REPOSTING--- The New St. James Church: Many Questions; Few Answers

 

The New St. James Church: Many Questions; Few Answers

This artistic rendering is based upon submission to Belvidere Planning department by St. James. The picture was altered to eliminate the tall trees which will not exist after construction.

Changes from October 6, 2011 in Yellow. November 3, 2011 changes in orange.

Since January 2011 parishioners have been asked to support the campaign for a new church. However since then there have been many changes some of which only a few parishioners are aware. Just to clear things up --here is what you should be aware.

• The capacity of the new Church is now 850
• It is being planned to be located at the old convent/parking lot on Church Street and Caswell Streets. The main entrance doors will be on Caswell. [NOT on the 22 acres West of Belvidere on Town Hall Road]
• The new church will have steps at the front and at all side entrances. The church will be handicapped accessible only for the front. The handicapped ramp will be much less steep than the current ramp however it will be approximately twice as long. And it will require the walker to enter on the school side Church Street side of the church. See drawings at: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/07/new-st-james-church-will-be-very-bigyou.html
• A number of neighbors have signed formal protest requests regarding the parish’s zoning request. None of the adjacent neighbors have agreed to sell their property to the parish. Only the property owners on the side of the school parking lot have signed sales contract. See: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-much-does-bird-housecost.html
• Type of roof on the new church: Despite what the application for zoning stated and what Father Geary stated earlier, the roof apparently now is standard shingles—not a metal roof. (Metal roofs have a much longer life) Mr. Linkenheld at 8-23-2011 meeting stated that standard shingles were always planned for the roof.
• The old church will be torn down to make a parking lot. The new church will be five stories tall. There will be four inches (basically zero) set back on the Church Street side of the building. The new church is now seven feet shorter (63 feet at peak relative to ground). The baptistery is now on the parish center side approximately 12.5 feet from parish center.
• The Parish will pay all city expenses for rebuilding the 300 block of Church Street to make diagonal parking alone the new church building. for widening Church Street to accommodate fire trucks. Parking will be in the same parallel style but may have handicapped parking on the church side of street.
• The parish will now have 170 on parish premises parking spots. The rectory will be torn down and converted to parking. The parish will be buying two parcels adjacent to the school playground/parking lot to accomplish this goal--548 Caswell Street and 402 Laurel Court..
• When will Father Geary or Bishop Doran communicate with St. James Parishioners? First communication in bulletin on 8-7-2011; To see this, click on following: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/08/insert-to-parish-bulletin-8-7-2011.htmlFew of the changes (such as those listed above) have been published in the weekly bulletin or any other written source. Father Geary has orally stated many things which “the Bishop will not approve or Diocese demands” but such things have not been written nor has the pastor, the parish finance committee or the parish council disseminated the information in written form to the parish. Other than continuing to solicit funds, parish administration has little desire to communicate with the parish members concerning changes to the new church.

  Is the Church still going to have a basement? NO, IT WILL NOT See 8-7-2011 Insert; click on following: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/08/insert-to-parish-bulletin-8-7-2011.html

  Many heard that the project was running over the $5.5 limit [maybe this is $6,000,000, see insert] and no basement was being planned even though at public meetings an unfinished basement was stated. If there is no basement St. James Parish will have even less storage. The school and organizations are already complaining about storage. Where will the old stain glass and other sacred items be stored?

  QUESTIONS that remain unanswered:
  How much money does the campaign have in the Parish DIAL account? There have been many expenses for the campaign management firm, architect, surveying and legal. The campaign needs $1,000,000 in the DIAL account. How close are we to that requirement? SEE 6-30-2011 accounting, .go to: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/10/st-james-fy-2011-financial-reports.html As of the 6-30-2011 accounting , $633,306 of new church pledges were received , $165,737 of new church building expenses were paid and $387,862 of DIAL deposits were indicated as building deposits. Apparently the remaining $79,707 was used to pay other parish debts or assessments.($633,306 minus $165,737, minus $387,862 equals $79,707)
• The “Bird House”, 534 Caswell, was purchased for $62,737 and the empty lot for $10,000. These transactions occurred in September 2011. (See: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/11/how-much-did-st-james-pay-for-two.html). It is not certain if cash was used for the transaction.

What happens if the pledge goal of $3,000,000 is not reached? Will any funds be returned to the donors?

 

• Will the expenses for the campaign and pre-construction be shown in the parish’s June 30, 2011 annual statements to the parishioners?If not, what type of public accounting will parishioners receive and when? To see 6-30-2011 accounting go to: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/10/st-james-fy-2011-financial-reports.html As of the 6-30-2011 accounting , $633,306 of new church pledges were received , $165,737 of new church building expenses were paid and $387,862 of DIAL deposits were indicated as building deposits. Apparently the remaining $79,707 was used to pay other parish debts or assessments.($633,306 minus $165,737, minus $387,862 equals $79,707)
• Will St. James be a good steward of the Earth in the building of the new church?Will modern ecological/energy-savings devises and systems be employed to lessen heating, cooling and lighting bills? Can a church with 50 feet ceilings ever be consider energy efficient? Will the demolition, constructions and operations be earth friendly?
• What is the projected cost of the total project now?Rumor says the church building will cost $6.4million and if there is a basement $7.5 million. And now there is talk that the parish will be buying the houses of the landowners who have signed formal protests. Could that be another $1,000,000? 9-9-2011. A budget limit of $5.5 Million is still in effect, based upon my personal conversation with Father Geary.

  I have been told by Father Geary that he will answer questions when he deems the parish should be told.

What happened when St. Peter’s South Beloit “suspended” their building program

 

The parishioners who contributed were given two choices—receive the money back or allow the parish to use the funds for other parish needs. Note there are IRS income implication only if the parishioner itemized and use the donation as a deduction.

