FRAMINGHAM, MA. July 5, 2005…The St. Jeremiah Appeal Committee has granted Archbishop O’Malley’s request for an additional thirty-day extension to further study the situation concerning the decree that suppressed St. Jeremiah and to conduct a review of the situation in North Framingham. In the meantime, the Archbishop has granted permission for installation of air-conditioning in the Church.
During the period of the thirty-day extension, there will be a review of the facilities of St. George and St. Jeremiah Churches by an independent consultant. This has been a request of the St. Jeremiah Appeal Committee since October 2004. This will permit the Archbishop to have an objective analysis of the facilities necessary to serve our Catholic community in North Framingham.
In addition, Archbishop O’Malley and members of the Meade Eisner Committee will meet with the transition council at St. George, as well as the Appeal Committee at St. Jeremiah. The St. Jeremiah Appeal Committee is very encouraged that the Archbishop has decided to meet with all parties concerned in this Reconfiguration process and that the Meade Eisner Committee continues its commitment to assist in this process.
Finally, in the interim, the Archbishop has graciously permitted the Reconfiguration Committee to facilitate the installation of air-conditioning at St. Jeremiah. This grants another request that the Appeals Committee has made of the Archbishop since the air-conditioning, purchased by St. Jeremiah parishioners, was suddenly removed from the Church in April, two weeks prior to its closing Mass on May 8, 2005.
The St. Jeremiah Appeal Committee is very encouraged by these events, which they have been advocating for since the decision was made in May of 2004 to suppress St. Jeremiah. It is their hope that the Archbishop, with the benefit of objective information and criteria, will review the situation in North Framingham, grant their Appeal and reverse the decision to suppress St. Jeremiah Parish.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATON: Contact: Jackie Lemmerhirt at (508) 788-0525; (508) 479-4853 or, Mary Beth Carmody at (508) 277-8269.