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Church members' vigil over closing thwarted
(by Sali McSherry - November 04, 2009)
Church members' vigil over closing thwarted
By SALI McSHERRY
About 15 protesters at St. Margaret of Hungary Church in Orange were thwarted in their attempt after Mass last Sunday to launch a vigil in opposition of the closing of the church parishioner Sue Csendes, of Solon, said Tuesday.
Cleveland Catholic Diocese Bishop Richard Lennon deconsecrated the church that day, and, officially, it is now closed. There were about 40 people who attended the 2 p.m. Mass led by the bishop, Miss Csendes said. There were entire rows empty, she said.
About 250 people attended the last official Mass held Oct. 25, led by the Rev. Ladislaus Rosko, pastor at St. Margaret, she said.
The diocese announced the closure of St. Margaret in February. It was one of over 50 churches scheduled to be closed or merged. While St. Margaret, which was founded in 1921, appealed the decision in March, it was rejected by the bishop.
The group began protesting at about 12:45 p.m., about the time an Orange Village police car showed up to monitor the situation, Miss Csendes said. She said the Rev. Rosko had asked her and other parishioners Saturday at about 5 p.m. to hold a vigil on Sunday.
The Rev. Rosko could not be reached for comment.
Fifteen minutes after the 2 p.m. Mass, Miss Csendes and five others who opposed the closing were asked several times to leave the building by church officials, she said. Other protesters were outside near Lander Road, she said.
Miss Csendes told church officials they would leave if the diocese could guarantee them a meeting with the bishop.
Orange Police Chief Christopher Kostura, who was on hand, told the protesters they would need to cooperate with the church's request to leave, or they would be arrested.
The protesters stayed about 40 minutes after Mass, Miss Csendes said.
"I was so happy that we tried. So happy that we at least got to say a few words that we have not been allowed to say to him," she said, referring to Bishop Lennon.
Several members of the group who wanted to save St. Margaret attended Orange Village Council meetings earlier this year to find out if the village was planning to purchase the property, which is south and adjacent to Orange Village Hall on Lander Road.
At that time, Council President Daniel Brown said on the advice of the law director that he could not discuss the possibility of purchasing property but said that over the years, there have been talks between the two entities. The village is planning to build a service center at a yet-to-be determined location.
Last month, the village purchased 1.198 acres for $55,000 from Kathy Justin and the Rev. Rosko, according to Mayor Kathy U. Mulcahy. The village previously leased for $1 a year the 70-foot-wide strip of land on the church's property that fronts Pike Drive and which is part of the village park's ball fields. There are three parcels, with two of them owned by the family estate of the Rev. Rosko, she said.
"We're more fired up than ever. We will continue to follow what the diocese and Orange Village will do with the property," Miss Csendes said.
Church member Andrew Toth had told council he was concerned about the future of a World War II veterans memorial that is situated on church property near the main sanctuary, a monument that he is connected to by family roots.
Miss Csendes said, "We are concerned about what happens with the war memorial as well as the shrine. As I told the bishop, all we ever wanted to do was have communication, we'd still love to have a say in what happens to these things, and possibly get these moved to a location where they will not be under threat again.
"Canon law states that a parish is not the buildings but the people, so we will continue to meet, and see if we can have Mass somewhere else, and continue on as our parish. We are also continuing our ladies guild and we will find places to volunteer," she said.
"And we will continue fighting the good fight with the endangered Catholics group, the bishop thinks this is over, and he couldn't be more wrong."
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