NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      WASHINGTON, DC (CWNews.com) - The US Supreme Court on Monday turned away an appeal by some Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Catholics of a lower court decision that allows the Diocese of Pittsburgh to close six parishes.

      The six parishes were closed and merged with other parishes as part of a diocesan reorganization in 1988 necessitated by changing demographics, a diocesan spokesman said. A coalition of parishioners filed the first of several lawsuits in 1994 to block the closings. Last year, the US Supreme Court turned away a similar appeal of a ruling that the closings are an internal Church matter.

      Father Ronald Lengwin, diocesan secretary for pastoral life, said he hopes that this most recent decision ends the matter conclusively. "It is our hope that those persons involved in the suits would accept the reconciliation offered many times by the diocese over the past several years, and join with their follow Catholics in the effort of spiritual renewal," Father Lengwin added.

      Father Lengwin emphasized that the reorganization process had been undertaken with due deliberation involving every member of the affected parishes. When some parish members objected to the conclusions, he said, they were also allowed to appeal via ecclesiastical channels, but were ultimately unsatisfied when even the Vatican upheld the decision and turned to the secular courts.