Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - With dozens of parishes in the Buffalo Diocese filing formal plans to fight being merged or closed, an expert in Canon Law who has studied church consolidation, said the outlook for the faithful is bleak.
"It's a really sad situation," said Philip Gray, a Canon lawyer for over 30 years.
He joined WBEN from eastern Ohio on Wednesday.
Canon Law is the oldest living legal system in the world. It is the official
legal system of the Catholic Church.
"The effects are not just on the parishioners. It's on the priests, on how
non-Catholics view the church, and on communities," he said.
Gray said the result is that some will go to another Catholic church, some will go to another denomination. But between 20% and 60% of parishioners will just stop attending church altogether. He said the percentage varies depending on how they're treated in the merger and closure process.
He runs the St. Joseph Foundation, which is a non profit organization
that offers free canonical assistance to anyone who is aggrieved by
the catholic church. Canon law is available to anyone to resolve disputes in the church.
Gray acknowledged that more than half of their cases, up to 70%, involve church merger issues, whether it's parishes merging, a church closing, or a school merger. Or, any other issue related to violation of pastors' rights.
St. Joseph's Foundation is available as a resource for local parishes. "We have a very small staff," Gray said. "But my understanding is that there is a group of people fighting the closures in Buffalo If people contact us, we would put them in contact with the group so that there can be strength in numbers and they can work together, rather than against each other."
You can reach St. Joseph Canon Law HERE. Fill out the contact form and they will put you in touch with the local group.
