The head of the Council of Parishes that represents the nine supressed parishes of the Archdiocese of Boston has presented an appeal directly to the Pope asking for a reversal of Vatican approval of these closures. In an unusual – even historic move – according to a Council press release:

Peter Borre, the head of the Council of Parishes, which represents nine of the suppressed parishes, hand-delivered “a direct appeal to His Holiness Pope Benedict … to the Vatican’s Secretariat of State for the Rev. Mons. Peter Wells, Counselor for General Affairs” today in Rome.

In commenting on the action, Terrence Donilon, spokeman for the Archdiocese noted:

“We have not had an opportunity to review the full submission by the Council of Parishes…  However, the appeals process, just concluded, was a lengthy and thorough effort which included participation by the highest court in the Vatican, the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura.

“When the Signatura makes a ruling it does so in the name of the Holy Father,” said Donilon. “There are no further appeals options available to the petitioners.”

 

Among the nine supressed parishes involved in the appeal is that of  Ste. Jeanne d’Arc Church in Lowell – established on December 30,1922, by William Cardinal O’Connell and staffed by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate until the 2004 suppression. Stay tuned as this latest attempt to keep these parishes open plays out.

Read the full story here in the MetroWest Daily News on-line.