Mass. Catholic Parishioners Plan to Take Archdiocese to Supreme Court
A Catholic parish in Massachusetts will soon file an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court in the hopes of keeping open their church, which was closed several years ago by the Archdiocese.
Members of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Church of Scituate have until March to send a writ of certiorari to the highest court in the land.
Jon Rogers, a spokesperson for the group Friends of Saint Frances, which is trying to keep the church from being closed, told The Christian Post that this is their latest legal effort out of many.
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"We haven't found what we consider a fair and equitable solution to any other court systems to this point," said Rogers.
"Basically right now the Friends, we have until March 3rd, 2016 to file a petition for writ of certiorari to the U.S. Supreme [Court], so we're preparing that writ."
In 2004, St. Frances X. Carbini was one of several churches closed by the Archdiocese of Boston following fallout from the priest abuse scandal.
A group of parishioners were adamantly opposed to the closure and began what they describe as a "vigil" on the property, with members being there around the clock for over a decade.
In February, the Archdiocese sued the Friends, arguing that the church property belonged to the regional body and that the group was trespassing on the closed building.
A Norfolk Superior Court judge ruled in May that the group had to go, and in October a state Appeals Court affirmed the ruling.
"While we acknowledge the defendants' heartfelt beliefs that they are entitled to remain on the premises as an exercise of their freedom of religion, the judge's conclusion that the defendants are trespassers is supported by the evidence," concluded the Appeals Court.
Rogers of the Friends of St. Frances told CP that they have many legal setbacks since the Archdiocese filed the lawsuit.
"We were denied by, basically, the superior courts. We took it to the Massachusetts Supreme Court, they refused to hear it," said Rogers.
"So our only option for relief was to go to the United States Supreme Court. We believe we have valid constitutional interests."
Terrence Donilon, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Boston, told CP that they "will defer comment at this time respecting the ongoing legal process."
"We again ask the Friends of St. Frances Cabrini to conclude the vigil," said Donilon in a statement emailed to CP on Wednesday.
"The parishes of the Archdiocese welcome and invite those involved with the vigil to participate and join in the fullness of parish life."