Read the entire story from WREX by clicking on the following:  http://www.wrex.com/story/15144908/south-beloit-church-offer-parshioners-donations-back

BCJ Letter to Editor from Dan Casey

 

 

Letter to the Editor:
I have come to the conclusion as of why the Dioceses
of Rockford, Bishop Doran as well as Father Geary, pastor
of St. James refuse to answer the questions concerning the
St. James project. If even one is answered another will
need to follow…and possibly some of the parishioners
that pledged out of duty or the willingness to obey might
rethink their pledge.
We were told that all PLEDGES are nonbinding as was
stated from the inception of the project. It could be that the
Dioceses is afraid of the complete melt-down of the project
by the parishioners if questions were to be answered…
so let’s say nothing…maybe the dissenter’s will just go
away…think again!
The failure of another Diocesan Pickle that eventually
led to the ouster of the Parishes Pastor Father Federspiel is
just another example of our Dioceses out of control.
Imagine if St. James were St. Anthony’s in Rockford,
mostly Italian parishioners, a young Priest, not a
Franciscan Friar was named pastor. His project, build a
large contemporary church in their parking lot and, when
built, teardown St. Anthony’s and save none of the historic
history of the building and tell the parishioners to just let it
go. It wouldn’t happen, I guarantee it wouldn’t.
So, shame on the Dioceses for pressing forward with
this project here at St. James. Two parishes are needed in
Belvidere. Freeport, Illinois has three and is smaller than
Belvidere.
If you don’t have the overwhelming majority of
parishioners in support of the project by now—which you
don’t—then you probably won’t—why don’t we ever hear
total project cost? It’s not $5.5 million, it is closer to $8
million, am I correct? That is another question to answer.
The aging parishioners here at St. James that rely on
canes, walkers or wheelchairs that use handicap parking
stalls, your future designated parking will be where your
Beautiful St. James now stands, you will need to cross
Caswell Street.
Sincerely,
Daniel Casey

The above is taken from page 2, of the April 27, 2012 Boone County Journal, available free of cost at merchants across the county and on line at:  http://www.boonecountyjournal.com/news/2012/Boone-County-News-04-27-12.pdf#page=4

Letter to Editor: Stop the mistake before it happens

 

 

Editor,
Some years ago Mayor Brereton with several others
fought to save the Belvidere Community Building. That
building was built in 1939, and was a worthy WPA project.
Today after a wonderful remodeling program, designed by
local architects it’s one of the greatest assets of our city. This
building was featured on the Illinois 2004 show calendar
dedicated as “Art Deco at its Greatest.’’

The Boone County Planning Board originally turned
down the request to demolish St. James Church built in
1886 and build a new larger church across the street where
the convent and small parking lot are located at Church &
Caswell. This lot is very small, less than one acre. Several
months later and after many city council meetings, the city
council decided to approve the Rockford Diocese to build
on this small lot. This is after the local Priest Father Geary
had several conferences with the Mayor and city council
members. A few minor zoning laws were changed prior to
the final council meeting. There was even a passionate letter
written by a council member favoring its passage and was
read and distributed to all who attended the meeting. It was
decided that the new church, built at Church and Caswell
would greatly help downtown Belvidere.

You can’t bring downtown Belvidere back to the 1950’s
and 1960’s. It’s a different era now. Parishioners want convenient
parking with easy protected access to the church.

St. James was given 22 beautiful acres on the west edge
of Belvidere, located in Belvidere Township. This is the
largest growth area in Boone County.

Father Geary says the new church built at Caswell and
Church St. on the south side in an older congested residential
area is the best spot for the next 100 years.
WHY????

The present church built in 1886 will last another 100
years with some proper maintenance. This is a landmark.
Let’s continue to use it and build a new church on 22 acres
on the west edge of town. It will cost less.

THE BEST TIME TO STOP A MISTAKE IS BEFORE IT
HAPPENS.

Sincerely,
Jack Wolf

Jack Wolf: St. James—“There is a way to do better, find it”

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor:
Last winter Peggy and I visited the Thomas Edison
Museum and workshop in Ft. Myers, Florida. It took us a
full day to tour the grounds. We could have spent a week
there and we wouldn’t have seen all of it. One of the most
impressive things I noted was a statement made by Thomas
Edison, “There’s a way to do it better, find it.”

Boone County and Belvidere have to find ways to adopt
that statement. St. James Church has to do the same. I
would like to give you a few examples and ask the question,
Why?

Belvidere is now spending $100,000 on a survey to find
out where the significant places and areas of our local history
can be found. Yet, just a few months ago, the City Council
gave the authority of the Rockford Diocese to demolish St.
James Church. One of the oldest churches in town, it’s a
landmark! There were a dozen zoning laws that had to be
violated for the City Council to accept this request, if zoning
laws don’t apply in the area then why are they there?

It will cost the Parish over $2 million in building and
demolition costs to demolish these structures, the church
built in 1896, the Convent, one of the newer buildings in the
complex and the Priest’s House. Then we have to purchase
and demolish older houses to make room for additional
parking in this very congested residential area, Why?

St. James was given 22 acres of prime land by the
Bracken Family to build a new church. This land is located
on the southeast corner of Townhall Road and Squaw Prairie.
Our city spent $160,000 to develop “The West Hills Plan.”
Our church property sits ¼ mile from $100 million of new
schools which our school system recently built. This is the
growth area of Boone County. The Rockford Diocese says
we can’t build there, Why?

Belvidere is to put this new church on the east side of a
congested area filled with residential homes. The Rockford
Diocese has some good buildings and ample land on
Rockford’s west side yet, they purchased land and buildings
at the former “Barber Coleman” site on the east side of
Rockford less than six miles from Belvidere, Why?
Was the St. James Parish asked to get together and let
all of its members decide what would be the best plan for a
new church? No! It was decided by the Rockford Diocese,
Why?

