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ST Barnabas APPEAL Final Rev A
ST Barnabas APPEAL Final Rev A
His Excellency
The Most Rev. Mitchell T. Rozanski
Archbishop of St. Louis
20 Archbishop May Drive
Saint Louis, MO 63119
_________________________________________________________________________________
RE: Appeal Against the Extinctive Merger of Saint Barnabas the Apostle Parish
Your Excellency,
I serve as Procurator for parishioners from Saint Barnabas the Apostle Parish, 1400 North Main St,
O’Fallon, MO (hereinafter referred to as “St. Barnabas”). A copy of my mandates is enclosed
(Attachment 1—Mandates). As a member of the Parish, I am writing on their behalf, as well as my
own.
We oppose the extinctive merger of the Parish, subsumed into Assumption Pastorate, as provided in
your Decree promulgated to the Parish on 28 May 2023. The decision was made as part of a larger,
Archdiocese of St. Louis initiative entitled, “All Things New.” The decision was not made relative to
the specific situation of our Parish. In review of the process and motivations found in the Decree, we
contest that our rights were properly protected and the motivation is insufficient to be considered a
proper cause for the extinctive merger of a parish, or our specific Parish.
As provided by the Holy See in its 29 June 2020 document: Instruction "The pastoral conversion
of the Parish community in the service of the evangelizing mission of the Church", of the Congregation
for the Clergy:
48….Moreover, the suppression of Parishes by extinctive union is legitimate for
causes directly related to a specific Parish. Some causes are not sufficient, such
as, for example, the scarcity of diocesan clergy, the general financial situation of a
Diocese, or other conditions within the community that are presumably reversible
and of brief duration (e.g., numerical consistency, lack of financial self-
sufficiency, the urban planning of the territory). As a condition for the legitimacy
of this type of provision, the requisite motivations must be directly and organically
connected to the interested Parish community, and not on general considerations
or theories, or based solely ‘on principle’.
49. Apropos to the erection or suppression of Parishes, it must be borne in mind
that every decision must be adopted by means of a formal decree, given in
writing[58]. Consequently, it is considered contrary to canonical norms to issue a
single provision aimed at producing a reorganization of a general character,
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either of the entire Diocese, a part of it, or of a group of Parishes, by means of a
singular administrative act, general decree or particular law (added emphasis).
In your Decree, you provide four reasons in summary form for your decision, which are addressed
below:
1. “In 2022, Saint Barnabas the Apostle Parish had 282 Catholic households, 144 fewer than in
2013.”
Registered households at Saint Barnabas were within 350-426 between 2013-2021, with
a decline from 426 to 350 between 2013 and 2018, and increase to 388 in 2021 (Attachment
2—St. Barnabas Parish Demographic Data).
The number of registered Catholics in the parish trends upwards since 2018: 681
in 2018, 683 in 2019, 704 in 2020, 755 in 2021.
In May of 2021 our pastor retired. Ordinary Masses were not staffed by the
Archdiocese. Only one Sunday Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) was permitted by the
Archdiocese.
In June 2022, Fr. Linus Dolce was placed in a temporary assignment to celebrate daily
and Sunday Traditional Latin Mass and offer the Sacraments.
Despite the lack of a parish priest, the percentage of active households who attend
weekly mass and donate weekly is far greater than any other Parish in the area. The statistic
cited in the Decree is an unfortunate data point that reflects, without context, that St. Barnabas
has lacked a Parish priest for over 2 years, yet still collecting donations and inspiring strong
participation by the laity.
St. Barnabas was demographically strong and growing, until losing the Pastor and
full Mass schedule.
2. “The parish has averaged 5 infant baptisms and 10 funerals annually for the past five years”
This cited data, taken out of context, is misleading. The parish averaged over double the
cited statistic, over 10 Baptisms a year, in the last 2 years before our pastor retired. St. Barnabas
has a well-attended daily Mass and daily Confessions. St. Barnabas is demographically a young
parish (Attachment 2). St. Barnabas also has had 6 religious vocations declared in the last 10
years (Attachment 3—Recent Religious Vocations from St. Barnabas Parish) which is a very
high percentage based on our Parish size. We encourage the Archdiocese to consider all
relevant data fairly, especially on matters concerning the salvation of souls.
