Sharon DeLong has seen three sons — now adults — and two grandchildren baptized at St. Matthew Parish. The 40-year member of the church remains unsure how many more memories she’ll experience there — but concerned parishioners bought her and about 130 other parishioners a little more time to attend regular mass there.
In January, Diocese of Saginaw officials announced St. Matthew was among 53 Catholic churches across the region that would have services reduced beginning in July.
That same month, members from St. Matthew and two other churches — St. Josaphat Parish and St. John the Baptist Parish in Carrollton Township — sharing the same fate organized an appeal of the decision, and diocese officials announced they would delay the reorganization at those specific facilities as Catholic leaders in Rome consider the appeal.
Erin Looby Carlson, Diocese of Saginaw spokesperson, said officials with Rome’s Congregation for the Clergy have yet to respond to the appeal.
Until a decision has been reached by the Congregation of the Clergy, steps toward implementation of the diocese reorganization at those three churches are on hold, Carlson said.
“It’s a waiting game,” said DeLong, a 66-year-old Zilwaukee resident. “Whatever decision comes down, I’ll have to work with that. I can’t do much about it.”
The diocese reorganization plan would have merged the three churches and significantly reduced services at both St. Matthew and St. John while making St. Josaphat the central church where regularly-scheduled masses would continue.
Camilla Mayer, a lifetime member of St. John for more than 50 years, said she’s not sure what to expect from Rome’s decision-makers.
“If it’s going to happen, let it happen,” she said. “Why delay?”
Mayer said, if her church does merge with the others, she’s ready for the change.
She said the three churches have collaborated for special services in the past with positive results.
“It’s a different feeling when the music is awesome and the seats are full,” Mayer said. “It’s a more lively church.”
While Diocese of Saginaw officials are saying a reorganization plan doesn’t call for closing any churches yet, about half of the 11-county Catholic organization’s 109 places of worship will see many services end or decrease over the next three years.
The move will affect 108,601 Catholics that count themselves members of the diocese, which oversees churches in Saginaw, Bay, Midland, Arenac, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Huron, Isabella, Sanilac and Tuscola counties.
Church leaders last year announced the reorganization plan in response to declining membership.
Since 1988, membership in the diocese has shrunk by about 32 percent, or 51,399 people.