by Gabe Donio

Let’s get it out of the way up front: I’m not a churchgoer.
I was, once – I was even an altar boy. I can still tell you when to sit, stand and kneel.
St. Joseph was my church. It was located just around the corner from the house where I grew up, and I would go to mass there on Saturday or Sunday, and serve mass one night during the week.
Maybe I’ll go back to mass. Maybe I’ll go to St. Anthony of Padua Church on Route 206.
What’s that? It’s closing? Oh.
Maybe St. Martin de Porres on Egg Harbor Road?
What? It’s a secondary church, and could be closing eventually as well?
Well, maybe I’ll go back to St. Joe. I’ll stop by the bingo hall and –
Oh.
Then I’ll come back in the summer, and sit under the shade of the tall trees at the convent or the parking lot.
Wait a minute. What happened to the trees?
It says here in the parish bulletin that “this should not have to be done again for years and years.”
I guess not. What’s left to cut?
Maybe the church doesn’t want me back. They don’t seem to be very welcoming, what with the destruction of buildings, ending of traditions, closure of churches and elimination of long-standing connections between people who worshipped together for years. They listen to some, but dismiss others.
I would think their reasons were arbitrary, but being an adult, I know better.
My friends of other faiths who read this know what the loss of a place of worship means to a congregation. The Catholics of this region have not seen churches close that often – schools, but not churches.
It’s a more personal connection than a school. People are baptized in churches. They are married in churches. Their loved ones’ funerals are held there. Closing a church building will be like cutting off an arm or leg for many people.
And I’ll tell you what: If I had donated to a church for years, prayed in a church for years, stuck with it through scandal and strife, only to be told that the Church didn’t have enough priests, and the place had to be closed, I wouldn’t stand for it.
Who says this decision is set in stone? The parishioners at St. Martin bought some time. Who’s to say the same couldn’t happen at St. Anthony?
And why hasn’t anyone else asked the obvious question?
Why aren’t they recruiting more priests? Is it possible that no one wants to be a priest anymore?
Governor Jon Corzine wants to take away your towns, hospitals and schools. Bishop Joseph Galante is taking away your parishes. They say all the right things about how they know it’s a loss, they’ll send facilitators to help, there’s not enough money, blah, blah, blah.
Why do we have to pay for the government’s and church’s inability to lead?
It’s time for the people to take matters into their own hands.
In my opinion, if you want to keep your town, your school, your hospital or your church, you need to fight for it. Don’t just sit there and accept the dictation from above – if you think you have a plan – offer it. Who knows? Maybe they’ll listen.
Until the doors close on your town, hospital, school or church, there is still time.
Fight the good fight. You may win.
After all, who wants to look back in regret?
Gabe Donio is the publisher of The Gazette.