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SUNDAY, MAY 30, 2010 • Vol. 90, No. 21 • www.dbqarch.org/Witness

Mailed 5/27

ARCHDIOCESE OF DUBUQUE, IOWA

Saying goodbye to St. Mary Parish

Archbishop Hanus

celebrant at final

Mass May 25

By Sr. Carol Hoverman, OSF

Editor, The Witness

 

DUBUQUE — “We were married here

40 years ago.” “This is where I went to

grade school.” “All my children were baptized

here.” These were typical memories

shared by many of the 700 parishioners

and former members that filled St. Mary

Church for the closing Mass of the 157-

year-old historic parish on Tuesday

evening, May 25. For many, this was the

only parish they’ve known throughout

their entire lives.

Joy Thurston Oberhausen was in

church over an hour early. “I sat in this

pew all my life, so I came early to be sure

to get this place tonight,” she said.

And although people’s voices were

raised in the prayers and songs, their

hearts were heavy and tears flowed, knowing

that this was the end of an era.

In his homily, Archbishop Jerome

Hanus, OSB, who was the main celebrant,

acknowledged that this was a time for sadness

and grieving, not only for the parishioners

but also for him.

“Closing a parish is one of the most difficult

things I do as your archbishop,” he

began. “Even though the whole archdiocese,

along with the entire heartland of

America, is undergoing significant downsizing,

it is still very difficult.”

St. Mary Parish is the 35th parish in the

Archdiocese of Dubuque to close since

2000.

“You have had to endure the slow death

of something that is very dear to you,” he

continued. “You have worked hard trying

to avert this moment.”

In summer 2009, parish leadership endorsed

the proposal to seek closure of the

parish due to declining financial support

and dwindling active membership, and the

archbishop formally approved the request.

Since the Blessed Virgin Mary is the

patroness of the church, the theme of

Mary as the “Temple of the Lord” was carried

throughout the Mass.

The founders of the parish, too, wanted

to create a beautiful temple of the Lord

“to be as impressive as the great cathedrals

of Europe,” the archbishop said.

“Christian tradition says that sacred

buildings fulfill their purpose when the

people who use them become themselves,

‘temples of the Lord.’”

At the end of the Mass, the archbishop

read the formal decree of closure before

the ritual of remembering.

He moved throughout the church, honoring

the places where parishioners

became “temples of the Lord” through the

reception of the sacraments.

Prayers of remembering and thanksgiving

were sung at the baptismal font; reconciliation

room; ambry, which holds the

holy oils; altar; and ambo, where the word

of God was preached.

Downsizing and letting go of the past

are part of life, especially at the beginning

of this new century, the archbishop said.

“Recognizing our sadness and mourning

the loss of former arrangements, we

believe that Jesus calls us into the future.

Jesus calls us to hope.”

The closing Mass is meant to be an

opportunity to show honor and respect for

the past and to look forward in hope. But

when next Sunday comes around and

there is no Mass at St. Mary Church, some

parishioners are not sure just where they

will attend.

“I don’t know which parish we’ll join

yet,” Dave Weis Jr. said. “This has always

been home. I’m feeling kind of lost.”

Although the parish is closed, the

church still remains a church at this time.

A local group has placed a petition on

the Internet at www.savestmarydbq.com

asking the archbishop to invite the

Institute of Christ the King Sovereign

Priest to take over the building and keep

the church open as a Catholic church,

though not a parish.

Officials of the archdiocese requested

information from the religious order

whose U.S. headquarters are in Chicago

but have not received a reply at this time.

Now, the appointed task force of parish

and city representatives is working with

the corporations that have rented parish

buildings in order to recommend and

facilitate the disposition of the parish

buildings that surround the church.

Eventually, parish sacramental records

will be transferred to St. Raphael Cathedral

(see article on p. 4)

This closes a chapter in the history of a

parish which contributed greatly to the

religious and social history of the city of

Dubuque. It will take time, but parish

members will share their gifts and the

faith passed on to them from their ancestors

as they become part of other Catholic

parishes in the area.

But St. Mary’s will remain in their

hearts forever.

