NORWICH – Nearly seven months after it was announced that one of the two Catholic churches in Norwich would close, parishioners and representatives of St. Bartholomew’s and St. Paul’s are mapping out their futures together, with no plans for either parish to shut its doors.
What began as the quest to save St. Bart’s has now become the quest to restore faith and bring both churches closer together, as several weeks ago it was announced, unofficially, that both churches will remain open. Parishioners and officials from both churches now say molding – and mending – the Catholic landscape in Norwich is the task at hand.
That task will begin at a parish council meeting to be held tonight. A planning committee will present a final draft outlining how the two churches will operate in the future. “From the first draft to the final draft – we’ve expanded a lot of things,” said Parish Council President and planning committee member Ron Storrin. “I think people will come away with a better feeling.”
Storrin said the draft is based on recommendations compiled over the previous months from parishioners at both churches. He said most of the reccomendations had a similar theme, mostly regarding the necessity of keeping both churches open. If the council accepts the proposal, it will be sent to the Diocese of Syracuse in late November for review.
Initial directives from the Bishop James Moynihan back in March alluded to St. Bartholomew’s as the church slated to close, due to local economic factors, a shortage of priests in the diocese, and a shortage of priests in the Catholic Church in general. In the days after the announcement, parishioners formed the “Committee to Save St. Bartholomew’s” and held several town meetings to organize their efforts. Following months of grassroots struggles highlighting the logistical and spiritual importance of St. Bart’s, several weeks ago parishioners were given the welcomed announcement that their church would remain open.
“It’s a matter of speculation,” said St. Bart’s legal representative Thomas Vitanza. “But from everything we’ve seen, from the feedback we are getting – both churches are staying open.” Vitanza said the churches will still have to go through the official process outlined in March, but based on financial clauses and meetings with the diocese, both churches are secure.
In light of the good news, some hope the final proposal will allow for more autonomy for both St. Bart’s and St. Paul’s, and that parishioners can have a bigger hand in the operation of their parishes to avoid any future misconceptions and misunderstandings about the status of their churches.
“We would like the laity to be more involved and to have a say,” said St. Bart’s parishioner Geraldine Cusamano. “We need better checks and balances.”
Father Douglas Cunningham, the pastor for both parishes, said he’s hopeful the final proposal will resonate with parishioners, and hopefully alleviate some of their fears.
“It’s been a scary road for all of us to travel,” said Cunningham. “The plan we’re putting forward is a commitment to keeping both our beautiful churches open.”
The final proposal is on schedule with the Bishop’s request for all proposals Diocese-wide to be submitted by Thanksgiving, and a response to those proposals is expected several weeks after. The parish council meeting will begin at 7 tonight in the St. Paul’s downstairs Parish Hall and not at the Monsignor Festa Parish Center, due to preparations for tomorrow’s spaghetti supper. A public forum discussing the proposal is scheduled for sometime between now and early November.