The LuLac Edition #1031, Dec. 7th, 2009
PHOTO INDEX: THE INTERIOR OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH, PITTSTON, THE SCHOOL BUILDING AND AN EXTERIOR SHOT OF THE RECTORY.
FLATTENED
I got a call from my good friend David D. last night. The guy is one of my best friends since grade school and he always calls me when I'm in the middle of something physically challenging. So when I called him back after navigating the recycling, he told me that at the 10AM Mass yesterday at St. John's in Pittston it was announced that the grounds of St. John the Baptist Slovak Church would be eliminated. Flattened. Ashes to ashes. Not more than 2 years ago, I attended the last Christmas Mass there. It was my boyhood church, a church my grandparents saved nickels and dimes to build just like other Slovak immigrants during the time. When the church closed, we were assured that a type of museum would be erected in the basement of St. John the Evangelist as a a memory. Not happened yet. We were told the transition was for the good of the church community. Whatever. The church community means the diocese not the people who attended the church. My sister just called and told me the rectory is wiped out. Gone. The official bullshit line given at Sunday's Mass was that no viable buyers could be found. If you are asking yourself why the haste? Why tear the guts still another time out of a community a second time in less than two years? The real reason is a contractor could do it cheaper in the winter than in the spring. So this is what a church, a century old church built by immigrants means to this rotten diocese. Dollars. With apologies to my pal Bible Buck Charlie: From Matthew 21:12: Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. If Jesus was around today, he'd be after more than the money changers, he'd be after the policy makers and the pathetic priests who carry their water.
posted by David Yonki @ 5:16 PM
10 comments
10 Comments:
so what? it is a building. time to move on.
it's a building that had the hearts and souls of people who built that building.
From what I understand this came out of the blue. Every body was shocked. Oh well, those immigrants Yonk talked about are dead and no use to Monsignor Bendick and the church he pilots. Life goes on indeed. We'll shed a tear for those church pioneers on All Souls day.....if they don't pave over the graveyard too.
I was at that farewell Mass and all I heard was how the heritage of SJB was going to be held close to everyone's heart. Bullcrap!!!
Where'd you go to Church over the last number of years when SJB was on the decline Dave? What did you do to support and save SJB before it closed?
Glad you showed up at the end. Thanks for closing the barn door when the horse was already down the road. You were a great help.
I think it is now official, there will be more parking lots in downtown Pittston than businesses.
Aren't they in the process of tearing down the building at the corner of Main and William? It dates back to Civil War days and was across from the another wrecking ball victim, the Borr and Casey bldg.
Pittston would do well to learn from places such as Stroudsburg and Jim Thorpe, who have shown respect for their historic landmarks. NOt one cry of protest for any of these landmarks, and they were all razed or in the process by dark of night.
well steve corbett just stole your idea for the courthouse. you said blow it up he is saying shut it down. first he has operation turndown ala operation chaos from rush and now rippin you off. what an unoriginal @#*(head
It is to bad the building had to go but of what use were they? Who was going to pay for their upkeep? These churches are being closed simply becauswe they are not being used. The people who cry the loudest are the same ones who show up for Easter or Christmas, unless of course somebody close dies or gets married. As for me, this is a good start. Knock all of Pittston down and when it disapears, we will have no use for the idiots who fill city hall. There isn't a brain in the administration and their too stpid to begin to know what they don't know.
Now do I sound bitter? The idiots more than trippled my taxes last year and now another 30% increase and nobody is in charge. To hell with the Court House, begin with Pittston City Hall. Shut the city down and when that proves to be the way to go, then go after the Court house.
IN RESPONSE
Where'd you go to Church over the last number of years when SJB was on the decline Dave? What did you do to support and save SJB before it closed?
Glad you showed up at the end. Thanks for closing the barn door when the horse was already down the road. You were a great help.
GOOD POINTS, CAN'T DISAGREE OR ARGUE WITH ANY OF THEM. I BELONG TO ANOTHER PARISH THROUGH MARRIAGE. I'D GO TO SJB ON SATURDAY NIGHTS SOMETIME BUT NOT NEARLY ENOUGH. PART OF THE ANGER YOU SEE IS DIRECTED INWARD. WE ALL COULD'VE DONE MORE, STARTING WITH ME.
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