Pain of parishoners

"I worry about the younger generation -- first, they see them raping the children, and then they see them stealing our churches -- why would you want to stay?" said Rose Yesu, a parishioner at St. Brendan in Newton, where church property has been rezoned in an effort to make it less attractive for the archdiocese to sell.

How horrible this all is. I was raised in the catholic church (attending one, at times, that is now closing) and although I left for personal reasons, I always respected the good people of the church. They are getting hurt again.

"I get the impression there's an assumption on the part of the church that people will move to the adjoining places on the map. I don't think that's going to happen. I think a lot of people that were there won't go back to the church and isn't that a shame."

So often it is not the acts themselves, but the process of refusing to listen, refusing to be heard that causes the worst problems. Parishoners keep saying how they have not been listened to by the church, yet again. This is the lack of consideration that I think may force the church to change as an institution. A sad situation.