The Coalition of Suppressed Parishes has asked the Vatican to remove the Most Rev. Edward P. Cullen from the Diocese of Allentown, citing “the willful destruction of dozens of our vibrant parishes.”“He doesn’t reflect the wishes of the parishioners,” group member Stephen Antalics said.
“People are outraged that he doesn’t respond to inquiries made directly to him at the diocese and that he has a very smug and arrogant attitude toward parishioners.”
In a letter to Cardinal Giovanni Battista of the Congregation for Bishops, the group requested the Vatican appoint a coadjutor bishop for the diocese.
The group refers to recent church closings and mergers in the diocese as “parish destruction.”
The coalition alleges several other areas of concern, such as: disregarding suggestions to cope with problems in the diocese; the disrespect to hundreds of faithful Catholics; and the lack of concern to ethnic parishes in the diocese.
The letter states, “thousands of Catholics have been alienated from the church and many more driven away.”
The group’s letter also calls for the earliest appointment of a coadjutor bishop to restore pastoral care and “basic human decency” in ministering to the needs of Catholics in these times of economic distress.
Copies of the letter were also sent to Monsignor Andrew Baker, a native of the Allentown area, and to his Eminence, Jozef Cardinal Tomko, prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
The letter also asks Battista “to reflect on the accelerating decline of our Church in America. We place the future of Catholics (of) Allentown Diocese in your hands.”
Diocese Director of Communications Matt Kerr said concerns are related to 15 of the 47 parishes that are appealing closings and mergers since last year. The Vatican has not ruled on those appeals but will likely within the next couple of weeks, he said.
“Bishop Cullen submitted his resignation when he turned 75, as all bishops in their respective diocese do. He submitted his resignation in March 2008 right after turning 75. The Vatican has not acknowledged accepting his resignation and won’t until they are ready to appoint another bishop for the diocese,” Kerr said.
Kerr gave an example of how long that decision could take. He said a bishop in Syracuse turned 75 in 2007 about 22 months ago and submitted his resignation as they are required to do. The decision to accept his resignation was just ruled on Tuesday by the Vatican and in this case a bishop was appointed.
“Some bishops have reached the age of 75 years ago, but have remained as bishops of their diocese in a number of sections of the country even though they sent letters of resignation,” Kerr said. “The Vatican makes decisions at their own pace.”
“When they accept Bishop Cullen’s resignation they will probably appoint a new bishop for the diocese,” Kerr said.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to us or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that we agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Source (RHC)
SV (ED)