MELBOURNE Catholics have written to Pope Benedict begging him to save their church and complaining that Archbishop Denis Hart is treating them with contempt. The letter claims that Archbishop Hart has reneged on an agreement with parishioners and is ''destroying a wonderful Catholic asset'' in not rebuilding St Joseph's Collingwood.
''Your Holiness, we turn to you in our hour of need as our church leaders offer us nothing,'' the letter says.
Asked whether she thought the Pope would read the letter, spokeswoman Mary Fenelon said: ''We don't know, but what else can we do? We are desperate. We registered the letter and sent it express mail, which cost $40.''
The 1861 church was gutted by fire in 2007. The archdiocese plans to rebuild a much smaller chapel next door, using the church site for a library and playground for the adjoining Catholic school.
Ms Fenelon said yesterday that members of the congregation planned to set up a tent and occupy the site, because it could be demolished at any time.
Archbishop Hart had refused all requests to meet parishioners, she said. He made a U-turn in St Patrick's Cathedral and left by a side door to avoid them, and another time four parishioners waited hours outside his office in vain.
The letter says: ''We have 250 people attending Mass each week, and their reaction to the news about our future varies from disillusionment to incredulity to outright anger.''
Vicar-general Les Tomlinson said it was the congregation's prerogative to write to the Pope if they felt it warranted, but the archdiocese was using its resources as best it could to serve the church's needs.
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