Was our church formed 2,000 years ago to nurture and
provide for its people or was it designed for the use of the
clergy?

St. James Church built in 1886 should be saved! Many
of us will go to Mass there. It can be of assistance to St.
James School. The Priest’s House is very adequate and the
Convent can be remodeled and used for many of St. James
current needs.

Yes, we need a new church in Belvidere, but not in this
older congested area, but on the 22 acres on the northwest
side of Belvidere. Let our new church be built in a location
that is more convenient to our area of new growth

.
Sincerely,
Jack Wolf

St. Mary’s Huntley is breaking ground on its new parish center

 

The Observer reports that Apostolic Administration, Thomas Doran is scheduled this month to break ground on St. Mary’s new parish center and adoration chapel.

The following previous postings are the only available records regarding this multi-million dollar project.   It appears that original $5,000,000 project is now costing $7,000,000 and the project is breaking ground based upon a CAMPAIGN GOAL OF $5,0000,000.

, September 21, 2011

Update on Huntley Catholic Parish building drive

This was previously posted at: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/09/huntley-church-plans-big-expansion.html Appears to be some changes have occurred –cost was $5 million now $7 million. Now appears that fund raising will not fund all of the project.

After only 10 years, St. Mary Catholic Church in Huntley already has outgrown its building and is seeking new space in which to grow its ministry.

The church hopes to build a 32,567-square-foot, single-story addition that would include a 600-person parish hall, a small chapel, office space, a full kitchen and 10 rooms that could be split into 17 meeting rooms, said Monsignor Steve Knox, the church’s pastor since 2004.

Church leaders brought the project to the Huntley village board’s committee of the whole last week and the body sent it to the planning and zoning commission for future review.

The project, designed by Barrington-based Ruck Pate Architecture, is expected to cost $7 million. The church plans to raise a large chunk of the money among its parishioners before applying for a loan, Knox said.

After only 10 years, St. Mary Catholic Church in Huntley already has outgrown its building and is seeking new space in which to grow its ministry.

The church hopes to build a 32,567-square-foot, single-story addition that would include a 600-person parish hall, a small chapel, office space, a full kitchen and 10 rooms that could be split into 17 meeting rooms, said Monsignor Steve Knox, the church’s pastor since 2004.

20110920/news/709209949/#ixzz1Ye8UgCOK

Posted by Boone County Catholics at 10:03 PM 0 comments

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Huntley church plans big expansion

It appears that the Zoning Department at the City of Huntley does not allow the same parking spaces to be counted both for a parish center and a church.

Huntley church plans big expansion

By Jeanie Mayer For The Courier-News September 16, 2011 12:18PM

HUNTLEY — The village board heard details of a proposed major addition to St. Mary Catholic Church, 10307 Dundee Road.

Staff outlined the parish’s plan to build a 32,567-square-foot addition alongside the church to house classrooms for religious education, offices and meeting space. The proposal includes a covered carport, up to 17 meeting rooms and a professional kitchen.

The board indicated it was pleased overall with the proposed addition, but balked at the parish’s request to reduce the number of additional parking spaces the new building would require under village ordinance. The ordinance calls for an additional 260 parking spaces under the proposed plans. St. Mary’s is asking that it only be required to put in 97 more parking spaces.

“We do not at all envision a dual use where the parish hall is being used when the sanctuary is full,” a parish representative said.

Trustee Harry Leopold said he liked the plan, but was concerned with the possible shortage of parking spaces if the board allowed the parish relief of that many spaces.

“It is a real nice addition to build, and needed. I am concerned about the relief (of parking spaces). I would like to see examples of additional parking,” he said.

The above is taken from: http://couriernews.suntimes.com/7693022-417/huntley-church-plans-big-expansion.html

**********************************************************************************

The pictures and graphs shown below are from St. Mary’s Parish website: http://www.stmaryhuntley.org/

Below is a statement from the Pastor in this week’s bulletin (9-18-2011). Over $1.5 million of the $5 million drive has been pledged.

 

St. Mary’s (Huntley) gives weekly updates of its campaign and answers different questions each week

The following are taken from St. Mary’s weekly bulletins which are available at:

http://seekandfind.com/directory/st.-mary-church_672.html

What is Eucharistic Adoration Chapel?

Pledging and confidentiality.

The stage and religious education building.

The degree of parish participation.

Proposed addition/adoration chapel.

