In the second segment of Carroll Broadcasting’s four-part series on the restructuring of local parishes by the Sioux City Diocese, we hear from a Willey resident who says three local churches St. Mary in Willey, St. Augustine in Halbur and Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Mount Carmel will face the loss of their weekly masses in the very near future. Sue Riesselman was born and raised in Willey and has ties to the very foundation of the Church of St. Mary. She says her great grandfather, Casper Werner, and another Willey resident, Michael Wurzer, each donated five acres to the church, which was founded in 1881 with a church building built in 1882. Construction on the current brick church was initiated in 1910. Over the course of her 67 years, Riesselman says there have been demographic changes, but the membership has been vibrant.
Carroll Broadcasting is bringing you a four-part series, diving into upcoming changes proposed as part of the Ministry 2025 Pastoral Plan of the Sioux City Diocese. First, we will go back to the introduction of the multi-year plan. In February 2016, the diocese announced major restructuring, reducing the number of parishes in the 24-county region from 108 to 67. Forty-one parishes would close or merge with others, leaving 31 clusters. All by 2025. At that time, the Director of Pastoral Planning was Father Brent Lingle. He explained why.
The lack of people, Lingle said at that time, was not solely on the clergy side. He cited statistics, from 2008 to 2015, representing a 27 percent decline in mass attendance. Holy Family Parish in Lidderdale and Holy Angels Parish in Roselle were the first to become “oratory,” what is now called merged worship sites.
Created: February 17, 2021 06:31 PM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) Parishioners of St. Michael s Church on North Clinton Avenue are calling on the Diocese of Rochester to allow their church to stay open.
It was announced that St. Michael s could close during Christmas Mass.
A group called Friends of St. Michael s says it s been in contact with the diocese, but in a recent letter, they were told the neighborhood poses safety challenges that need to be addressed by the city of Rochester.
The group says they ve asked to meet with Bishop Salvatore Matano.
The diocese responded by asking for a resumé from the group and released the following statement: