THE STATE VS. THE CHURCH

Scott P. Richert at Chronicles blows the whistle on the Winnebago County Board, which wants to take and destroy historic St. Mary's Oratory in Rockford, Illinois in order to build a jail:

Now, over Labor Day weekend, members of the Winnebago County Board [contact info here] have hatched a plan, which they hope to ram through this week, to try to tear down St. Mary's to make room for a massive new county jail. While they're currently back-pedaling, claiming that they only want St. Mary's School (which closed its doors in 1974), the resolution that the board will vote on this week refers to the entire church property. Moreover, St. Mary's heating plant is inside the school, so tearing down the school will mean the end of the church as well.

St. Mary's is one of the most vibrant parishes I've ever belonged to, brimming with young families with lots of children. (At five children, our family is one of the smallest.) The church has spawned two independent Catholic schools, been the center of much homeschooling activity, and helped to save the western portion of Rockford's downtown from sliding further into the abyss. Located near state and local government buildings, it is the only Catholic church that serves the needs of downtown residents and workers.

Through the efforts of Rockford's Bishop Thomas Doran and the Institute of Christ the King, St. Mary's has been lovingly restored. Parishioners donated over a quarter of a million dollars to restore the stained-glass windows (which Frank Houtkamp, a stained-glass expert, has declared to be some of the finest in the Midwest) alone. Sunday Mass attendance averages 425. Now, this jewel of traditional Catholicism is threatened by a county board with a history of confiscating other people's property.

Now, I'm no supporter of Catholic doctrine, but this ought to be a wake-up call to everyone with religious faith. If they can do this to St. Mary's they can target your church as well. The outrage is compounded by their disregard for the historic nature of the renovated building. The anti-religious element is marching strong.