For Immediate Release                                                        April 4, 2006

Contact:               Barbara Grants                                          Christine Schenk csj

                            Director of Development                           Executive Director

                            216-228-0869 X6                                      011 39-339-564-1658

                                                                                             (Currently leading a pilgrimage to                                                                                                                                        honor women officeholders in the                                                                                                                                        early Church in Rome, Ostia,                                                                                                                                        and Assisi- to return 4/9/2006)

FUTURECHURCH  STATEMENT ON THE APPOINTMENT OF BISHOP RICHARD LENNON TO THE DIOCESE OF CLEVELAND

FutureChurch welcomes Bishop Richard Lennon to the Diocese of Cleveland even though we are dismayed that he was named Bishop of Cleveland without any significant consultation process in the Diocese.

In the past, Catholic lay leaders, women religious and priests were invited to give their views.  Yet, this time, Catholics were given no opportunity to help identify qualities needed in the next bishop of Cleveland.  Lay leaders were not asked to participate in the selection

process, even though Fr. Wiatrowski, diocesan chancellor, indicated there would be a lengthy participatory process after Bishop Anthony Pilla submitted his resignation.

Canon law states,  “Christ's faithful are at liberty to make known their needs, especially their spiritual needs, and their wishes to the Pastors of the Church. (Canon 212 2,3).”

FutureChurch prays that Bishop Lennon will vigorously address the priest shortage by inviting open discussion of both married and celibate priestly calls and ordaining women as deacons as a doable next step toward their full inclusion in priestly ministry. Presently there are more lay ecclesial ministers in the Church, (80% of whom are women) than diocesan priests.

According to actuarial statistics from the priests’ pension plan for the Diocese of Cleveland, by the year 2027, there will be only 76 priests in active ministry. How can so few priests meet the needs of a diocese of 812,000 Catholics and 234 parishes?

The Archdiocese of Boston, where Bishop Lennon served as apostolic administrator after Cardinal Law's resignation, closed over 60 parishes and sold off Church property because of the priest shortage and the clergy sex abuse scandal.  Does our diocese face a similar future?

FutureChurch welcomes Bishop Lennon to the Diocese. We trust he will serve us as a good pastor and teacher.  We invite him to encourage and welcome full participation of the People of God in the challenging decisions that will deeply affect the future of Catholic sacramental and parish life in Cleveland.

FutureChurch Director Sr. Christine Schenk said: “Cleveland isn’t Boston.  We hope Bishop Lennon will continue Bishop Anthony Pilla’s pastoral and collegial leadership in the Vibrant Parish Life and Church in the City initiatives. In this time of fewer priests, we want him to respect the integrity of our parish communities and not impose expedient solutions such as simply shrinking numbers of parishes to fit numbers of available

priests.”

FutureChurch is a coalition of parish centered Catholics who seek the full participation of all Catholics in the life of the Church. FutureChurch strives to educate fellow Catholics about the seriousness of the priest shortage, the centrality of the Eucharist (the Mass), and the systemic inequality of women in the Catholic Church. It seeks to participate in formulating and expressing the Sensus Fidelium (the Spirit inspired beliefs of the faithful) through open, prayerful and enlightened dialogue with other Catholics locally and globally.