This week Sacred Heart Parish of Aurora is celebrating its rebuilt church. There is a four page spread in The Observer regarding its dedication by Bishop Doran. I hope you have an opportunity to read the story and share that parish’s joy.
It is also only right to review some of the happenings that were required to reach this goal. To review the “truth” of this project that the Observer neglected to share. And obtain the “rest of the story”. You should note that the insurance proceeds and fund raising numbers at time conflict.
The original story from the Chicago Tribune:
Church Hopes To Rise From Ashes Of Arson
Sacred Heart Must Show Financial Savvy
May 24, 1999|By Hal Dardick. Special to the Tribune.
If the mostly poor parishioners of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Aurora can get their finances in order, a new house of worship might rise to replace the 100-year-old church destroyed in December by an arson fire.
That was the conclusion of a group of priests, deacons and lay leaders from 11 Aurora-area churches recently forwarded to Bishop Thomas Doran of the Rockford diocese.
The bishop said he was impressed with the report, and parishioners who have been briefed on it are expected to craft a written response by July 1, said diocese communications director Owen Phelps.
"The parish is rallying together to prove its financial viability," said Craig Hall, a Sacred Heart parishioner and member of the group that wrote the report. "The best thing is the diocese is going to move forward and give us the opportunity to proceed."
Hall said he expects his fellow parishioners to accept the report's recommendations in their reply. If it does, the diocese will issue a "letter of intent, stating that if the parish does meet its financial obligations, there will be no diocesan impediments to the construction of a new church," the report states.
The parish, which has at least a 12-year history of financial troubles, might launch a capital campaign for a new church upon accepting the obligation to fix its finances, the report concludes. A preliminary meeting to start that campaign will be held in less than two weeks, Hall said.
Aurorans of French heritage laid the cornerstone for Sacred Heart in 1898.
On Dec. 1, the church was destroyed by fire. Only the outer walls and a damaged steeple remain on the site at 125 N. State St., on the city's near east side.
A new church "may be constructed on the site of the old church, perhaps incorporating some elements of the old church," the report states.
But construction cannot start until the parish "demonstrates to diocesan financial authorities" it can service the debt for a new church and operate without a deficit.
Charges against a 15-year-old boy accused of setting the blaze were dropped in April after his alleged confession was suppressed. The youth, who was on supervision for setting an earlier blaze, has been placed in a treatment center out of state.
Parishioners have been attending mass in a nearby church school.
The report recommends that $450,000 from an insurance payment be used to retire an existing debt. The remaining $600,000 would be placed in an interest bearing account but would not be used for operational expenses.
That $600,000 would probably be "for the eventual building of a new church," Phelps said.
The parish then would be given 18 months to show financial viability.
"If, after 18 months, the parish cannot show that it is financially viable, we recommend the parish be closed," the report states.
This letter and demonstrations at the Cathedral (2009) in Rockford all occurred and appear very necessary for this poor Hispanic community to rebuilt its church.
Rockford Diocese vs. Sacred Heart Parish ($1.7 million battle)
posted:April 23rd, 2009
This letter is to make you aware of the ongoing situation with the Rockford Diocese in Rockford, Illinois and the Sacred Heart Parish located on the East Side of Aurora, Illinois. And to extend an invitation to cover this story further when a group of parishioners make a trip to Rockford to continue their efforts in trying to meet with Bishop Doran regarding his the continued promises of support for rebuilding a church that burned over 10 years ago. It is now being said that they will be shut down and the $1.7 million raised by the parishioners will pay for other diocese debt. One of such debts is legal fees accumulated for representation of Father Campabello (a story that was covered by the Beacon News, Aurora) which accumulated to over $2 million.
Following is a synopsis of what the Parish has been through and how they have been led to believe they would get a new church if they raised funds. Now those funds are going to be stripped away and they will be left without a church:
The parish church burned down in December on 1998. It was an unfortunate situation which devastated the whole community. They immediately came together and found a solution to try to keep the community whole; they began holding masses in the basement of the school. Assured by the diocese that this would only be temporary until the new church was built they maintained their spirits high.
In late 1999 Father Camacho arrived at Sacred Heart Parish. He immediately became a fierce advocate for his new community and tried to work with the Diocese of Rockford to move on the promise they had made to rebuild the church. After tried conversations and letters with the Diocese, Bishop Doran published a response in the Observer (a Catholic Newsletter that goes out to parishioners of the Rockford Diocese) In that publication he stated that the Sacred Heart Parish would be given 18 months to liquidate all debt and prove that they would be able to sustain a new church. If they met that goal the Diocese would provide a percentage of the funds needed to have the church built. With new added hope the parish began to work diligently to meet the expectation.
Fast forward to present day issues–
With the insurance payoff of $800,000 and through many fundraisers which include family fairs, dances, and raffles the parish has been able to liquidate all debts and have a savings account of $1.7 million. Everything for these events has been donated.
