WKSU News: Changes for re-opened St. Peter's Church

Monday, June 4, 2012 Changes for re-opened St. Peter's Church But parishioners at Community of St. Peter may be unfazed by WKSU's KABIR BHATIA	Reporter Kabir Bhatia

After Sunday's service, the Community of St. Peter gathered for refreshments to celebrate Sister Susan Clark's 20 years of service

Courtesy of K. Bhatia

In The Region:

The Cleveland Catholic Diocese sees big changes ahead for the re-opened St. Peter’s Church in Cleveland. But the congregation has been worshipping in its own space for almost two years -- ever since the Diocese ordered about 50 churches closed over the past few years. Members are holding a meeting Monday to ponder what the Bishop has in mind. But as WKSU’s Kabir Bhatia reports, many foresee no change in how they’ve been operating.

Changes for re-opened St. Peter's Church

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It was a tough week for Rev. Robert Marrone. He says the Diocese suspended him for operating a maverick church. The Diocese disagrees. And all signs indicate Marrone won’t helm the re-opened St. Peter’s. In March, the Vatican reversed a dozen of those closings, and Bishop Lennon says he’s working to comply.

But parishioners like Eileen Dziak, from Cleveland, would rather forge ahead without the Diocese in the new Community of St. Peter at 71st and Euclid Ave.

“I really don’t expect were going to have much of a change, but it doesn’t really matter because I think we’re going to continue what we’re doing and it’s a wonderful thing. The reason most of us ended up going down there was to be part of the community and hear the amazing homilies that Father has every weekend. So, he’s like the spiritual center of our community, even though it’s a very spiritual group. And if he wouldn’t be there, we wouldn’t be going down there just for the sake of the building. I don’t see it re-opening with us in it.”

Interpreting Vatican decree
Re-opening the churches as they were, is what Bob Kloos says is the Vatican’s intent.

“If the Bishop does not reinstate it like that, he’s not complying with the decree. Some of the parishes are going to struggle. They don’t have the resources… where have the people gone? And in some instances the pastors have retired. So it’s not going to look the same. But we could probably look pretty close to what we had there... St. Emerick’s would be another, St. Adalbert’s would be another, there’s a couple that I think are ready to go.”

For now, Kloos plans to stick with Rev. Marrone and the Community of St. Peter. The Plain Dealer reports that Bishop Lennon has not actually suspended the priest, but is simply investigating whether a canonical penalty should be imposed on Marrone, who received a spontaneous standing ovation at the end of Sunday’s service.

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