UPDATED: Sept. 2, 3:40 p.m.
"We are under distress by what the new priest is doing with the church," she explained.
Gunter-Rucker and other Black parishioners at the historically Black Roman Catholic church said since their current administrator, Reverend Esteban Granyak, took over in 2014, he has gone out of his way to push Black members out of the church while catering to Neocatechumen.
She said it started with him eliminating Back staff members.
"They have changed everything from top to bottom, and it's just disheartening, because we're not included, we're excluded," she said.
Longtime church member Carolyn Jenkins shares those sentiments.
"My parents were members, and so were my grandparents," she said.
Over the weekend, Jenkins, Gunter-Rucker, and other Black congregants protested in front of the church over the changes.
"It feels like systematic racism, because that's exactly what happened. They planned to come in and take over," Jenkins said. "We're asking the archdiocese, not asking, we're saying that we want the administrator to be removed immediately, and the Neocatechumen, and we want our parish back."
"We've asked the diocese to remove him and give us a five-year program where the diocese will work with us in order for us to mandate our own church. We do not feel that the church is now the people's church," Gunter-Rucker reiterated.
Archdiocese officials met with parishioners Wednesday in a two-hour meeting. Assembly parties discussed the perceived separation of Black parishioners, with issues they have over firings, structural changes, and separated mass.
Archdiocese of Philadelphia representative Kenneth Gavin said there was a lot to hash out when it came to issues members have with Granyak.
"That was set as a facilitated meeting to make sure concerns on both sides of the table were being appropriately voiced and that they were being appropriately heard," Gavin said.
Jenkins said even after the meeting, they do not believe Granyak truly understands their issues.
"The reasons that we are calling for him to be dismissed are still there" Jenkins said.
Gavin saif facilitators will take their findings to the archbishop, who will ultimately decide what to do.
"There isn't any disciplinary action like that that's on the table at this point in time," Gavin said.
Jenkins said they want the church to put on a program they will be able to manage themselves.
"We plan to protest whenever necessary until the situation is resolved," she said.
