Updated: 6/19/2009 1:08:02 PM Posted: 6/18/2009 11:36:09 PM
CLEVELAND -- At St. Margaret's Church in Orange, parish members were holding up protest signs and encouraging passing motorists to honk their horns in support.
At St. Patrick's Church in Cleveland's West Park neighborhood, an even larger crowd was making even more noise as they stood in protest on Puritas Avenue. Both churches are on the Cleveland Diocese hit list of 50 parishes that are scheduled to close. Twelve of the targeted churches have banded together in a group they call "Endangered Catholics." Karen Endredi said, "I don't think the bishop has opened our letters, much less read them. So we're going to keep sending them to him until he's buried in them".
As he led a group of protesters carrying luminaries outside St. Patrick's Church, Paul Racette said, "We will not go quietly and we will not roll over and just accept the bishops' decision. We will fight for this parish."
On Lander Road, Dorothy Csendes said, "I'm 85 years old and I want to be buried from St. Margaret's, as sad as that is to say. And we're just being ousted, unfortunately."
She added, "in Hungarian my name is pronounced "chendesh", which means silent, which I am not! The bishop needs to hear us."
The members of the group "Endangered Catholics" plan to protest outside the cathedral in downtown Cleveland every Wednesday afternoon at 4 p.m. until Bishop Richard Lennon changes his mind.
At yesterday's gathering on East 9th Street, many had a copy of a statement by a diocese official that said, "It is apparent that in each case, these protesting parishes were unable to comply with the criteria for a 'vibrant' parish."
Paul Racette looked at the large group of protesters holding up signs outside St. Patrick's Church and said, "Look at us. How "vibrant" are we supposed to be?"
© 2009 WKYC-TV
