Lots going on in Toledo this weekend...
I wrote a couple of stories in today's paper about parishes that were closed by the Toledo Catholic Diocese and Bishop Leonard Blair, but which refuse to give up the ghost.
One is St. James Parish in Kansas, Ohio, closed in July, 2005, which has sued the diocese in Seneca County Common Pleas Court claiming that the church and property belong to the parishioners and not the bishop. In the process of discovery, which is when the parties seek information related to their case, they found that the St. James Parish account has been used to pay the diocesan attorneys to fight the ex-parishioners' lawsuit. The diocese had said in June, 2006, that it would not use the parish's money until an agreement was reached with the ex-members on how to use the funds. Here's a link to the article.

Members of the former St. James Parish, from left, Ed Row, Ginny Hull, Sarah Kleinfelter, Helen Durst, Margie Steinmetz, and Sue Schwab, have learned the Toledo Catholic Diocese is using funds from their closed parish account to fight the same lawsuit parish members filed against the diocese. Toledo Blade Photo

A second article has to do with St. Mary's Parish in Junction, Ohio, which filed a motion for an injunction and a temporary restraining order against the Toledo diocese and Bishop Blair to keep them from removing historic stained-glass windows from the 100-year-old church, which was ordered closed in July.
Here's a link to that story.
Then, today, Bishop Blair had a letter read at all Masses in the 19-county diocese, denouncing a domestic partner registry proposed by Toledo City Councilman Joe McNamara, who happens to be Catholic. Bishop Blair said it is another attack on the institution of marriage.
We'll have a story for tomorrow.
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I quoted a parishioner in Junction who said the controversy over her church has made her sick and that it's hard for her to step inside a Catholic Church these days, saying it "turns my stomach." She feels bad that I used that quote in the article, but it sums up the feelings of so many people. I don't think it makes her look bad, just very human, with real feelings. These people are hurting, and I thought her quote depicted that deep sense of frustration and pain.
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On a lesser note, my Michigan Wolverines looked awful yesterday against the Ohio State Buckeyes. This makes it four years in a row that Michigan lost to OSU. It's clear that U of M's Lloyd Carr was outcoached by Ohio State's Jim Tressel. I am glad to hear that Carr is ready to retire. It's time to get a new coaching staff on board at Michigan. Carr's out of gas, so to speak.

Toledo, Ohio
November 18, 2007