When the Diocese began to notice that the debt had been liquidated and the bank account was quickly accumulating funds they were fast to approach Father Camacho via messages (never did they ask him to come in and meet with Bishop Doran or any other higher official at the diocese) and specifically advise him that only 2 fundraisers would be allowed per calendar year. The messages also relayed that it was not felt that there was not enough proof that the parish could sustain a new church and they should continue to raise funds.
A group of friends came together to brainstorm ideas on what needed to be done, so that the dream of having a new church would become a reality. They determined that the first step would be to have blueprints drawn up and available to show Bishop Doran or his representative. They paid an architect $18,000 (not part of the $1.7 million) to draw the blueprints. Once this was complete they were ready to present the blueprints and the continued desire of the community to have a church. They followed procedure in trying to obtain an appointment with Bishop Doran, they wrote a letter and mailed it to the diocese, after a period of waiting, there was not a response. Again they followed the same procedure and followed up with a phone call. In that phone conversation they were told that Bishop Doran reads all his correspondence and that he would get back to them. Again there was no response. They began a letter marathon and for one month straight they sent letter daily requesting the opportunity to meet with him, and again no answer. This has been an ongoing request for the past few years.
The most recent involvement that Bishop Doran has had with the parish is to advise that Father Camacho will be removed from the Parish and sent to Freeport. Father Camacho has been told that the $1.7 million will be used to pay off the debt St. Mary’s Church (also in Aurora) has, and that there may not be another priest available to cover the masses at Sacred Heart Church so the Parishioners will be asked to go to St. Nicholas or St. Mary’s.
With constant failed attempts to try to meet with the Bishop Doran a group of 10 people made the trip to Rockford, on Thursday April 16, 2009 to personally ask for an appointment to meet with Bishop Doran regarding two issues: the removal of Father Camacho and the plans for a new church. When they arrived they were able to go into the Diocese building but got no further than being met by the secretary of Monsignor Arquimides to be told that a letter needs to be set to ask for an appointment. They left without any accomplishment.
On Sunday April 19, 2009 hundreds of signatures were collected at the Parish masses asking Bishop Doran to please not remove Father Camacho from the Parish and to please consider building the church he promised.
Everyone has worked really hard and they feel that the diocese is stealing the money that has been raised and collected for the purpose of building a new church. It was never said that this money raised by Sacred Heart Parishioners (for a church that was promised) would be used to pay off debt of another parish.
This group of parishioners including many more will be heading back to Rockford to try to meet with Bishop Doran and we would like to invite the media to cover the story and make the public aware of the corruption this Bishop is causing.
The planned date of the trip is Tuesday, April 28, 2009. The buses will leave Aurora, IL at 7:30 am and arrive at 555 Coleman Center Dr., Rockford, IL 61125 at approximately 9:00 a.m.
Attached you will find the two latest letters that were sent to request a meeting.
Please let me know if you will be able to join us and make the public aware of what is happening. My contact information is Jesus Sanchez and I can be reached at 630-649-3136.
Sincerely,
Jesus Sanchez
Chick on the following to review the article: Rockford Diocese vs. Sacred Heart Parish ($1.7 million battle) - Aurora, IL - 40 - AmericanTowns.com
200 step up effort for OK to rebuild house of worship destroyed in 1998 fire
April 29, 2009|By Vikki Ortiz, Tribune reporter
Fed up with what they say have been years of ignored pleas to build a new church in Aurora, four busloads of people arrived at the doors of the Catholic Diocese of Rockford offices Tuesday, accusing leaders of being dishonest and unhelpful.
"You don't follow your own rules," said Jesus Sanchez, a member of Aurora's Sacred Heart parish who helped to organize the nearly 200 parishioners carrying signs, chanting the rosary and singing hymns in Spanish.
Click on the following to see this 2009 story: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2009-04-29/news/0904280621_1_parish-diocesan-leaders-new-church
8,500-square-foot building … with beautiful stained glass windows, refurbished wooden pews, and seating for up to 450 people.
The new church is a not a replica of the original. But it is built in a more traditional style to keep a connection with the old church. The design is clean and simple. The pews and lights have been donated from other churches and refurbished.
When the diocese discouraged rebuilding on the site near Fulton and State streets, by refusing to pay for reconstruction, the community stood strong, raising funds on their own.
On March 4, at 11:30 a.m., Sacred Heart will hold the Consecration Mass for the new church. The Rev. Thomas G. Doran, bishop of Rockford, will preside over the bilingual Mass.
Click on the following for more details on thie story from the Beacon News: From the ashes, a new church rises - Aurora Beacon News
And now the dedication of the new Sacred Heart Church. Please look at Friday, March 9, 2012. If the print addition is not available here is the much shorter on-line version.
Click on the following: http://observer.rockforddiocese.org/article?id=31
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