St. Mary Church
Huntley, Illinois
Statement of Need
St. Mary Parish has a wonderful history spanning over 140 years of dedicated service to the Lord
and to the people we serve. Our parish has a reputation for being welcoming, generous, and
faith-filled.
Over the decades, we have grown from a small worshipping community to our current vibrant
parish of approximately 5,200 households. Over 50 ministries and/or organizations enrich our
parish life and provide numerous ways for parishioners to share their talents and serve one
another and the larger community. The small group of individuals who met in John Kelley’s
blacksmith shop in 1870 to discuss the organization of our first church would surely be
astonished and proud of today’s church and parish.
Facilities are important to any vibrant faith community. They provide the means for us to live
our mission and to build a faith community in the name of Jesus. Over 15 years ago, our parish
of only 350 households provided the enthusiasm and energy to lay the foundation for the
building of our current beautiful church. They had the vision to anticipate the potential growth
in our area and the urgency to design and build a new church that would draw people. They
looked upon this responsibility as an opportunity, not a challenge.
Today we have another opportunity to realize. Currently we do not have ample space for the
large number of activities in our parish. We rent classrooms from Marlowe Middle School in
Huntley for our Religious Education Program with its 1,300 students. The annual cost of rentals
is approximately $50,000. We have a small number of meeting rooms that are inadequate to
accommodate our ministries and programs. Without a parish hall and kitchen we are unable to
have pancake breakfasts, dinners, funeral luncheons or other large ministry gatherings to build
up our community.
This Parish Ministry Center is as important to parish life today as was the church a decade ago.
It will give us a place to gather, not just for liturgies on the weekends, but throughout the week –
because “church” is not just a weekend experience. We need space to gather daily as a faith
community – space for activities such as religious education, youth ministry, social events for all
age groups, retreats, community outreach, service programs, meetings and parish offices for
administration.
Parishioners have been involved throughout the planning of the Parish Ministry Center. Town
Hall Meetings were held last spring and again in February. The Building Committee sought
input through a parish survey. Our Parish and Finance Councils have been involved in the
discernment of our direction, as has the parish staff. A feasibility study was conducted May
2011. Fr. Steve continues to provide updates in the bulletin to keep the parish informed,
including presenting the building design to parishioners in June.
The proposed one-story Parish Ministry Center will be approximately 32,000 square feet. The
facility will be designed to complement the exterior of our church, with interior space configured
to meet the practical demands of our Religious Education Program, our meeting and gathering
requirements and parish ministries. We’ll have ample storage space and large restrooms that are
handicapped accessible. We’re also examining ways to improve our parking lot design and the
flow of traffic.
The Parish Ministry Center will house 17 classrooms which will be designed for multipurpose
usage. The staff offices that are currently in the lower level underneath the Gathering Area will
become meeting rooms and additional religious education classrooms. The Parish Hall will be
able to seat up to 600 people at tables and will have partitions to allow for smaller gatherings.
We’ll also add a number of staff offices.
A small Eucharistic Adoration Chapel will be located in the Parish Ministry Center. We’ll
continue to have the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle in the church; and, in addition, in the
new Eucharistic Adoration Chapel. With all the liturgies, funerals, weddings, rehearsals, and
activity in our large church, having a small prayer chapel devoted to Eucharistic Adoration will
be a real blessing for our parish because people will always have a place to go for quiet prayer.
The youth ministry room will be built to be “youth friendly” and provide a space that our parish
youth can call their own. In order to make this area multi-purpose, partitions will allow it to be
used as a place for religious education classes during our more crowded sessions.
What is the ultimate goal of this project? The goal is to create more ministry space so that
parishioners can come together to grow in their relationship with God, to experience a Christcentered
community, and to be strengthened in faith and love to go forth as disciples of the Lord
in the world.
This project is vital to our parish. It will greatly enhance our beautiful church and fulfill
worship, educational, fellowship, ministry, and meeting requirements for an active, vibrant
parish. With God’s help and your prayers, volunteerism and financial support, we can make this
happen and fulfill our campaign theme of Building Community Together!

No longer bishop now apostolic administrator

The following change of title occurred for Most Reverend Thomas G. Doran.  Upon the appoint of Bishop-elect Malloy, Doran is now the Apostolic Administrator.

Click to enlarge photocopy

Guidelines on Political Activities for Parishes

 

The following information is referenced by the website at the cathedral parish of St. Peter in Rockford and at the following website:  http://www.catholicconferenceofillinois.org/content/Guidelines_for_Political_Activity_2011.pdf

 

Click on the photocopy to enlarge: 

March 23 Stand up for Religious Freedom Rally

 

Here is a site that is attempting to add up the total attendance:  http://standupforreligiousfreedom.com/2012/tally/

Over 54,000 61,000 Rally for Religious Freedom!

Posted by Eric Scheidler (March 26, 2012 at 7:26 am)

Update: More Rally Captains have reported their head counts. See revised numbers below.

---

When my Rally co-director Monica Miller and I originally conceived the Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally, I was hoping for 50 cities to sign on. Monica, more optimistically, hoped for 100.

We launched the project with 30 cities, which quickly grew to 50, then 80, then 100. In the final week before the Rally, we topped 140, with cities coming on board up to the last minute. The final tally was 143 cities from Portland, Maine to Honolulu, Hawaii.

By that time the buzz surrounding the Rally was so great that I began to speculate that we just might top 10,000 participants across the country.

How little did I know what God had in store for this historic day!

With 106 118 122 134 cities tallied (most from Rally Captains on the ground, some from press reports) the count so far is 54,039 57,103 58,455 61,237!

Here’s the city-by-city tally. If you have numbers for a Rally city not listed here, please let me know in the comments.

Akron 100
Albuquerque 400
Allentown 600
Anchorage 50
Ann Arbor 1,500
Athens 200
Atlanta 800
Austin 400
Baton Rouge 500
el Air 150
Billings 60
Birmingham 500
Bismarck 700
1Boerne 57
Boise 100
Boston 350
Bryan 253
Buffalo 1,000
Charleston 88
Charlotte 500
Charlottesville 200
Cheyenne 100
Chicago 2,500
Cincinnati 1,000
Cleveland 1,500
Colorado Springs 200
Columbus 300
Concord 210
Corpus Christi 300
Dallas 800
Davenport 140
Dayton 200
Del Rio 100
Denver 500
Detroit 1,000
Duluth 200
El Paso 500
Ellicott City 250
Erie 140
Eugene 200
Evansville 500
Fairbanks 50
Fargo 100
Flint 400
Fort Lauderdale 350

Fort Wayne 350
Fort Worth 717
Freeport 260
Front Royal 200
Garden City 100
Germantown 225
Goshen 500
Grand Rapids 500
Green Bay 300
Greenville 100
Harrisburg 150
Hartford 600
Honolulu 205
Houston 1,200
Howell 550
Indianapolis 700
Jackson 83
Jacksonville 800
Kalamazoo 300
Kansas City 250
Kenai 25
Lake Havasu 70
Las Vegas 15
Lexington 100
Los Angeles 600
Madison 500
Marion 108
Miami 500
Milwaukee 400
Minneapolis-St. Paul 2,200
Muncie 150
Murrieta 350
Nashville 500
New Braunfels 400
New Haven 200
New Orleans 850
New York City 900
Norfolk 300
Norwich 75
Omaha 1,200
Orlando 850
Owensboro 300
Pensacola 210
Peoria 500
Philadelphia 2,300

