This week, at a Monday morning press conference, the Diocese of Springfield announced the closing of several parishes and the consolidation of several others. This announcement comes on the heels of a letter from Springfield Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell that was read aloud at masses across the Diocese this past Sunday. This is a concern for many in the community as Church leaders have haphazardly planned the closing of these parishes without holding any formal meetings or contacting public officials.

In response to this announcement and amid public clamor, Rep. Daniel Bosley, D-North Adams, called for a public meeting to discuss the potential parish closings in the Springfield Diocese. "This announcement comes as a shock to many in the community. We need to establish a moratorium on church closings until the members of the respective parishes have had equal opportunity to weigh in on the matter," said Bosley.

Church leaders have been short-sighted in closing local churches, where families have worshiped for generations, only to centralize under an arbitrary new name that ignores the connection that parishioners have had with their parish church and native Saint. To see St. Stanislaus on the list is a very big surprise to everyone. This is not only a church that has served its community well, but is one of the most beautiful churches in the state.

"A January 1, 2009, closing date is simply not a realistic timetable," Bosley continued, "this heavy-handed top-down policy has not worked in other areas of the state and it will not work here. It seems strictly financially driven to announce the closing of one of the most beautiful and modern churches in the state. I wonder if this isn't taking from Peter to pay Paul."

There is not a true understanding of how certain parishes were chosen over other ones. Concerns exist on the closing and sale of parishes constructed on the backs of local working people. Bosley expressed concern that the nature of the community and its heritage as well as the history of these communities was not taken into account. One of the churches marked for closing is the focal point of a community while another sits on a major corridor to the North Berkshire Community.

According to Bosley, "if attendance is really the issue here, the whole community and other stakeholders should come together and decide which churches, schools and residences to close and which to keep. This decision should not simply be the summation of a tabulation at the bottom of an accountant's ledger: we are talking about real people."