Update on St. Barnabas, Omaha, Nebraska

Legal Update -

As many of you know, in early December we had a meeting with representatives of the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska which was chaired by Msgr. Steenson. The meeting was held at the Archdiocesan Chancery and the Chancellor of the Archdiocese, Fr. Taphorn was in attendance.

From this cordial and productive meeting, we arrived at an agreement for Settlement in the litigation regarding the property, which was filed against us by the Diocese of Nebraska, subsequent to our disaffiliation from the Diocese in 2007.

We next began a process of fundraising for the necessary and mutually agreed upon amount. We completed that process a few weeks ago.

I have worked with our attorney on the final form of the agreement - with several drafts passing back and forth between us and the Diocesan attorney.

We had requested to meet with them to sign the agreement this past Thursday. While the Diocese indicates they are satisfied with the agreement, we have yet, as of this hour, to have the approval of the national TEC communicated to us.

I can tell you that during the last few days I have been in regular communication with Bishop Barker, and can assure you he is doing what he can to facilitate bringing this matter to a conclusion.

When that happens, we will move forward with the execution of the agreement, payment of funds, and the end of the litigation.

Please watch for further updates.

Sean W. Reed,
President, St. Barnabas Church Parish Council
Senior Warden, St. Barnabas Parish

from Facebook

Scranton's St. Thomas More Society to buy historic church property

St. Joseph's Church, Scranton, Pennsylvania
Father Eric Bergman writes:

Those of you who assisted at Mass on Sunday, February 19th will remember that I called a surprise meeting that day for members and friends of the St. Thomas More Society. I announced then that Bishop Joseph Bambera had given me permission to poll our members and benefactors to determine how much money we might be able to raise for the purchase of a permanent home from which to conduct our ministry. Specifically he had asked me to get back to him in a couple of weeks to indicate whether we as a community could come up with the cash to purchase St. Joseph Church in the Providence section of the city of Scranton. Your response to my appeal was quick and generous, for which I offer my most heartfelt gratitude. By February 29th we had about $170,000 on hand, with thousands more pledged toward the purchase, a happy circumstance that I related to the Vicar General of the Diocese of Scranton, Fr. Brian Clarke. Within days I learned we would be able to purchase the entire St. Joseph Church campus, which includes the church (with the parish hall beneath it), the rectory (six bedrooms and five baths), four garages, 36 parking spaces, a convent vacated by the Sisters of Mercy on January 9th, and St. Joseph School (closed in 1984 but used by the parish for various ministries until July of last year). Our hope is to close on the property the third or fourth week of April and complete the necessary renovations over the summer, the goal being to be worshiping in our new setting and occupying our new rectory by the beginning of the school year.

For the property we must pay $254,000, though Fr. Cyril Edwards, the Pastor of Mary, Mother of God parish, fr rom which we will acquire the property, ha as kindly agreed to give us some time to come up with the full amount. In addition to the purchase price, we will have to sp pend a significant amount restoring the ch hurch to conform to our liturgical practices and disciplines. Plus, there will be some renovation work necessary for the other buildings on the campus. Therefore, we will shortly conduct a formal capital campaign, for which you should expect to receive a mailing, by which we will raise the necessary funds. How much we raise will determine what we are able to do over the coming summer months, and we will be sure to welcome pledges toward work that can be kicked down the road a bit, for those of you who do not have money immediately on hand. Thus, please begin to pray about what you may be able to donate, in anticipation of receiving a formal appeal for help with acquisition of the property and restoration of it...

Read the rest of Fr. Bergman's letter to his parishioners and the rest of the Society's news in this month's More News.

A Matter of Property

This isn't news, exactly, but it is an answer to an important question that has been of concern to both Anglican Use and Anglican parishes that are considering membership in the Personal Ordinariates to be set up under the CDF according to Anglicanorum Coetibus. Fr. Phillips shares a letter from the St. Joseph Foundation, a well-regarded organization that helps Catholics vindicate their rights under canon law.

When the possibility of becoming part of an Ordinariate became a reality, like many others we had questions about some of the more practical issues, especially matters relating to property. Our Lady of the Atonement Church was founded nearly twenty-seven years ago, and when we were received into the Church the parish had very little property at all – just a modest rectory where my family and I were living. It had very little value, perhaps thirty thousand dollars or so. Nonetheless, it was listed with the archdiocese as our parish property, and the archbishop’s name went on the legal documents. Over the years the assets of the parish have steadily increased, and now our total property is listed at something over 23 million dollars, all with the Archbishop of San Antonio listed as the “owner,” but canonically the property of Our Lady of the Atonement Parish. Was there going to be any problem in having our property and parish assets transferred to an Ordinariate? I spoke to our archbishop, and he left no question whatsoever about his cooperation in doing whatever is necessary in both civil and canon law to complete the transfer when the time comes.

Read the rest at the Anglo-Catholic blog.