Phoenix 1,000
Pierre 55
Pittsburgh 500
Portland ME 300
Portland OR 200
Providence 100
Rapid City 80
Reading 130
Redding 200
Reno 350
Richland 100
Roanoke 100
Rochester 600
Rockford 800
Sacramento 400
Saginaw 100
Salt Lake City 100
San Antonio 800
San Diego 2,000
San Francisco 1,000
Sarasota 1,000
Scranton 500
Seattle 800
Soldanta 8
South Bend 550
Spokane 150
St. Cloud 400
St. Louis 200
St. Petersburg 250
Sterling 175
Stuart 120
Tacoma 500
Toledo 1,000
Traverse City 85
Trenton 800
Tucson 300
Tulsa 100
Uvalde 83
Valparaiso 250
Ventura 440
Washington DC 2,000
Wichita 500
Williamsport 120
Winston-Salem 250

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New bishop eager to get to know northern Illinois’ Catholics - Elgin Courier News

By Jeannette Sturges jsturges@stmedianetwork.com March 26, 2012 4:54PM

Some different quotes from the new bishop.

“Before anyone can have any grand plans, it’s important to get to know the people and where they are,” he said. “I think the big plan is to get to know the diocese, get to know the people. That probably means a lot of personal outreach, going to events, getting to know the clergy and their needs and hopes.”

Malloy also brings to the diocese a strong background in administration. He served for 10 years with the United States Conference of Bishops, working on the first reorganization of the conference in 30 years.

“We looked at who’s doing what, are there things we were doing 30 years ago we’re not doing now? And we added a lot of efficiencies that should please the bishops and should please the people making their weekly contributions,” he said.

Malloy said the Rockford Diocese has a strong reputation among American Catholics.

“Rockford is widely reputed to be a very dynamic, very vibrant diocese,” he said. “Every local church has its own personality and culture within the parameter of the Catholic Church. I’m looking forward to seeing how in Northern Illinois the church really becomes incarnate.”

Click on the following to read the entire story:  New bishop eager to get to know northern Illinois’ Catholics - Elgin Courier News

Diocese of ROCKFORD’s Statement on new Bishop

 

Welcome!
The Vatican announced Tuesday, March 20, 2012 that The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, accepted the resignation of Bishop Thomas G. Doran and appointed Msgr. David John Malloy, as the ninth Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Rockford.
Bishop Doran held a press conference at 10 a.m. the same day at the Diocesan Administration Center to officially introduce Bishop-elect Malloy.
Please join the Diocese of Rockford in offering prayers of thanksgiving for the good work and faith of Bishop Doran and for the new episcopacy of our new shepherd, Bishop-elect David Malloy.
BISHOP-ELECT DAVID JOHN MALLOY
Bishop-elect Malloy was born Feb. 3, 1956 in Milwaukee, Wis., the son of David (deceased) and Mary Malloy.
He has one sister Mary Ellen and four brothers; Daniel, Father Francis, Robert and Richard.
He attended Christ the King Grade School in Wauwatosa, Wis., and graduated from Wauwatosa East School in 1974. He graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. He studied one year at St. Francis de Sales Seminary in Milwaukee and five years at the Gregorian University in Rome where he received advanced degrees in theology.

He was ordained to the priesthood in 1983 by Archbishop Rembert Weakland. He served two years as associate pastor of St. John Nepomuk Parish in Racine. In preparation for the Vatican Diplomatic Service he attended the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy from 1986 to 1990 where he received a degree in Canon Law from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas, (Angelicum) and a doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Gregorian University. After his studies, he served as secretary to the Apostolic Nunciature (Vatican Embassies) in Pakistan (1990-1994) and the Apostolic Nunciature in Syria (1995). From 1995 to 1998 he was secretary to the Permanent Observer Mission to the Holy See. Bishop-elect Malloy left the Diplomatic Service in 1998 and served for two and a half years in the Vatican's prefecture of the Papal Household helping with the Great Jubilee Year of 2000.
In 2001 he was appointed Associate General Secretary of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and in 2006 began a five year term as General Secretary. After his term at the USCCB ended, Bishop-elect Malloy was assigned to be pastor at St. Francis de Sales Parish in Lake Geneva where he has served since Aug. 1, 2011.
He speaks Italian, Spanish and some French.

Rockford’s New Bishop

20-March-2012 -- Vatican Information Service

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Pontifical Acts for March 20

Vatican City, 20 March 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop William E. Lori of Bridgeport, U.S.A., as archbishop of Baltimore (area 12,430, population 3,119,000, Catholics 499,529, priests 543, permanent deacons 158, religious 1,249), U.S.A.

- Appointed Msgr. David J. Malloy of the clergy of the archdiocese of Milwaukee, U.S.A., pastor of the parish of St. Francis de Sales at Lake Geneva, as bishop of Rockford (area 16,717, population 1,665,000, Catholics 451,509, priests 288, permanent deacons 136, religious 184), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in Milwaukee in 1956 and ordained a priest in 1983. He studied in Rome then served for a number of years in the diplomatic service of the Holy See before becoming an official of the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household. From 2006 to 2011 he was secretary general of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He succeeds Bishop Thomas G. Doran, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Bishop Christian Lepine, auxiliary of the archdiocese of Montreal, Canada, as metropolitan archbishop of the same archdiocese (area 1,103, population 2,574,000, Catholics 1,640,000, priests 1,163, permanent deacons 100, religious 4,158). He succeeds Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Fr. Gregory L. Parkes of the clergy of the diocese of Orlando, U.S.A., vicar general, chancellor for canonical affairs and pastor of the parish of Corpus Christi at Celebration, as bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee (area 36,724, population 1,381,566, Catholics 74,868, priests 94, permanent deacons 67, religious 49), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in Mineola, U.S.A. in 1964 and ordained a priest in 1999. Before becoming a priest he worked in the banking sector. He studied in Rome and, since ordination, has worked in pastoral care in the diocese of Orlando.

