Lexington, Massachusetts 02420

June 2, 2004

The Most Reverend Sean O’Malley

Archbishop of Boston

2121 Commonwealth Avenue

Boston, Massachusetts 02135-3193

My Dear Archbishop:

I am a parishioner of Sacred Heart Parish in Lexington, Massachusetts and feel compelled to communicate my concerns regarding the recent reconfiguration results. First let me introduce myself, so my perspective will have some context. I am not your “garden variety” Catholic. Rather, I was raised in the solid liturgical tradition of the Winona Diocese of Minnesota. I attended one of the few remaining Catholic women’s colleges, The College of Saint Catherine, in St. Paul, Minnesota. My experiences span the distance between the azure blue Baltimore Catechism and the uplifting lyrics of Dan Shutte hymns.

Therefore, when I moved to Lexington, Massachusetts in September of 2003, I had rather high expectations for my faith community. I “sampled” churches in the area with my family before deciding to become members of Sacred Heart. So I can’t really talk about the rich 73 years of Catholic community the parish has provided. I don’t have first-hand experience in the 13 different service ministry opportunities. However, in the eight months that we have been members of the Sacred Heart parish, my family has been able to build a Habitat for Humanity House, serve the needy at Rosie’s Place, discuss compelling moral issues for our faith as part of a CREA discussion group, attend and assist with religious education programs, and continually replenish the local food shelters. In short, Sacred Heart has provided an opportunity for us to be “true to our baptism”.

While reconfiguration of some sort may have been required for the organizational health of the diocese, I believe that the metrics used to determine the viability of a parish bore stilted results. I hope that the closing of this church does not shut down the strong religious community who resides there. I believe that issues of real estate have clouded our notions of a truly healthy Catholic community. In a diocese still reeling from the loss of organizational trust in the mishandling of the clergy abuse, forced closings of committed spiritual centers will only further the schism between the people and the hierarchy. Now should be the time when vibrant communities are encouraged, not stifled. Money grows from the bottom up after trust has been restored.

The real question is will there still be room for small active faith communities in a diocese pushing the “super-sizing’” of parishes? Strengthening the church is not about square footage; it is all about knowing and serving the hearts and minds of the faithful. To that end, closing Sacred Heart Parish is a tragic mistake.