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Local woman says she was pulled from softball program after missing too much church

Priest said she did not give a good example by habitually missing Mass

GENEVA, Ohio — Tiffany Green grew up Catholic at Immaculate Conception Parish in Madison.

“My parents were married in the church, I was baptized in the church, made my first communion,” she said.

All the while, there was softball, with the church offering a league for boys and girls ages 8 to 18.

Today more than 100 players participate in the program. Green has been running it, as her late father did.

His name even appears on a year-end award.

“It’s all we’ve ever done in the spring and summer,” she said.

But this year may be different, after the pastor sent her a letter saying that the 2019 season would be canceled.

It went on to accuse some of the program’s volunteers of not doing enough with their faith.

“Not faithfully attending Mass on every Sunday or Holy Day,” Fr. Sean Donnelly wrote. “Habitually missing Mass is not giving a good example to anyone.”

On Friday, a spokesman for the diocese told Channel 3 the season will go on and released a statement.

“The pastor is the steward of the parish and has the authority to decide which volunteers are eligible to lead parish activities. After having communicated with the former parish softball program leadership over a lengthy period of time, the pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Madison has decided to continue the softball program under new leadership in order to ensure that this activity is conducted in accordance with the pastor’s expectations,” it read in part.

It is unclear who will replace Green, who wishes her church attendance did not carry the consequences it did.

She said she does attend Sunday Mass frequently, but admits she has not been going every single week.

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