On Saturday 17 March it was made public that the Pope:

- Appointed Archbishop Mario Roberto Cassari, apostolic nuncio to South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Swaziland, also as apostolic nuncio to Lesotho.

- Appointed Bishop Rufin Anthony of Islamabad-Rawalpindi, Pakistan, as apostolic administrator "sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of the diocese of Faisalabad, Pakistan.

Click here to share this news story with a friend.

---

Rockford’s new bishop: David J. Malloy

Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Pope Benedict XVI announced today that he has appointed Msgr. David J. Malloy as the 9th bishop of the Diocese of Rockford, Illinois. Malloy will succeed Bishop Thomas Doran, who is retiring.
“I am extremely proud and pleased that the Holy Father has chosen a priest of our diocese to lead the Diocese of Rockford. Although a loss for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, and his parish, Saint Francis de Sales in Lake Geneva, it is a gain for the faithful of Rockford and the State of Illinois, as well as the Church of the United States. Our prayers and good wishes go with him as he responds to this new call,” said Archbishop Listecki.
David Malloy was born February 3, 1956, in Milwaukee. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology from Marquette University, and then studied for the priesthood at St. Francis de Sales Seminary in Milwaukee and the North American College in Rome. He was ordained a priest for the archdiocese in 1983.
Prior to ordination he earned a bachelor’s degree and a licentiate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome. After ordination he earned a licentiate in canon law from Rome’s Pontifical University of St. Thomas (Angelicum) and a doctorate in theology from the Gregorian University.
After ordination Bishop-elect Malloy was associate pastor at St. John Nepomuk Parish, in Racine, Wisconsin, 1984-1986. He studied for the Vatican Diplomatic Corps, 1986-1990. His diplomatic corps assignments included secretary, apostolic nunciature, Pakistan, 1990-1994; secretary, apostolic nunciature, Syria, 1995; secretary, U.S. Permanent Observer to the Mission of the Holy See, 1995-1998. He also assisted in the Prefecture of the Papal Household at the Vatican, 1998-2001.
At the USCCB, he served as associate general secretary, 2001-2006, and general secretary, 2006-2011. He was named administrator at c 2011-2012, and pastor of that parish in 2012.
As he embarks on this new journey, I ask that you pray for Msgr. Malloy as well as the people of the Diocese of Rockford and the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
Very truly yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee

Photograph of Monsignor Malloy

REPOSTING--- The New St. James Church: Many Questions; Few Answers

Other than supplying a weekly statement of pledges there has not been little new information. 

Back in October Father Geary stated that the architect  was working on the plans and we would be impressed by the drawings. (see:   http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2012/01/when-will-new-design-drawings-be-coming.html ).  The drawings currently shown in the entrance to the church and parish center are all from August 2011 and were prepared before the city council vote in September.

The best statement as to where we are is at the end of this posting:  “Father Geary will tell us when he deems the parish should be told.”

 

This artistic rendering is based upon submission to Belvidere Planning department by St. James. The picture was altered to eliminate the tall trees which will not exist after construction.

The New St. James Church: Many Questions; Few Answers

Changes from October 6, 2011 in Yellow. November 3, 2011 changes in orange.

Since January 2011 parishioners have been asked to support the campaign for a new church. However since then there have been many changes some of which only a few parishioners are aware. Just to clear things up --here is what you should be aware.

• The capacity of the new Church is now 850
• It is being planned to be located at the old convent/parking lot on Church Street and Caswell Streets. The main entrance doors will be on Caswell. [NOT on the 22 acres West of Belvidere on Town Hall Road]
• The new church will have steps at the front and at all side entrances. The church will be handicapped accessible only for the front. The handicapped ramp will be much less steep than the current ramp however it will be approximately twice as long. And it will require the walker to enter on the school side Church Street side of the church. See drawings at: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/07/new-st-james-church-will-be-very-bigyou.html
• A number of neighbors have signed formal protest requests regarding the parish’s zoning request. None of the adjacent neighbors have agreed to sell their property to the parish. Only the property owners on the side of the school parking lot have signed sales contract. See: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-much-does-bird-housecost.html
• Type of roof on the new church: Despite what the application for zoning stated and what Father Geary stated earlier, the roof apparently now is standard shingles—not a metal roof. (Metal roofs have a much longer life) Mr. Linkenheld at 8-23-2011 meeting stated that standard shingles were always planned for the roof.
• The old church will be torn down to make a parking lot. The new church will be five stories tall. There will be four inches (basically zero) set back on the Church Street side of the building. The new church is now seven feet shorter (63 feet at peak relative to ground). The baptistery is now on the parish center side approximately 12.5 feet from parish center.
• The Parish will pay all city expenses for rebuilding the 300 block of Church Street to make diagonal parking alone the new church building. for widening Church Street to accommodate fire trucks. Parking will be in the same parallel style but may have handicapped parking on the church side of street.
• The parish will now have 170 on parish premises parking spots. The rectory will be torn down and converted to parking. The parish will be buying two parcels adjacent to the school playground/parking lot to accomplish this goal--548 Caswell Street and 402 Laurel Court..
• When will Father Geary or Bishop Doran communicate with St. James Parishioners? First communication in bulletin on 8-7-2011; To see this, click on following: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/08/insert-to-parish-bulletin-8-7-2011.htmlFew of the changes (such as those listed above) have been published in the weekly bulletin or any other written source. Father Geary has orally stated many things which “the Bishop will not approve or Diocese demands” but such things have not been written nor has the pastor, the parish finance committee or the parish council disseminated the information in written form to the parish. Other than continuing to solicit funds, parish administration appears to have little desire to communicate with the parish members concerning changes to the new church.