3. “Assumption Parish reports that most of the Catholic households in the boundaries of Saint
Barnabas the Apostle Parish have asked to be counted as members of Assumption Parish.”
This assertion, even if factual, does not provide a valid reason to abandon a healthy,
growing parish in an area that is also demographically growing. Many St Barnabas Parishioners
are from outside the parish boundary and have made St Barnabas their parish home. St Charles
County is experiencing significant population growth, and St Barnabas is projected to continue
membership growth in proportion to the growth in the area.
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4. “In 2013, a pastor introduced the celebration of the Most Holy Eucharist on Sunday according
to the Roman Missal of 1962. The faithful who prefer such celebrations of the Holy Eucharist
have become the greater part of the worshiping assembly at Saint Barnabas Parish, and Pope
Francis by motu proprio Traditionis Custodes art. 3 has instructed that that territorial parochial
churches are not suitable for such celebrations.”
The Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) is the only Liturgy offered at Saint Barnabas
as of May 2021. We assert that reinstating the celebration of the Ordinary Mass will
enable St Barnabas to recover former parishioners, and continue to grow, consistent with
the growth of the Greater St Charles Area.
Regarding the preservation of the Latin Mass in St Charles County, we offer four
alternate proposals for consideration, for the salvation of souls and in accordance with Canon
Law:
1) Proclaiming the current location as the “St. Barnabas Oratory,” to recognize the “de facto”
Oratory status we already had, by proclamation of Your Excellency and your bishops,
vicars and leaders, as of April 2021 (thus a status we effectively had well before the July
2021 issuance of Traditionis Custodes, and its moratorium on “new” Oratories);
2) Whether proclaiming us an Oratory, or preserving us as a stand-alone parish, simply allow
us to “move” our TLM Sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist to another location (that could be the
school here on site at the parish, or elsewhere near-by);
3) Allow us to be considered a “part” of the Oratory of Sts. Gregory & Augustine but
considered a “St. Charles County location” or “satellite” location. Like #2 above, this could
include allowing us to have the TLM Sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist in any number of
locations, if it is not solely a “parish church.” Any such option would still be perfectly in
compliance with even the most recent re-script from Cardinal Hollerich, as many Bishops
are allowing for those of their faithful flock requesting it.
4) Our obedience to Pope Francis, the Second Vatican Council and even the re-script
announced by Cardinal Hollerich could include moving us to any chapel or available sacred
space, including (by way of just one example) the “chapel” or “old stone church” at
Assumption Parish in O’Fallon MO (just a short distance down the road from our current
St. Barnabas location).
Any one of these options is more suitable to solve potential future problems that this severe
Decree does not adequately solve. Namely:
1. The possibility that the Hispanic population will not leave their current parishes for a new
parish, while the Archdiocese must continue to maintain the facilities at a loss.
2. The salvation of souls who are attending St. Barnabas are potentially jeopardized by leaving
the Catholic church entirely.
3. Currently, the altar and organ at St. Barnabas are fully suitable for the Latin Mass. It would
require an investment to convert the altar and other ornamentals, and the organ would not
be used.
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We maintain, in agreement with multiple Canon Lawyers, and referencing decisions made in
precedence by other Archbishops (namely Bishop Thomas Paproki in Springfield, Illinois) that
these options are not in conflict with Traditionis Custodes.
The All Things New process has been an effort to respond to a demographic shift that is
reasonably reversible. St. Charles County and O’Fallon is growing rapidly. Additionally, St. Barnabas
was fiscally viable and growing financially through May 2021 (Attachment 4: St. Barnabas Parish
Year-End Financial Statements and Summary, 2017-2022). The parish was not a burden to the
Archdiocese whatsoever. In fact, according the demographics, St. Barnabas was one of the only
parishes that grew at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, growing from 350 registered households in
2020 to 388 registered households in 2021. St. Barnabas has no debt and substantial savings.
This financial schedule also shows a trend of strong revenue and operating income from 2016
to 2021, and highlights the damaging financial impact of removing the Pastor and the Ordinary Mass
in 2021. Also reflected are reductions in expenses and efforts to increase donations that will support
recovery and growth for a financially sound parish projected for 2024 and 2025.
From 2016 to 2022 the parishioners of St. Barnabas Parish invested substantially on capital
improvements. These improvements included the heating and air conditioning system, as well as the
roof. The useful life of these investments extends well out into the future. They were made in good
faith by faithful Catholics.