Complete homily at

dbqarch.org/Witness

More than 700 people filled St. Mary Church for the May 25 closing Mass. (Witness

photo by Sr. Carol Hoverman, OSF)

 __________________________________________________________________

Homily for the closing of St. Mary’s Parish, Dubuque

Most Rev. Jerome Hanus, OSB

Archbishop of Dubuque

May 25, 2010

 

Celebrating the Mass for the closing of St. Mary’s parish is an occasion for sadness

and grieving. In a certain sense, the feelings we have are similar to what we

experience at the funeral of a beloved member of the family.

Closing a parish is one of the most difficult things I do as your Archbishop. Even

though the whole Archdiocese, along with the entire heartland of America, is

undergoing significant downsizing, it is still very difficult.

This is especially true for you who are members of this parish. You have had to

endure the slow death of something that is very dear to you. You have worked

hard, trying to avert this moment. Many other people have shared your pain, in

particular those who had treasured moments of their Catholic faith here at St.

Mary’s. Many former members have returned in these last weeks; many of you are

with us this evening. Your presence and consolation are appreciated.

As we began planning for this event, I was asked to suggest possible choices for the

Mass we would celebrate and the readings from the Holy Bible that we would hear.

Our desire was to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, the great patroness of this church.

The Church has given us many titles for Mary. After careful study, I proposed that

in this special Mass, we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Temple of the Lord.

This title, “Mary, Temple of the Lord,” reflects fittingly the history of this

community. When the founders of this parish, in the early 1860’s, realized that they

needed a larger church to accommodate the rapidly growing community, they

thought very boldly. They wanted their new church to be as impressive as the great

cathedrals of Europe.

The result is this Temple of the Lord. Here within these walls, they would be able

to experience the presence of God. Under this roof, and in the shadow of the

impressive steeple, the community would come to worship God. Here they would

be instructed by the sacred scriptures and the homilies, sanctified through the

sacraments and especially nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ. Here in this

temple, Jesus would be present in the Eucharist – present so that young and old,

women and men, Sisters and deacons and priests would be able to kneel in

adoration. This would truly be a Temple of the Lord.

That is why it was fitting that those pioneers dedicated their church building to

Mary, because in a real sense, she is very appropriately given the title, “Temple of

the Lord.”

We heard in the Gospel passage just proclaimed the familiar story of the

Annunciation. God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary. The angel told her, “You will

conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.”

Mary not surprisingly couldn’t understand how this would happen. How could she

contain within her small body the Almighty God? What human being would

presume to become a “Temple of the Lord?”

Of course, this was not the work of a human being. Rather, as the angel explained,

it was possible only by grace. Mary heard the reassuring words of the angel, “The

Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow

you.” Mary became the Temple of the Lord when she conceived the Son of God

and nurtured him in her womb.

What she was by the grace of God, this building became for the human community

that used it.

But we can go even further. The Christian people not only use holy buildings. By

hearing and doing the word of God, they become holy themselves. That is why

Christian tradition says that sacred buildings fulfill their purpose when the people

who use them become themselves “temples of the Lord.”

Saint Paul proclaimed this truth several times. To the Ephesians, he wrote: “You

are fellow citizens of the saints and members of God’s household, built upon the

foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,

in whom the whole structure grows into a holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians

2:19-21).

The founders and all the parishioners who followed them became temples of the

Lord because they worshiped and were sanctified within this temple built by human

hands. Writing to the Corinthians, Saint Paul asked, “Do you not know that you are

God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? … God’s temple is holy, and you

are that temple” (I Corinthians 3: 16-17).

That is part of what we are celebrating in this Eucharist. We are thanking God that

this parish and these buildings were the significant instruments through which the

historic members of this parish were able to be formed into the temple of God – a

community of holy ones, of “saints,” dedicated to the love of God and the love of

neighbor. These buildings were built for this purpose. They served and fulfilled

this purpose well. They did it because of their beauty and their usefulness.

All of this was in imitation of Mary, whose faith was crowned in the beauty of her

Assumption, pictured in the mural above the altar. What Mary did first and

perfectly, St. Mary’s parish strove to imitate and replicate here in the heart of

Dubuque.

Those of us living at the beginning of the 21st century are called to live through the

downsizing that is characterizing so much of the Midwest. We must do this with

hope. Recognizing our sadness and mourning the loss of former arrangements, we

believe that Jesus calls us into the future. Jesus calls us to hope.

The first reading of today’s Mass expressed this call. Saint John, in the Book of

Revelation, shared the vision of the future that the Glorified and Risen Christ gives

to his followers.

