BOSTON (AP) – More than 1,000 Roman Catholics gathered on Boston Common under gray skies Sunday for a Mass of unity organized by a lay group in response to a consolidation plan that will close dozens of churches.

Members of all 357 parishes in the Boston Archdiocese were invited to the Mass by Voice of the Faithful, a group of lay Catholics often at odds with the archdiocese that was formed after the clergy sex abuse scandal broke in Boston two years ago. It was the first Mass held on Boston Common since a 1979 visit by Pope John Paul II.

“This is about being pastoral and showing sympathy to the churches that are closing,” said Leslie Dennis, a Voice of the Faithful member from the Charlestown section of Boston. “We’re not agreeing to the closures of the churches. It was a rushed, unfair process.”

Many participants belonged to one of the more than 80 parishes scheduled to close this year as part of a massive restructuring brought on partly by the clergy sex abuse scandal.

Three buses carried members of St. Albert’s parish in Weymouth to the event, with most wearing yellow bumper stickers on their shirts that read “Keep St. Albert’s Open.” The parish is among several that have filed appeals with the archdiocese to keep from being closed.

“It won’t help us win the appeal to be here today, but they’ll see there are a lot of people that are disturbed by this,” said Vin O’Keefe, a 12-year parish member.

Several participants at the two-hour Mass carried signs bearing messages such as “Save Sacred Heart Church” and “Accountability – The only hope for our future.”

Archbishop Sean O’Malley has said the archdiocese has seen declining Mass attendance, a shortage of priests and has been unable to support struggling parishes, many of which are in older buildings in need of repairs.

The clergy sex abuse scandal has contributed to the problems. Donations have dropped in some dioceses, while others have seen abuse-related costs rise. Last fall, the archdiocese agreed to pay $85 million to settle lawsuits filed by more than 500 victims of clergy sex abuse.

Despite the somber reason for the gathering and cloudy weather, music helped keep the tone upbeat. Many participants said they took part in hopes of fostering spiritual healing.

“One of the things that’s important about being Catholic is to observe ritual, in good times and bad,” said Mary Sullivan, a Voice of the Faithful member from Weymouth. “A lot of people are being hurt, and we hope this helps.”

—

On the Net:

Boston Archdiocese: http://www.rcab.org

AP-ES-08-15-04 1819EDT