AN APSE WITH A VIEW

As I recall, the Baltimore Catechism doesn’t mention lawsuits by the faithful against the Church hierarchy

According to this Sun-Herald story a group parishioners in Katrina-ravaged Biloxi, MS, want to rebuild their church on its same beach-front site. The bishop thinks otherwise.

So they’re going to civil court. At dispute is the ownership of the land the church was built on. The suit, filed by 156 plaintiffs, including Pass Christian Mayor Chipper McDermott, is against the diocese, Bishop Thomas J. Rodi and the Rev. Dennis Carver, pastor of the parish.

"We want to know what our rights are as members of St. Paul's," said Dr. Frank Schmidt, a member of the group Save St. Paul's and one of the plaintiffs of the lawsuit.

"This land (on the beach) was originally deeded and trusted to the Catholic congregation, and we want to know the bishop's obligation toward us so that the land is used for our benefit."

In the pedo-bankruptcy cases, as in San Diego, the diocese claims that the parishes own the real estate. There’s a hint that the Biloxi bishop might see things differently.

Anyway, it’s amusing that these Catholics are willing to trust the Church with their immortal souls, but not with their beachfront property.

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