UPDATE 12/4/2024
On Tuesday, December 3, 2024, the Remonstratio Letter to appeal the merge of Our Lady of Peace parish into Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish was sent to Bishop Fisher via FedEx. The letter along with copies of over 300 Procurator Mandates from Our Lady of Peace parishioners, appeals to the Bishop to withdraw his Decree dated November 19, 2024. The Remonstratio Letter, makes clear that the reasons stated in the Decree do not rise to the level of validity to close / merge Our Lady of Peace.
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The next step in the process is that the Bishop has three options:
1) He can accept the facts presented in the Remonstratio Letter as true and correct,
and withdraw the Decree;
2) He can refute the facts in the Remonstration Letter and respond that He is not withdrawing the Decree. He would have 30 useful days to respond this way;
3) He can not respond at all. After 30 useful days, this would be the same as sending a negative response.
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So now we wait, hopeful for the Decree to be withdrawn. If it is not, then we are preparing for the next step in the appeal process. This would be to send letter of Appeal to the Dicastery for the Clergy at the Vatican within 15 useful days of receiving a negative response from the Bishop or if no response, then within 45 useful days after the letter is received by the Bishop. During this process of Appeal the Decree is put on hold and no action is to be taken on the merge until a final determination comes from the Vatican.
If you signed a Procurator Mandate and would like a copy of the Remonstratio Letter, please use the CONTACT page of the website and a copy will be emailed to you.
UPDATE 11/25/2024
On November 14th, the Parish received a Decree from Bishop Fisher that Our Lady of Peace will merge into Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish in June of 2025. This would be referenced as Decree #1. In this Decree, refence is made to the Bishop’s required consultation of the Diocese’s Presbyteral Council and that the merge received unanimous support from the members of the Presbyteral Council present on August 27, 2024. This was not the case and as stated is untrue.
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Upon discovery of this error, the Diocese, thru Fr. Bryan Zielenieski, Vicar for Renewal, asked the that the Decree not be posted or distributed to the members of the parish while the Diocese reviews the conflict of the decree with the minutes of the meeting.
On November 22nd, after 5PM, Decree #2 was sent to be distributed and read to the parish at Sunday Masses. This decree now states that the Presbyteral Council discussed on October 8, 2024, the merge of Our Lady of Peace with Nativity. The Council voted to oppose the merge – 6 in favor, 11 against, 4 abstained. Thus, the Priests council advised the Bishop to not merge Our Lady of Peace. The Bishop chose to ignore the advice of his Presbyteral Council and issue the decree again their advice.
So now we are preparing what is called the Remonstratio letter to the Bishop. This letter will defend Our Lady of Peace Parish from merging by refuting the reasons stated in the decree and various reasons this would be against Canon Law. We have 10 Useful Days to submit this letter along with copies of the Procurator Mandates signed by parishioners. We hope and pray the Bishop sees the errors of this merge and why he should revoke his decree.