Recall those words:

“I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth …

I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

‘Behold … God will dwell with them and they will be his people

And God himself will always be with them as their God.

God will wipe every tear from their eyes,

And there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain,

For the old order has passed away.’

The One who sat on the throne said,

‘Behold, I make all things new’” (Revelation 21:1-5).

This is the Hope to which we are called.

So, we thank God for all the grace and blessings and accomplishments of the past. I

thank each and every one of you for your sharing in the life of this parish and for

your support of its programs and facilities. I share your sadness. The members of

other parishes also share your grief. You are in the prayers of so many who care

and identify with you. Accept from them support; accept welcome into the

neighboring parishes which stand ready to receive you into their communities.

Take there the many gifts and talents and generosity which God has given you.

Finally, as you enter into the life of your new parishes, open your hearts to the

prayer which we used at the beginning of Mass. We prayed:

“Lord God,

With artistry beyond all telling

You fashioned a holy temple for your Son

In the virginal womb of Blessed Mary;

Grant that, in faithfully safeguarding the grace of our baptism,

We may worship you in spirit and in truth

And become like Mary, a temple of your glory.”

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Most Rev. Jerome Hanus, OSB

Archbishop of Dubuque

May 25, 2010

 _______________________________________________________________________

St. Mary’s Church, Dubuque

Frequently Asked Questions

November 1, 2009

 

Q. Is the current situation at St. Mary’s a recent development?

 

A. Study shows that as far back as September, 2000, St. Mary’s and St. Patrick’s parishioners met at the Shalom Retreat Center for a “Day of Dreaming and Visioning” for the future of the parish.

 

In August, 2001, Deacon Tim LoBianco submitted a ten-year plan to Archbishop Hanus, regarding the past, present, and future of St. Mary Parish together with the cluster Parish, St. Patrick, Dubuque. The plan built upon the goals set forth by the Archdiocesan planning instrument, Vision 2000 which were Community, Word of God, Leadership, and Families. The parish plan identified goals and strategies for parish committees as well as implementation costs.

 

Financial concerns have been an issue at St. Mary’s for a number of years. In 2001, Archbishop Hanus asked that a study of the parish finances be conducted. Among the findings was that solvency had been maintained for many years through bequests. The average dependency upon bequests has varied from 15% to 33% in a spot check from 1979. That is to say, all other available income in a given year was 15% to 33% short of paying the annual expenses.

 

Q. To what do we attribute the main causes for the recommended closing of St. Mary’s?

 

A. In evaluating the results of past efforts to revitalize the parish, the present Pastoral Planning Committee agreed that efforts to revitalize the parish did not succeed. In fact, there was actually a diminished response in areas such as Mass attendance, committee strength, and financial stewardship. The following were found to be characteristics of the present situation:

  • Financial support continues to decline.

  • Fewer young families are involved in the life of the parish.

  • Baptisms, First Communions, and marriages continue to decline.

  • 63% of parishioners are over 70 years of age.

  • There have been dramatic changes in the neighborhood.

  • About 90% of the current parishioners are living outside the immediate area.    

 

Q. To what extent have finances been a factor in the recommendation to close?

 

A. There are specific and urgent financial concerns:

  • For the 2009-2010 fiscal year, St. Mary projects a $150,000 deficit. This amounts to 20-30% of the total budget.

  • Bequests and/or money borrowed from the Archdiocese are being used to meet operating expenses. St. Mary’s current debt is about $160,000 and projections anticipate it increasing substantially.

  • Major maintenance needs for St. Mary amount to over $2,000,000

 

Q. What are the maintenance needs which face the church?

 

A. In particular the following maintenance needs have been identified: restoration of the steeple/bell tower, replacement of the heating system to all buildings, restoration of the church windows, paving of lot, window and gutter work on rectory, sidewalk replacement, and removal of the Lantern building. Preliminary estimates exceeded $2.5 million.

 

Q. It has been rumored that St. Mary’s gave Resurrection one million dollars at the time the church was built and Resurrection should now be called upon to assist St. Mary’s - is this true?

 

A. No. A review of financial records at the Archdiocesan level and at both parishes shows no such contribution. Furthermore, as reported in the TH on August 2, 2009, a contact with the former pastor at the time of the rumored contribution, Fr. Paul Steimel (1982-1993), verified that there was not a contribution at the time.

