Last summer, the Cleveland Catholic Diocese completed a "reconfiguration plan" that led to the closing of 50 churches, due to a dwindling population of urban parishioners, a shortage of priests and various economic concerns. But, the reverberations from that parish reduction program have continued ever since, with over a dozen Northeast Ohio churches filing appeals to the Vatican.
KLOOS: Apparently all the letters to Rome have had an impact.
That was the reaction of Bob Kloos to Bishop Richard Lennon's announcement, yesterday, that he made a personal request to Rome for a review of his actions. Kloos is a spokesperson for the group Endangered Catholics, which formed in the wake of the church closings.
John Carroll University Religious Studies professor Doris Donnelly says the Vatican has reviewed the practices of US dioceses before, but this is different.
DONNELLY: The approach is rather unusual on the part of any CEO, anybody in charge of an organization, or in this case, the Diocese, to welcome an outside visit to do an assessment of leadership.
The Vatican appointed Rev. John Smith, an Emeritus Bishop from Trenton New Jersey, to do that assessment. This week, Smith will be talking with Bishop Lennon and representatives from the protesting parishes. Donnelly says he may well also review some of the financial and demographic data that Lennon used in deciding which churches to close.
DONNELLY: It will clear the air for the Vatican, which has been receiving the concerns, and, at least what it will do for people in the Diocese of Cleveland, it will say that their concerns have been heard and have been dealt with.
Bob Kloos hopes Smith's report will be made public.
BOB KLOOS: I think it would only be fair that the results, summary statements --- as much detail as possible --- be made available to the people who have had to endure five years of frustration.
Bishop Smith is due to file a report to the Vatican, after his review this week. No word so far on what exactly will happen after that...or when.
