It has been 7½ months since Bishop Larry Kulick ripped our holy priest from his congregations in North Huntingdon and Irwin. The fallout is ongoing. Both congregations continue to erode. Attendance at Sunday liturgies is down 35% to 40% with tithing down by same amount. About 25% of the parish leadership and volunteers have either quit or left for other parishes.
The saddest part, however, is the loss of the young people. For nearly two decades Father John Moineau fervently reached out to young people teaching love, mercy, forgiveness and inclusion, and infused both parishes with the younger generation. Sadly, they are disillusioned now after watching the bishop and his cadre of advisors seem to show none of these qualities to their pastor despite him fighting stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Instead of making room for 10 to 12 baby carriers on Sunday, now I only make room for one or two.
The joy of Sunday liturgies has been replaced by the grieving obligation of Sunday Mass attendance, and I wonder what the bishop plans to do.
Mark Lerch
Hempfield