthony is a very thriving church. It’s in great shape.”

The Rev. Ronald Lengwin, diocesan spokesman, said he was unaware of Borré’s visit, and that the Vatican has made its final decision on the closing of St. Anthony.

Lengwin said he spoke Thursday with the Rev. William Terza, pastor of the Monongahela parish, and received positive feedback from him about the church merger.

“He thought the parish had come together very well,” Lengwin said.

Borré will speak at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the James C. Ford American Legion Post 949 on Route 481 in Carroll Township.