Bishop refuses to hear Mount Carmel appeal

The Catholic Free Press staff

Bishop McManus has rejected the Mount Carmel Preservation Society’s appeal of his decision to deconsecrate Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church and relegate it to “profane but not sordid” use. The deconsecration was announced in a decree dated Oct. 27.
The bishop sent a certified letter Tuesday to the organization, notifying the members of his decision, according to Msgr. F. Stephen Pedone, diocesan judicial vicar/vicar for canonical affairs. Msgr. Pedone also is pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish at Our Lady of Loreto Church. The Worcester parishes were merged after Mount Carmel Church on Mulberry Street was closed May 1, 2016, because of public safety concerns.
Mauro DePasquale, president of the group which has been trying to raise money to keep the church open, had not returned a call before deadline, seeking comment on the bishop’s action. He has said the group will continue to pursue all options to preserve the church building.
“We are praying for a miracle,”  he said.
The group has 15 days from Wednesday, Nov. 8, to appeal the bishop’s latest decision to the Congregation for the Clergy in the Vatican. They are familiar with the process because they appealed to the congregation the bishop’s February decision to merge the parishes. That appeal was rejected by the Congregation for the Clergy in mid-October. At a recent prayer vigil on the church property, Carmelita Bello said she received the Vatican’s decision in the mail Oct. 16, and informed the others about it. Petitioners have indicated that they will re-appeal the merger of the parishes. They have 60 days from receipt of the decision to present an appeal to the Apostolic Signatora, the highest court in the Holy See, Msgr. Pedone said. That is the last option in the appeal process, he said.