  Is the Church still going to have a basement? NO, IT WILL NOT At least that is what the 8-7-2011 insert stated; click on following: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/08/insert-to-parish-bulletin-8-7-2011.html

  Many heard that the project was running over the $5.5 limit [maybe this is $6,000,000, see insert] and no basement was being planned even though at public meetings an unfinished basement was stated. If there is no basement St. James Parish will have even less storage. The school and organizations are already complaining about storage. Where will the old stain glass and other sacred items be stored?

  QUESTIONS that remain unanswered:
  How much money does the campaign have in the Parish DIAL account? There have been many expenses for the campaign management firm, architect, surveying and legal. The campaign needs $1,000,000 in the DIAL account. How close are we to that requirement? SEE 6-30-2011 accounting, .go to: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/10/st-james-fy-2011-financial-reports.html As of the 6-30-2011 accounting , $633,306 of new church pledges were received , $165,737 of new church building expenses were paid and $387,862 of DIAL deposits were indicated as building deposits. Apparently the remaining $79,707 was used to pay other parish debts or assessments.($633,306 minus $165,737, minus $387,862 equals $79,707)
• The “Bird House”, 534 Caswell, was purchased for $62,737 and the empty lot for $10,000. These transactions occurred in September 2011. (See: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/11/how-much-did-st-james-pay-for-two.html). It is not certain if cash was used for the transaction.
• What happens if the pledge goal of $3,000,000 is not reached? Will any funds be returned to the donors?
• Will the expenses for the campaign and pre-construction be shown in the parish’s June 30, 2011 annual statements to the parishioners?If not, what type of public accounting will parishioners receive and when? To see 6-30-2011 accounting go to: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/10/st-james-fy-2011-financial-reports.html As of the 6-30-2011 accounting , $633,306 of new church pledges were received , $165,737 of new church building expenses were paid and $387,862 of DIAL deposits were indicated as building deposits. Apparently the remaining $79,707 was used to pay other parish debts or assessments.($633,306 minus $165,737, minus $387,862 equals $79,707)
• Will St. James be a good steward of the Earth in the building of the new church? Will modern ecological/energy-savings devises and systems be employed to lessen heating, cooling and lighting bills? Can a church with 50 feet ceilings ever be consider energy efficient? Will the demolition, constructions and operations be earth friendly?
• What is the projected cost of the total project now? Rumor says the church building will cost $6.4million and if there is a basement $7.5 million. And now there is talk that the parish will be buying the houses of the landowners who have signed formal protests. Could that be another $1,000,000? 9-9-2011. A budget limit of $5.5 Million is still in effect, based upon my personal conversation with Father Geary.

  I have been told by Father Geary that he will answer questions when he deems the parish should be told.

Rockford Diocese vs. Sacred Heart Parish ($1.7 million battle) - Aurora, IL -- AmericanTowns.com

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

Growth of Catholic Hospitals May Limit Access to Reproductive Care - NYTimes.com

 

Financially stronger Catholic-sponsored medical centers are increasingly joining with smaller secular hospitals, in some cases limiting access to treatments like contraception, abortion and sterilization.

In Seattle….

…in Louisville…

And in Rockford, Ill.,

Click on the following for more details:  Growth of Catholic Hospitals May Limit Access to Reproductive Care - NYTimes.com

REPOSTING--- The New St. James Church: Many Questions; Few Answers

 

The New St. James Church: Many Questions; Few Answers

This artistic rendering is based upon submission to Belvidere Planning department by St. James. The picture was altered to eliminate the tall trees which will not exist after construction.

Changes from October 6, 2011 in Yellow. November 3, 2011 changes in orange.

Since January 2011 parishioners have been asked to support the campaign for a new church. However since then there have been many changes some of which only a few parishioners are aware. Just to clear things up --here is what you should be aware.

• The capacity of the new Church is now 850
• It is being planned to be located at the old convent/parking lot on Church Street and Caswell Streets. The main entrance doors will be on Caswell. [NOT on the 22 acres West of Belvidere on Town Hall Road]
• The new church will have steps at the front and at all side entrances. The church will be handicapped accessible only for the front. The handicapped ramp will be much less steep than the current ramp however it will be approximately twice as long. And it will require the walker to enter on the school side Church Street side of the church. See drawings at: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/07/new-st-james-church-will-be-very-bigyou.html
• A number of neighbors have signed formal protest requests regarding the parish’s zoning request. None of the adjacent neighbors have agreed to sell their property to the parish. Only the property owners on the side of the school parking lot have signed sales contract. See: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-much-does-bird-housecost.html
• Type of roof on the new church: Despite what the application for zoning stated and what Father Geary stated earlier, the roof apparently now is standard shingles—not a metal roof. (Metal roofs have a much longer life) Mr. Linkenheld at 8-23-2011 meeting stated that standard shingles were always planned for the roof.
• The old church will be torn down to make a parking lot. The new church will be five stories tall. There will be four inches (basically zero) set back on the Church Street side of the building. The new church is now seven feet shorter (63 feet at peak relative to ground). The baptistery is now on the parish center side approximately 12.5 feet from parish center.
• The Parish will pay all city expenses for rebuilding the 300 block of Church Street to make diagonal parking alone the new church building. for widening Church Street to accommodate fire trucks. Parking will be in the same parallel style but may have handicapped parking on the church side of street.
• The parish will now have 170 on parish premises parking spots. The rectory will be torn down and converted to parking. The parish will be buying two parcels adjacent to the school playground/parking lot to accomplish this goal--548 Caswell Street and 402 Laurel Court..
• When will Father Geary or Bishop Doran communicate with St. James Parishioners? First communication in bulletin on 8-7-2011; To see this, click on following: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/08/insert-to-parish-bulletin-8-7-2011.htmlFew of the changes (such as those listed above) have been published in the weekly bulletin or any other written source. Father Geary has orally stated many things which “the Bishop will not approve or Diocese demands” but such things have not been written nor has the pastor, the parish finance committee or the parish council disseminated the information in written form to the parish. Other than continuing to solicit funds, parish administration appears to have little desire to communicate with the parish members concerning changes to the new church.

