Parishioners keep St. James fight going
POSTED: June 14, 2008
By Melissa Topey, mtopey@advertiser-tribune.com
KANSAS — Members of the former St. James Catholic Church now are appealing to a higher authority.
St. James Parish of Ohio filed an appeal to the Third District Court of Appeals in Lima Wednesday in a property dispute over their church they say is being held in trust.
“We think the people still own the church, not the Diocese,” said Ginny Hull, parishioner and treasurer of Kansas St. James Parish of Ohio.
With not enough priests to offer service, Bishop Leonard Blair ordered the Kansas parish closed June 30, 2005. A total of 16 parishes were closed in the restructuring.
The Kansas St. James Parish of Ohio is a non-profit organization of former parish members formed May 16, 2006, to fight to carry on the St. James Parish. Members filed their lawsuit in June 2006 seeking to keep control over the church building, assets and land, arguing the Catholic Church held the deed in trust for the parishes for the benefit of its members.
In May, Seneca County Common Pleas Judge Michael Kelbley ruled for the church, giving the Diocese the church and the land. Members of the parish were allowed inside to remove personal property.
Hull said the decision affects other churches in all faiths. Members have said they have had people of other religions contact them to tell them they looked into their property and have found their churches hold the deeds.
After the ruling, members started fundraising efforts, hoping to raise $50,000. They were able to raise $14,000, enough to start the appeals process.
Donations through www.
stjameskansas.org still are being accepted. Members estimate they have spent $80,000 of their own money on the lawsuit.
“We hope it will get us through most of the appeal. We need more. We’re afraid it may go to the Supreme Court,” Hull said. “We would like to thank the people for their donations.”