 

Q. It has been suggested that the Holy Family Subsidy for St. Mary’s was excessive in relationship to other parishes. What has been the status of the subsidy in relationship to other parishes?

 

A. When St. Mary’s found it difficult to operate an independent elementary school a consolidation of St. Mary School and St. Patrick School took place in 1982. Finding the operation of a consolidated school financially challenging, it became part of the Holy Family system in 2001. Through each reorganization, the amount spent for subsidy of Catholic schools declined.

 

A meeting was held in 2001 with the Archbishop and leadership of the Holy Family System. The Archdiocese agreed to interest free loans to be made to Holy Family in consideration for the subsidy reductions for St. Mary and St. Patrick parishes. The agreement was $125,000 to be loaned during each of the fiscal years 2002-03 and 2003-04 with the understanding payment would be revisited when Holy Family became more financially established. A full summary of parish subsidies can be found at www.holyfamilydbq.org

 

Q. Some people have suggested that the Archbishop ask the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter to take charge of St. Mary’s Church in Dubuque.

 

A. The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter is an organization in full communion with the Pope. The members do good work in different parts of the world and in some parts of the United States.

 

The stated mission of the members of the Fraternity is the following: “The priests of the Fraternity live in small communities and ….  provide a full sacramental life for the faithful, administered according to the liturgical books of 1962.”

 

If the Fraternity took charge of St. Mary’s Church, Fraternity priests would strive to do everything in a manner similar to the way things were done before 1962. 

 

They would find the same challenges of financially supporting and caring for the parish.

 

Q. What will happen to the facilities if the parish closes?

 

A. A planning committee will be established to consider the use of the facilities. It is anticipated that the Opening Doors Corporation, which operates the Maria House, will be interested in acquiring the former convent facility. Maria House was founded in 1999 by six Catholic womens religious congregations in the Dubuque area to assist women needing emergency/transitional housing for reasons other than domestic violence. It is eligible for a number of grants to permit it to install a separate heating system.

 

The St. Mary’s School building is being used by the Holy Family School System. It houses a preschool and daycare program. A number of its clients qualify for the free preschool assistance provided by the state. It is anticipated that Holy Family will enter into an agreement to continue providing services in response to the local need.

 

The Lantern Center operated by the Sisters of the Presentation opened in 2001 as a drop-in center that offers hospitality, educational opportunities and advocacy for women and their children with no fees. The Center rents 2 of the rooms from St. Mary Parish. The Lantern Center provides a valuable service. The facility in which it operates is in need of significant repairs. While every effort will be made to continue the program it is unlikely that it will continue to operate in that facility on a long term basis. Dubuque Catholic Charities Immigration Outreach office is also housed in the Building, but has moved to the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center with other Catholic Charities offices.

 

The church has great historical and architectural value. Efforts will be made to identify interested parties to maintain the structure if possible.

 

Q. What will happen to parishioners if the parish closes?

 

A. Parishioners will be invited to register at other area parishes. The St. Mary’s Parish staff will assist parishioners in registering at local parishes. The September 2008 parish report indicated that there were 588 registered households.

 

Q. What will happen to St. Mary Parish records?

 

A. They will be transferred to the office of an assigned “receiving parish” to which inquiries in the future would be addressed.

 

Q. What will happen to the existing debt?

 

A. Any current assets, or assets realized from the sale of properties would be used to offset debt.

 

Q. What would happen to any remaining assets if the debt were retired?

 

A. Assets would be distributed to those parishes where St. Mary’s parishioners register on a percentage basis of the total who register in other parishes by a determined date.

 

Q. What about parishioners currently homebound, or in a nursing home or care center?

 

A. They too should register in a new parish from which they would receive continued pastoral care.

 

Q. When might the parish close?

 

A. Several steps were taken before Archbishop Hanus acted upon the St. Mary Parish Council recommendation to close. The Archbishop sought the counsel of area pastors and the Archdiocesan Priest Council on the impact of the recommendation. The Regional Vicar and Archdiocesan Finance Office met with the St. Mary Parish Council and Finance Council.

 

In an October 25, 2009 letter to Father Rosonke and members of St. Mary’s Parish, Archbishop Hanus stated, “Therefore I am ready to accept the recommendation to close St. Mary’s Parish. We need to establish a final date for the closing liturgy with the people of the parish, but it will most likely be in May or June 2010.  At that time, a formal decree will be developed and promulgated.