  Is the Church still going to have a basement? NO, IT WILL NOT At least that is what the  8-7-2011 insert stated; click on following: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/08/insert-to-parish-bulletin-8-7-2011.html

  Many heard that the project was running over the $5.5 limit [maybe this is $6,000,000, see insert] and no basement was being planned even though at public meetings an unfinished basement was stated. If there is no basement St. James Parish will have even less storage. The school and organizations are already complaining about storage. Where will the old stain glass and other sacred items be stored?

  QUESTIONS that remain unanswered:
  How much money does the campaign have in the Parish DIAL account? There have been many expenses for the campaign management firm, architect, surveying and legal. The campaign needs $1,000,000 in the DIAL account. How close are we to that requirement? SEE 6-30-2011 accounting, .go to: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/10/st-james-fy-2011-financial-reports.html As of the 6-30-2011 accounting , $633,306 of new church pledges were received , $165,737 of new church building expenses were paid and $387,862 of DIAL deposits were indicated as building deposits. Apparently the remaining $79,707 was used to pay other parish debts or assessments.($633,306 minus $165,737, minus $387,862 equals $79,707)
• The “Bird House”, 534 Caswell, was purchased for $62,737 and the empty lot for $10,000. These transactions occurred in September 2011. (See: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/11/how-much-did-st-james-pay-for-two.html). It is not certain if cash was used for the transaction.
• What happens if the pledge goal of $3,000,000 is not reached? Will any funds be returned to the donors?
• Will the expenses for the campaign and pre-construction be shown in the parish’s June 30, 2011 annual statements to the parishioners?If not, what type of public accounting will parishioners receive and when? To see 6-30-2011 accounting go to: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/10/st-james-fy-2011-financial-reports.html As of the 6-30-2011 accounting , $633,306 of new church pledges were received , $165,737 of new church building expenses were paid and $387,862 of DIAL deposits were indicated as building deposits. Apparently the remaining $79,707 was used to pay other parish debts or assessments.($633,306 minus $165,737, minus $387,862 equals $79,707)
• Will St. James be a good steward of the Earth in the building of the new church? Will modern ecological/energy-savings devises and systems be employed to lessen heating, cooling and lighting bills? Can a church with 50 feet ceilings ever be consider energy efficient? Will the demolition, constructions and operations be earth friendly?
• What is the projected cost of the total project now? Rumor says the church building will cost $6.4million and if there is a basement $7.5 million. And now there is talk that the parish will be buying the houses of the landowners who have signed formal protests. Could that be another $1,000,000?  9-9-2011. A budget limit of $5.5 Million is still in effect, based upon my personal conversation with Father Geary.

  I have been told by Father Geary that he will answer questions when he deems the parish should be told.

How does the The Observer Subsidy work?

Well here is how it works at St. Rita’s.

 

UPDATE: Priest cancels Rockford, DeKalb stops over allegations

The original story was run by the Rockford Register Star back in March 2011;  see: http://www.rrstar.com/news/x13296072/Priest-cancels-Rockford-DeKalb-stops-over-allegations
March 23, 2011
The Rev. John Corapi has been placed on administrative leave and has canceled scheduled stops in Rockford and DeKalb following allegations of drug use and sexual misconduct.
Corapi, a nationally known Catholic priest, was set to be the only speaker at a Catholic Charities Diocese of Rockford fundraising event Saturday at the Northern Illinois University Convocation Center. Corapi, 63, also was to be in Rockford on Friday meeting with sponsors of the event.
Corapi, in a three-page letter from a former employee sent to several bishops, was accused of abusing drugs as well as having sexual encounters with multiple women.
Here is the update from this summer.

Popular Catholic Priest John Corapi Calls It Quits, Blasts Church Leaders On His Way Out
he was suspended from his religious order in March after one of his female employees accused him of sexual misconduct. Corapi denied the allegations, but suffered a blow when the Catholic television network that beamed his conservative sermons to millions of viewers also suspended his appearances pending an investigation by his religious superiors. …
Corapi, who railed against liberal movements within the church, gained the empathy of many fans with his unusual conversion story. Once a prominent and wealthy real estate agent in Los Angeles, he saw his riches crumble because of cocaine addiction and ended up homeless for three years before checking into a psychiatric facility. He decided to turn his life around in 1984, later enrolled in seminary and was ordained as a deacon in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1990. He was ordained as a priest a year later by Pope John Paul II.

Click on the following for more details:  Popular Catholic Priest John Corapi Calls It Quits, Blasts Church Leaders On His Way Out


Matt C. Abbott
June 19, 2011
 

By Matt C. Abbott
The man formerly known as Father John Corapi, celebrity Catholic priest, is "not going to be involved in public ministry as a priest any longer" and now wants to be known as John Corapi, "The Black Sheep Dog."

One of Father Corapi’s reactions to his order’s action was a new website—”The Black Sheep Dog”—that is all gone—see:  http://douglawrence.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/the-black-sheep-dog-a-k-a-father-john-corapi-website-is-now-empty-and-dormant/


Recent article from:  http://catholicism.about.com/b/2012/01/26/what-has-happened-to-fr-john-corapi.htm?utm_source=Legatus+Insider+6.05&utm_campaign=Insider+6.05&utm_medium=email