Bishop warns the Rev. Robert Marrone to stop breakaway church Masses

Bishop Richard Lennon of the Cleveland Catholic Diocese has threatened the Rev. Robert Marrone with punishment through church law for celebrating unauthorized Masses in a breakaway church. 

Marrone and his congregation set up worship space in a commercial building in August, four months after Lennon closed their parish, St. Peter's near downtown Cleveland.

On Wednesday, Lennon handed Marrone a letter saying the priest was engaged in "scandal" and "corruption" by saying Masses in a space not sanctioned by the diocese.

He told Marrone he expected him to resign from the breakaway group within 48 hours or face "canonical action," a warning that left Marrone with the choice of remaining faithful to his congregation or to his bishop.

Today, 48 hours past the deadline, Marrone read to his congregation a letter he had sent to the bishop in response to the threat: "It is my decision to remain in my present position with the Community of St. Peter."

The congregation of about 300 people jumped to its feet in applause and shouts of "Bravo!"

"We're so very grateful for Father Marrone's staying with the congregation," member Dave Hoehnen of Mayfield said after the service. "He's the glue."

The closing of the 151-year-old St. Peter on Superior Avenue and East 17th Street was part of a diocese-wide downsizing that saw the elimination of 50 parishes.

Without their home, Marrone and his flock leased a renovated century-old building at Euclid Avenue and East 71st Street, prompting a warning by Lennon that their salvation was at stake if they worshiped in a place not approved by him.

But the group, facing possible excommunication, defied the bishop's admonishment and the new Community of St. Peter celebrated its first Mass Aug. 15.

Since then, standing-room-only crowds have been gathering on Sundays for an 11 a.m. service.

Members of the congregation regard themselves as traditional Roman Catholics. 

Their split with the diocese, they say, is due to the closing of their church.

Lennon, in his letter to Marrone, also ordered the priest to remove from the Community of St. Peter's website pictures of him saying Mass.

It wasn't immediately clear what "canonical action" could be taken against Marrone. "You'll have to ask the bishop," Marrone told a reporter.

Officials of the diocese could not be reached Sunday.

St. Peter's member Bob Kloos, a former priest, said Lennon could suspend Marrone from clerical duty within the diocese. 

And that would make it difficult for him to get a position in another diocese, said Kloos.

Diocese spokesman Robert Tayek has said in the past that Marrone and his followers could face excommunication.

But Marrone, 63, appeared unfazed today by what could happen, though at one point he choked up with tears when he told his followers that he has been a priest for 37 years.

"This comes to me with great sadness," he said. "There's no joy in this."

In his sermon, before he announced the bishop's threat, he talked about visiting Ireland and seeing myriad shades of green across the landscape.

He compared the shades to different groups of Christianity, yet they are all of the same color.

"The church of Jesus Christ is wide and open," he said. 

"The church is like the Irish landscape. Differences are not unhealthy. The wonder of our faith is our ability to embrace them."

SIC: CCOM/USA