PORTAGE DES SIOUX, Mo. — Time is up for people who wanted to appeal a decision to close their parish.
The Archdiocese of St. Louis gave groups until close of business Monday to send a letter to the Archbishop.
This comes as the "All Things New Plan" will reassign 155 priests and reshape 178 Catholic parishes into 134:
- 35 parishes will be subsumed.
- 15 parishes merged to create five new parishes.
- One new personal parish for Spanish-speaking community.
These parishes will be overseen by nearly 90 diocesan pastors and 17 religious order pastors, many of them serving more than one parish.
There's one couple in Portage Des Sioux, which is a peninsula between the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, fighting to keep the St. Francis of Assisi parish there.
Parishioners Lori and Doug Bauer have been going to the church for 25 years and it's been a special place for them.
It's a spot where their children received all of their sacraments.
St. Francis of Assisi has served St. Charles County families like theirs for generations.
It was built in 1799.
Lori has seen the church face several hurdles.
The church survived 18 inches of water in the center aisle in the 1993 flood.
The community came in to help. The altars were refinished, new carpet came in and families came back in the church within six months of the flood.
But now, Lori thinks the church faces its biggest obstacle yet.
Monday morning, Lori held in her hand the letter that was read to her parish at the end of May.
It read, "Your parish will be subsumed in St. Charles Borromeo parish effective August 1, 2023... Your new pastor will be the Reverend James Theby."
That's why Lori is trying to save the parish from merging with St. Charles Borromeo Parish in St Charles.
She thinks this could be a 20- to 40-minute drive for some.
"There are people here who will not go to another church because of disability or their age," Lori added.
The Archdiocese gave these reasons for its decision:
- Past flooding by the Mississippi River causing a decline in the population some years ago
- The parish having 68 catholic households
- In 2013, 103 members of the faithful were present for the celebration for the Most Holy Eucharist on Sundays, but now there are 71 members of the faithful present
- The parish averaged two infant baptisms and 0 funerals annually for the last five years
Lori believes the numbers may not include some exceptions.
She explains, "There were other baptisms, but not infant baptisms. As for deaths, parishioners died during COVID but we could not do funerals at the church because of large gatherings, so deaths were recorded in other parishes."
As for declining numbers, her husband Doug believes the area only will grow.
"We have 30,000 acres down here that a portion is in St. Francis parish boundaries that is prime for development. This is some of the last ground in St. Charles County that hasn't been developed and I feel it's a matter of time for it to happen," Doug added.
He said Orchard Farm High School was building a new high school because of the influx of people.
He also noted the development in New Town at St. Charles, which could also happen in Portage Des Sioux.
Doug added, "The agriculture families are misunderstood, when it’s time to plant, it’s time to plant and harvest. So, our attendance has an ebb and flow because of that."
The couple appealed to St. Louis Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski.
Lori said, "We have received 149 personal letters. The one that touched us the most was from a lady in our local community. She's 98. Her family goes back seven generations. She comes every week, she can't make the drive."
In the letter, that 98-year-old woman said she was the oldest member at the parish and she'd been a member since 1925 when she was baptized. She said that five generations of her family are still active members.
Lori said they are asking for a priest to host a mass one hour a week and if they can have some say in the finances.
"We’re hoping to keep mass at 8 a.m. or at least a mass," she said.
A spokesperson told 5 On Your Side that the new pastor said he is committed to providing Sunday mass as long as possible.
"I truly feel like this is a cornerstone for this community," Lori said.
The Archbishop has 30 days to review the letters from the time he receives them.
After that 30-day window, parishioners have 15 days to file a further appeal with the Dicastery for the Clergy at the Vatican in Rome and until Rome makes a decision, the parish remains as it is.
Starting Aug. 1, the priest reassignments will begin and the changes will continue until 2026.
The Rev. Philip Bené, a judicial vicar for the Archdiocese of St. Louis, sent the following statement Saturday on behalf of the Archdiocese:
“Once the Archbishop published the decrees regarding the status of the parishes as part of the All Things New initiative, parishioners of a parish who considered themselves aggrieved had the right to ask, in writing by a letter postmarked by June 12, 2023, the Archbishop to revoke or change his decree.
"Parishes are dear to the hearts of parishioners, and it’s important to hear from any who believe their parish was unfairly treated in the process. Some letters that have been received praised the Archbishop’s overall decision, some letters expressed concerns about specific parts of the Archbishop’s decision, some letters expressed disappointment their priest was being transferred, and others asked that the Archbishop revoke or alter his decision. In this regard, a request that the Archbishop revoke or change his decree regarding a parish must be written specifically addressing the way a parishioner's parish is being altered and how it affects the parishioner negatively.
"Canon law allows for 30 days for the Archbishop to review the letters from the time he receives them. He will respond directly to each letter written. Within 15 business days of having received the letter indicating the response of the Archbishop, parishioners who wish to pursue recourse can do so by indicating this in writing to the Archbishop. His office will then forward the acts of the case to the Holy See (the Vatican) for its careful study and decision
"We humbly ask the Holy Spirit to guide us and pray that we will work together to forge new pathways and ensure that the treasure of our Faith may continue to bring healing and hope to a broken world. Let us be steadfast in faith as we look forward in hope."