 

Q. What will happen to St. Patrick Parish?

 

A. St. Patrick has been clustered with St. Mary’s since July 13, 1999. St. Patrick parish leadership will engage in future planning to determine the type and scope of services that are needed and possible in the immediate area.

 

 

 

 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

Jerome Hanus, O.S.B. By the Grace of God and Favor of the Apostolic See Archbishop of Dubuque

DECREE

Regarding St. Mary Parish Dubuque, Iowa

 

St. Mary Parish came into being in response to a petition of German families to Bishop Loras in 1849 for a parish to provide for the German-speaking Catholics of Dubuque. Thus began the history of a proud community where for more than a century and a half, the Catholic faithful heard the Word of God proclaimed, were formed and educated in Catholic teaching, participated in the Eucharistic Sacrifice, and received the Sacraments of the Church. The community over the years contributed greatly to the social fabric of Dubuque and preserved elements of a German and Catholic heritage through times of both prosperity and economic distress.

The first church building, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, was constructed of stone in 1850 on the corner of 8th and White Streets. Because of rapid growth, the present much larger church was completed in 1867 at the corner of 15th and White Streets. It was named St. Mary's under the title of her Assumption. Over the years many improvements were made, but the building also suffered a serious fire in 1976 and continuing deterioration caused by normal aging.

Pastoral leadership over the decades was provided by more than a dozen priests and by two pastoral administrators from the diaconal community. The families of the parish offered many of their children to the service of God as priests and religious-more than thirty priests, nearly seventy sisters, and seven brothers.

Providing Catholic education for the young was a high priority. The first classes, in 1851, were conducted in the basement of the old church. Classes were moved to 15th Street when in 1870 the parish built the convent, now Maria House. Various other buildings were used over the years. Initially, teachers were laymen, then the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Dubuque) and the La Crosse Franciscans. The Dubuque Franciscans began their decades-long service in 1879. A high school for boys, with the Brothers of Mary as teachers, operated from 1907 to 1929. High school girls were educated in the nearby Immaculate Conception Academy (on 17th Street) until it was transferred to Davis Street, now Shalom Retreat Center.

The Casino building, constructed in 1900 as a center for social and recreational activities, was significantly modified in 1950 to provide more classrooms and other rooms for fostering community. St. Mary's was a founding parish of Wahlert High School in 1959.

With the decline in enrollment that took place in the 1970's, St. Mary's consolidated with St. Patrick's in 1982 as Downtown Catholic. It changed its name to St. Mary's/St. Patrick's School in 1988. It became part of the consolidated Holy Family Catholic School System in 2001 along with the other parishes in the city. As enrollment continued to decline, St. Mary's/St. Patrick's became part of St. Francis Consolidated School in 2003, serving the families of St. Mary, St. Patrick, Sacred Heart, and Holy Trinity. St. Francis closed in 2005. Currently families of St. Mary's are encouraged to enroll their children in Holy Ghost Elementary School, Mazzuchelli Catholic Middle School, and Wahlert Catholic High School.

St. Mary's and St. Patrick's were placed under a unified leadership in 2000, with Deacon Timothy LoBianco serving as pastoral administrator.

After much planning and several attempts at revitalization, it gradually became clear to church leadership and much of the membership that the parish was no longer sustainable. In the summer of 2009, the pastor, along with the lay directors, having discussed the matter for several months and having received the support of the Pastoral Planning Committee and the Finance Council, endorsed the proposal to seek closure of the parish. As Archbishop, I concluded that it was necessary to approve this request.

Therefore, on September 14,2009, in accord with canon 515, §2 of the Code a/Canon Law, I sought the advice of the Council of Priests. Having heard the Council's advice and having continued to reflect on the situation and to receive the advice of the episcopal vicar, the pastor, and the special planning committee, I have decided that reluctantly the decision must be finalized. By this decree, according to Church Law ("Paroecias ... supprimere"), I officially close St. Mary Parish, Dubuque, Iowa, effective May 25, 20 IO.

All registers containing records of baptism, confirmation, marriage, and burials hitherto preserved by St. Mary Parish are to be conveyed to St. Raphael Parish, Dubuque, where they are to be faithfully preserved according to canon 535, §§1-5.

