St. Cecilia – On the Archdiocese’s List of Parishes to be Closed…
Most of my entries I ramble on and on about urbanity, connection to neighborhood and such. I’m not going to do that today. Instead I’m going to let the pictures do the speaking:
I consider one of the parishioners, a 91-year old woman, to be a surrogate grandmother since I no longer have any living grandparents. She was nearly in tears today as I saw the beauty of the church her ancestors helped build. Such beauty is rare and once lost will never be duplicated.
– Steve
Only living two blocks away from this church I have admired it’s exterior beauty many times. Not being catholic I never graced its interior; though had wondered what it was like. I can see from your pictures that not having gone inside was a tragic mistake. Thanks for sharing these photos. I understand the church has a decent size congregation that is quite diverse. Does anyone have any estimates as to the number of parishoners that regularly attend Sunday services?
[Maggie – great questions. I too have lived very close to this church for over 10 years now and never been inside. Wow – I was blown away. The mosaic tile is stunning. The windows are stunning. You can tell the builders put their faith into this structure. It is my understanding the numbers have been increasing, not decreasing. I was told the Archidiocese is closing these churches based on a 15% population drop in the city over the next 15 years. If they close these churches they just may be proven right! – Steve]
What really bites is that St. Cecicilia and St. Francis De Sales both serve Hispanic churchgoers with Spanish masses. Last I heard, both are set to close.
But I’m sure the new pop-up churches the A/D plans to build in O’Fallon will be every bit as lovely as St.C’s.
not.
What needs to be stated is that if these do close, all of this will be GONE! Any joe schmoe off the street can come in and take the windows out and all the tile not to mention anything else of value. Basically strip it out so they can put condos or some other ignorant manifestation of development inside it. Worst still- tear it down for some tract housing.
I am Catholic and there is something you need to understand. The Archbishop is getting out of the poor urban people business and instead wants to expand his operation to strengthen the well to do parishes in suburbia. He wants better schools in areas where they are not needed.
Why shouldn’t he since other retail operations have done the same? Just think of the money he can raise by selling off the relics and artifact of this church to fund and defend clerical decadence.
Everyone needs to get over the fact that this is not about community, personal redemption and relationships with God. We are a capitalistic society. $ can only save.
[Thanks for the clarification! – Steve]
I live one block from this Church- I think it plays a big part in keeping my neighborhood somewhat stable, while also lending it’s beauty. Not being Catholic, I have been in it once- as part of a historical tour. It would be such a shame to close it down. I don’t understand where that would do anything good for the neighborhood or it’s church community.
Bad idea all around.