Source: http://www.clsadb.com/document/84852f08-a1ce-4885-8b07-5c10506acecf
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 14:23:20+00:00

Document:
Congregation for the Clergy, Suppression of a parish and closure of a church building, 3 March 2012, Private.
A diocesan bishop, continuing a study of the diocese initiated by his predecessor and considering the study’s broad trends, closed and merged parishes within the diocese. In many of these parish closings and mergers, the parish church was also closed and the buildings locked. Parishioners made hierarchical recourse to the Congregation for the Clergy regarding the suppression of the parish (c. 515 §2) and the closure of the church (c. 1222 §2). Below is the Congregation’s response.
17. Whereas, although the Bishop of ______ submitted the acts of the case, and the parish celebrated the last parish Sunday Mass in June of 2010, no decree was submitted, the Congregation, then, takes as an indication of His Excellency’s dispositions the 12 March 2009 and the 27 May 2009 letters to the pastor of St. ______, both of which were co-signed by Sister ______, Chancellor.
19. The law requires for validity that the Diocesan Bishop consult the Presbyteral Council in order to seek the advice of its members before coming to his decision regarding the suppression of a parish (cf. c. 127 §2 and c. 515 §2). Finally, a legitimate decree should be issued, stating at least in a summary fashion the lawful motivations supporting the decision (cf. c. 51), formalizing the Bishop’s decision and making them manifest to those who have interests in the matter.
20. In this matter, the Bishop of ______ was given sufficient time to present to this Dicastery information which would solidify the decisions he made, and to forward all of the acts pertinent in the matter to the Congregation. The absence of any decree indicating and formalizing the dispositions of the Bishop made in the letter of 12 March 2009 and 27 May 2009 is troubling. Even should this document be taken as a manifestation of the Bishop’s dispositions in the matter, which is the essence of a decree, it can be clearly seen that it lacks the requisite elements indicated by the canons. Hence, the Bishop of ______ is held to have acted in violation of the law on procedural grounds with regard to c. 515 §2.
21. Regarding relegation of ______ Church to secular but not unbecoming use, it is noted that the Bishop’s letter of 27 May 2009 omits any specific reference to the relegation of the church to secular but not unbecoming use, or to the canonical process required by c. 1222 §2. It is apparent from the acts, however, that the Diocesan Bishop did in fact arrive at a decision to implement the effects of the process envisioned by c. 1222 §2 without fulfilling its procedures. The Bishop’s letter to the pastor of 27 May 2009 is quite specific, indicating that the Church would not be used after the merger of the parish. In doing so, an essential element for the validity of the relegation of a church to secular but not unbecoming use was omitted, i.e., the required consultation of the Presbyteral Council regarding the matter (cf. c. 127 §2 and c. 1222 §2). The Bishop of ______, even after being advised as to these shortfalls by the Congregation’s letter of 8 September 2009 (Prot. No. ______) declined to clarify the matter either by allowing the Church to remain open for divine worship and the devotion of the faithful, or by following the procedure for relegation. By the law itself, such an omission renders invalid the Bishop’s decision to implement the effects of c. 1222 §2, i.e., the permanent closure of ______ Church and its concomitant relegation to secular but not unbecoming use.
The Congregation hereby decrees that this petition for recourse as presented, with regard to the suppression of ______ Parish (c. 515 §2) does have canonical basis in law and in fact, and so is upheld both de procedendo and de decernendo.
The Congregation further decrees that this petition for recourse as presented, with regard to the closure of ______ Church (c. 1222 §2) does have canonical basis in law and in fact, and so is upheld both de procedendo and de decernendo.
The Bishop of ______ is instructed to enact the implications of this Decree.
Recourse against this Decree may be made before the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura within the peremptory time limits established in the Apostolic Letter motu proprio Antiqua Ordinatione, Art. 34 §1.
Congregation for the Clergy, Suppression of a parish and closure of a church building, 3 March 2012, Private, CLSA, Roman Replies and Advisory Opinions, 2012, 5-9.

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