Since St. Mary's was established as a national parish to serve the German-speaking people of the area, no territorial boundaries are affected. Parishioners of St. Mary Parish are free to become members of any parish in the area. The respective parishes will assume the pastoral care of these parishioners.

Because of accumulated debts, any assets of St. Mary Parish will first be used to payoff these debts. Remaining assets will follow the parishioners to their new parishes according to the different percentages of those transferring membership. The number of those who were parishioners on January I, 2009, who have registered at different parishes by December 31, 2010, will determine percentages. All juridical transactions will be cared for by the civil corporation of St. Mary's Church, in accord with the laws ofthe Church and of the State oflowa.

Promulgation of this Decree is to be made in a public fashion as determined by the pastor and lay directors of St. Mary Parish. Any proposed petition against this Decree is to be made in writing to my office in not more than ten useful days from the date of promulgation.

Given at Dubuque, Iowa, on this 25th day of May, 2010.

+

Mo t Rev. Jerome Hanus, O.S.B. Archbishop of Dubuque

Betty Schuell

Chancellor

____________________________________________________________________ 

 

In order to address the many issues of closing, the Archbishop has established a Task Force Committee to oversee the process.  The members of the committee are:

  • Fr. Steve Rosonke  - St. Mary

  • Sr. Liana Glynn OP - St. Mary

  • Don Pfohl – St. Mary

  • Travis King – St. Mary

  • Sr. Lynn Fangman PBVM

  • David Heiar - Director Economic Development

  • Wallace Brown

  • Rick Runde – Archdiocesan Finance Officer

  • Msgr. Tom Toale – Vicar General

Administrative Detail:

  • The task force is established for a period of one year, after which the future need for the task force, its nature and composition, will be reviewed.

  • This group will relate to the governing bodies of the following groups to develop recommendations for the future use of the facilities:

1.      Holy Family Catholic Schools in regard

to the Early Childhood Center

2.      Lantern Center Board of Directors re-

garding its current usage

3.      Opening Doors Board of Directors re-

garding Maria House

  • Additionally it will study options and proposals for the church, rectory, and the parking lots.

  • The Task Force will make the final recommen-dation to the Archbishop 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Church closure details studied

By Mary Nevans-Pederson TH Staff Writer

Closing Mass for St. Mary's is set for May. After the closure, the archdiocese will link St. Patrick's and Cathedral.

Since the official announcement last year that Dubuque's St. Mary's Catholic Parish would close, a task force has been studying every aspect of that process. In addition, a committee of representatives from Dubuque's Catholic parishes has been examining issues facing all of the city's parishes and their future. Last week, several announcements were made about both by the Archdiocese of Dubuque (Pictured left, Rev. Daniel Knepper, the pastor of St. Anthony Catholic Church):

Closing mass

The closing Mass for St. Mary's will be Tuesday, May 25. Led by their archbishop and other ordained leaders, the parish members will follow a solemn church ritual, focusing on the building, what has gone on in it and specific ceremonial places and items such as the baptismal font, altar, confessional and statues. The church and its furnishings will be decommissioned from sacred use.

Linked parishes

The cluster of St. Mary's and St. Patrick's parishes will no longer exist and St. Patrick's will be linked -- share a pastor -- with the Cathedral of St. Raphael. Monsignor Wayne Ressler, who is now the cathedral's pastor, will retire and the Rev. Dan Knepper will take over as the pastor of the two linked parishes. He will be replaced at St. Anthony Parish by the Rev. Steve Rosonke, who is now serving as pastor of the St. Mary's/St. Patrick's cluster.

Normally such clergy appointments are announced by the archbishop annually close to Easter to become effective in July. "But in this case, with the parish changes, the priests needed to work on their transitions before that," explained Monsignor Tom Toale, vicar general for the archdiocese. "They need to get up to speed about finances, staffing, the parish councils, etc."

Linked parishes share the same priest but operate independently, while clustered parishes have the same priest and cooperate formally in other areas. Parishes in Bellevue, St. Donatus and St. Catherine are linked. The Holy Spirit Pastorate (Holy Trinity, Holy Ghost and Sacred Heart) is an example of a clustered parish.

The linkage of St. Patrick's with the cathedral completes a historical circle. St. Patrick's was a mission from St. Raphael Parish in 1852. In 1858, it had grown large enough to be named as its own, mostly Irish, parish. More than 150 years later, it will again be connected to the cathedral.

