Parishes join appeal accusing Catholic Church of `ethnic cleansing’

CLEVELAND (RNS) Members of eight ethnic churches that have been ordered closed have joined a national appeal to the Vatican, saying the Catholic Church in America is engaged in “ethnic cleansing.” Catholic activist Peter Borre of Boston, representing 22 ethnic parishes in six dioceses, met in Rome last week with Polish Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, asking […]

CLEVELAND (RNS) Members of eight ethnic churches that have been ordered closed have joined a national appeal to the Vatican, saying the Catholic Church in America is engaged in “ethnic cleansing.”

Catholic activist Peter Borre of Boston, representing 22 ethnic parishes in six dioceses, met in Rome last week with Polish Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, asking that he use his influence to reverse the closings.

“The cardinal listened attentively,” said Borre, who was back in Boston.”I expressed my view that Cleveland’s Catholics are not being treated with the pastoral care one could expect from someone entrusted with their spiritual welfare.”


Borre, who chairs the Boston-based Council of Parishes — which helps parishioners nationwide fight church closings — declined to discuss what went on in the 45-minute meeting with the cardinal or to speculate about what would become of the appeal.

Borre presented the cardinal with a letter signed by parishioners of the 22 parishes outlining “a deliberate campaign of parish ethnic cleansing spreading across America.”

The letter states that half of the 50 churches that Cleveland Bishop Richard Lennon ordered closed in his downsizing plan are ethnic parishes — nine Polish, six Hungarian, six Slovak, two Slovenian, and one Lithuanian.

“We’re taking a stand,” said organizer Joe Feckanin, who is a member of two Cleveland-area Polish parishes, Immaculate Heart of Mary in Slavic Village and Sts. Peter & Paul in Garfield Heights, both of which are remaining open.

“My mother always taught me to stick up for people being wronged. This is wrong.”

Diocese spokesman Robert Tayek said the diocese will still have five Polish parishes when the closings are completed at the end of June. He added that there have been no Slovak language Masses at one of the shuttered churches, St. Wendelin’s, for 25 years.


“The bishop went way beyond the norms to make sure all ethnic groups were accommodated,” he said. “Using the term `ethnic cleansing’ is hurtful. It connotes annihilation of people. The reconfiguration process was designed to make the church stronger and better for everyone.”

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