The message this sends to the entire Diocese is that any contributions for improvements to
any parish are subject to forfeiture, regardless of the financial health and growth prospects of
the Catholic community impacted. We believe that the unintended consequence of closing St
Barnabas will be a reluctance among Catholics in the Diocese to upgrade and maintain their
churches for fear of those Churches being closed by Decree.
Further, the Decree wrongly requires that our records are to be sent to the Archdiocese and not to
the subsuming parish. Like the archdiocesan policy that requires the administration of finances to be
handled at the diocesan level, this directive violates the identity and essential structure of the Parish as
a juridic person.
In closing, the process did not properly hear the people of our Parish. The planning process relied
heavily on convenient data while ignoring other valuable data, such as mass attendance and belief in
the True Presence in the Eucharist. In the bullet points listed as reasons for the merger, there is no
mention of financial history or viability of St. Barnabas. These decisions have not been explained
adequately to our community. The All Things New process presented the reorganization of a general
character of the Archdiocese as a whole, and the Decree of Amalgamation presents a reorganization of
a general character of Saint Charles County. There is a strong appearance that the decision to merge
our viable Parish is an expression of administrative preference and not a just cause. Reducing the
number of parishes in our area, with many Catholic households present, does not present increased
opportunities for evangelization, encouragement of vocations, or care of souls. It seems only to
advance a preference for a single, very large urban type parish. It is not acceptable to the parishioners
of St. Barnabas, who have given to the Parish in good faith, to be abandoned after our Pastor retired,
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and to be asked to accept a corrective plan that 100% of surveyed parishioners are opposed to
(Attachment 5—St. Barnabas Parish Survey, taken Sunday June 04, 2023, 82 Responses).
We beg you to reconsider your decision and revoke the Decree as it pertains to Saint Barnabas
Parish, thereby reinstating us a stand-alone parish with a proper pastor. We also respectfully advise the
Office of the Archbishop that if we receive an unsatisfactory reply from this letter, we will continue the
appeal process, and initiate other efforts to bring greater awareness to the situation, in hopes of a
satisfactory resolution. We are humbly available and would be thankful for the opportunity to discuss
any options further.
Therefore, on my own behalf and on behalf of the people for whom I hold
mandate, I beg Your Excellency to provide the following:
1. Revoke your 24 May 2023 Decree of Extinctive Union as it pertains to Saint
Barnabas Parish;
2. Suspend the implementation of the Decree pending the outcome of our
appeals.
John Barry
71 N. Joyce Ellen Way, St. Peters MO 63376
Enclosure:
Attachment 1: Procurator Mandate Samples
Attachment 2: St. Barnabas Parish Demographic Data
Attachment 3: Recent Religious Devotions from St. Barnabas Parish
Attachment 4: St. Barnabas Parish Year-End Financial Statements and Summary, 2017-2022
Attachment 5: St. Barnabas Parish Survey, taken Sunday June 04, 2023, 82 Responses
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Registered Profession of
Year Catholics Baptism Holy Communion Confirmation Marriage Funeral
Households Faith
*** Of those parishioners aged 70+--- 53% regularly attend Mass and are active in parish life
RELIGIOUS VOCATIONS FROM SAINT BARNABAS THE APOSTLE ROMAN
CATHOLIC CHURCH
Other
Earnings from Endowment 10,026 10,026 (1,949) 10,300.00
Capital Expenditures (80,952) - (80,952) (41,424) (125,000)
Other
Earnings from Endowment 4,556 4,556 10,026 4,766.00
Capital Expenditures (233,277) - (233,277) (80,952)
Other
Earnings from Endowment 2,177 2,177 10,026 1,525.00
Capital Expenditures (15,606) - (15,606) (233,277) (175,000)
Other
Earnings from Endowment 831 831 2,177
Capital Expenditures (73,364) - (73,364) (15,606)
Other
CARES Act Funding 27,980.00 27,980
Earnings from Endowment 15,383 15,383 831
Capital Expenditures (209,592) - (209,592) (73,364)
Other
CARES Act Funding - - 27980 0
Earnings from Endowment (9,709) (9,709) 15,383 (2,704)
Capital Expenditures - - - (209,592) -