Diocese files appeal in St. Stan's decision

The fate of St. Stanislaus Kostka Church is still in flux, as the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield is appealing a decision of the Vatican's Congregation for the Clergy allowing the church to remain open as a place of worship. 

The appeal, which has been sent to the Vatican's highest court, the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, is seeking clarification of the judgment handed down, according to Diocese spokesman Mark E. Dupont.

"We need clarification on what is meant by ‘place of worship.' Does that mean we hold Mass there at least once a year? There's been a lot of debate about that meaning," he said. 

"We also are seeking clarification on the ruling because it was inconsistent with several other rulings we received that day."

The Diocese's decision has prompted the group of some 200 former parishioners, who have kept an around-the clock vigil at the church for 911 days, to file their own appeal with the Apostolic Signatura -- a move they say is critical to keep themselves involved in any discussions taking place in Rome.

"We have no alternative," vigil spokeswoman Laurie Haas said Friday. "We were happy to accept the Congregation's decision when it arrived in February. We immediately tried to enter a dialogue with the bishop, but we still haven't heard from the Diocese."

Haas said the appeal was prompted by a letter from the Apostolic Signatura, which arrived on Friday, indicating that they had 30 days to join in on the appeal. 

"What's interesting about this appeal is there are three different parties involved," she said.

"There's the Diocese, the Congregation for the Clergy and us. This case is also setting precedence as it's the first to go through the Apostolic Signatura. If the ruling is upheld, it will define what a Catholic place of worship is."

She said it is unclear how long the new appeals process will last. Vigil members began the appeals process with the Congregation for the Clergy on Sept. 8, 2008.

Dupont said that while the Jan. 24 ruling upheld the diocese's right to surpress and merge the parish of St. Stanislaus with those of Notre Dame and St. Thomas into the Parish of Pope John Paul the Great, the Congregation for the Clergy took issue with the procedures leading up the church's closing in 2008.

"The Congregation upheld our decision to close Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Chicopee," he said.

"The very same arguments were made in each case, but we received very different decisions. We believe we have already provided all the information they have requested."

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