Ironically, St. Mary's also was an offshoot of St. Raphael's. It was founded in 1850 as a church for Dubuque's growing German Catholic population.

Save St. Mary's goes online

A dedicated group of Dubuque residents, not all members of St. Mary Catholic Parish, are trying to preserve the historic church and keep it operating as a Catholic church.

Backers have put up a Web site,www.savestmarydbq.com, where they are soliciting signatures on a petition to send to Dubuque Archbishop Jerome Hanus. The petition says in part, "We the undersigned gently urge you to consider opening dialogue with the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest about assuming responsibility for St. Mary's church and rectory ... This parish is of extraordinary historical significance ... and of superior architectural merit, (and the institute) has a proven track record in restoring and revitalizing similar properties by successfully rehabilitating churches of historical value and their surrounding communities ..."

As of Saturday afternoon, 126 people had signed the online petition. The site includes rich photographs of the church, its windows, altars and a parish history.

"We are a group of people interested in keeping St. Mary open as a Catholic church, not a restaurant or an art gallery or anything else," explained Theresa Crabill, who is not a member of the parish, but has close family ties to St. Mary's. "But you don't need to be a Catholic to appreciate how gorgeous that building is and how historically significant it is."

The local group contacted the institute, based in Italy, and was told the group must be invited by an area's presiding bishop before it will consider taking on a church project. Among its many missions, the institute establishes oratories (public churches where Catholic Masses can be said) in churches in danger of being closed.

"We are not looking for donations. We just want to save this Dubuque landmark," Crabill said.



 

 

If the Fraternity took charge of St. Mary’s Church, Fraternity priests would strive to do everything in a manner similar to the way things were done before 1962. 

 

They would find the same challenges of financially supporting and caring for the parish.

 

Q. What will happen to the facilities if the parish closes?

 

A. A planning committee will be established to consider the use of the facilities. It is anticipated that the Opening Doors Corporation, which operates the Maria House, will be interested in acquiring the former convent facility. Maria House was founded in 1999 by six Catholic womens religious congregations in the Dubuque area to assist women needing emergency/transitional housing for reasons other than domestic violence. It is eligible for a number of grants to permit it to install a separate heating system.

 

The St. Mary’s School building is being used by the Holy Family School System. It houses a preschool and daycare program. A number of its clients qualify for the free preschool assistance provided by the state. It is anticipated that Holy Family will enter into an agreement to continue providing services in response to the local need.

 

The Lantern Center operated by the Sisters of the Presentation opened in 2001 as a drop-in center that offers hospitality, educational opportunities and advocacy for women and their children with no fees. The Center rents 2 of the rooms from St. Mary Parish. The Lantern Center provides a valuable service. The facility in which it operates is in need of significant repairs. While every effort will be made to continue the program it is unlikely that it will continue to operate in that facility on a long term basis. Dubuque Catholic Charities Immigration Outreach office is also housed in the Building, but has moved to the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center with other Catholic Charities offices.

 

The church has great historical and architectural value. Efforts will be made to identify interested parties to maintain the structure if possible.

 

Q. What will happen to parishioners if the parish closes?

 

A. Parishioners will be invited to register at other area parishes. The St. Mary’s Parish staff will assist parishioners in registering at local parishes. The September 2008 parish report indicated that there were 588 registered households.

 

Q. What will happen to St. Mary Parish records?

 

A. They will be transferred to the office of an assigned “receiving parish” to which inquiries in the future would be addressed.

 

Q. What will happen to the existing debt?

 

A. Any current assets, or assets realized from the sale of properties would be used to offset debt.

 

Q. What would happen to any remaining assets if the debt were retired?

 

A. Assets would be distributed to those parishes where St. Mary’s parishioners register on a percentage basis of the total who register in other parishes by a determined date.

 

Q. What about parishioners currently homebound, or in a nursing home or care center?

 

A. They too should register in a new parish from which they would receive continued pastoral care.

 

Q. When might the parish close?

 

A. Several steps were taken before Archbishop Hanus acted upon the St. Mary Parish Council recommendation to close. The Archbishop sought the counsel of area pastors and the Archdiocesan Priest Council on the impact of the recommendation. The Regional Vicar and Archdiocesan Finance Office met with the St. Mary Parish Council and Finance Council.

