Gothamist: Video of the Day: Cardinal Egan is Sneaky!

Christina Nakraseive

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 12:30:28 -0500

The Archdiocese helped Our Lady of Vilnius fail their criteria by not approving needed repairs to roof beams and not releasing insurance funds for same for 3 years. Mass has been held in the basement dancehall because the sanctuary has been obstructed by scaffolding. Most people don't want to hold their baptism or wedding in a barroom under a disco ball. Likewise, it is not physically possible to get a coffin into the dancehall horizontally, hence no funerals for people who have some sense of decorum. The Archdiocese cultivated the physical decline and low "sacramental viabilty" that they now site as reasons for closure. That is how dwindling attendance and development are related. The property is viewed for development, then the reasons for its closure cultivated. There is no causality between the stated reasons and the closure.

Saulius Simoliunas

Thu, 08 Mar 2007 19:58:41 -0500

The church attendance has gone down in the past decades. Cardinal Egan will not increase the attendance by closing churches. In fact he will chase away the believers. However, Our Lady of Vilnius Church is a New York jewel and should be preserved as a landmark in honor of Lithuanian immigrants.

.

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 14:17:48 -0500

where's the Catholic League outrage?! oh right, they're too busy spreading hate against feminist bloggers.

money talks

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 14:13:17 -0500

The Church is a business. A very BIG business. The Pope is the Chairman and CEO. Egan is a branch manager.

makes no sense

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 13:14:29 -0500

parishes don't have less attendance because of developer interest, that makes no sense. While that does make it more attractive for the diocese to sell the property, it doesn't change the fact that only a few dozen people were attending church here.

upchuck

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 12:48:49 -0500

But Jen, you fail to comment on the fact that parishes are dwindling so that the land could be sold to settle lawsuits against the church. the actual size of the parish in numbers would have been irrelevent. people come and go in waves to church especially in the last 50 years (though it is more on the leaving side). the developer interested in this piece of land by the way, is Trump...along with two other church properties.