 

In an October 25, 2009 letter to Father Rosonke and members of St. Mary’s Parish, Archbishop Hanus stated, “Therefore I am ready to accept the recommendation to close St. Mary’s Parish. We need to establish a final date for the closing liturgy with the people of the parish, but it will most likely be in May or June 2010.  At that time, a formal decree will be developed and promulgated.

 

Q. What will happen to St. Patrick Parish?

 

A. St. Patrick has been clustered with St. Mary’s since July 13, 1999. St. Patrick parish leadership will engage in future planning to determine the type and scope of services that are needed and possible in the immediate area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the information presented at the parish meeting Wednesday, July 15, 2009.                 

ST. MARY/ST. PATRICK PASTORAL PLANNING COMMITTEE

RECOMMENDATION  June 25, 2009

 

Since March 26, 2009, the St. Mary/St. Patrick Pastoral Planning Committee (formerly the Strategic Planning Committee) has been meeting to investigate the current and future situations of the two parishes, evaluate viability, and make a recommendation to the Cluster Council as to the status of both parishes.   

 

In 2007, the Planning Committee made a report to the Cluster Council which recommended the urgent need to take action to build both parishes for the future.  This involved obtaining commitments from parishioners for their involvement in the parishes through a "covenant" and survey.  Cluster committees would be formed in an effort to strengthen the community life of the parishes.  Announcements were made at all Masses in both parishes and this process was continued through bulletin announcements and a variety of methods for several months.

 

In evaluating the results of those efforts, the present Pastoral Planning Committee agreed that the effort did not succeed at revitalizing the cluster.  In fact, there was actually a diminished response in areas such as Mass attendance, committee strength, and financial stewardship.  The following were found to be characteristics of the two parishes:

 .

·                     Financial support continues to decline.

·                     Fewer young families are involved in the life of the parish.

·                     Baptisms, First Communions, and marriages continue to decline.

·                     63% of parishioners are over 70 years of age.

·                     Both parishes have been dramatically affected by the changes in the neighborhood.

·                     About 90% of our current parishioners are living outside our parish boundaries    

 

 

It is the opinion of this committee that the overall picture of the decline of the parishes is due to trends and issues beyond anyone’s control.    

 

There are specific and urgent issues that need to be addressed now, including the following:

 

·                     For the 2009-2010 fiscal year, both parishes have deficit budgets.  St. Mary projects a $150,000 deficit and St. Patrick projects a $100,000 deficit.  This amounts to 20-30% of their total budgets.

·                     Bequests and/or money borrowed from the Archdiocese are being used to meet operating expenses.  St. Mary’s current debt is about $160,000.

·                     Major maintenance needs for St. Mary amount to over $2,700,000

 

At the same time but separate from the work of this committee, the St. Mary Finance Council reached a consensus that St. Mary’s is no longer financially viable.  This was based on the parish’s inability to meet operating expenses and the magnitude of the maintenance issues.  This consensus was communicated to the Pastoral Planning Committee on June 16, 2009.

 

The Pastoral Planning Committee considered several options for the future.  The committee looked at mission membership from other parishes, a fundraising effort, placing buildings on the Historical Register, other collaborations (Loras, Archdiocese) and recruiting new parishioners.  Upon careful discussion, none of these options appeared to be feasible.

 

In consideration of the points listed above and particularly of the urgent financial situation for St. Mary Parish, the Pastoral Planning Committee recommends that St. Mary Parish cease operations as a parish.  

 

There are many unknowns regarding ramifications of this recommendation.  The committee felt compelled to take action and was aware that making no recommendation was not an appropriate reaction to these circumstances.  It is our hope that St. Patrick will be able to sustain a parish community and serve as a Catholic presence in the neighborhood.   

 

Respectfully submitted by St. Mary/St. Patrick Pastoral Planning Committee

 

Lori Bahl,       Sandy Bahl, Tom Brandt,          Ruth Clancy,   Norma Denlinger,   

Travis King,   Al Lundh,      Sr. Mary Agnes O’Connor BVM,   Ed Ritts,        

Fr. Steve Rosonke,              David Schmitz,       Ann Wertz,      Kurt Wuertzer

 

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On July 7, 2009 at a Special Cluster Council Meeting, St Mary’s Parish Council, St Patrick’s Parish Council, St Mary’s Finance Council, and St Patrick’s Finance Council considered and consented to this recommendation.  In a closed session that evening, the St Mary’s Parish Council tentatively endorsed this recommendation.