What any ambitious RC cleric in the United States needs
is a new fantasy cathedral not unlike the hideous $200 concrete box cathedral
in Los Angeles (right) or the equally hideous $200 million dirigible hanger cathedral in Oakland
California (below).
Doing some research on Bishop Olmsted’s tacit support of
all things Joe Arpaio in Phoenix, especially Joe’s secular Culture of Death
with its unexplained, uninvestigated, mysterious deaths of minorities at
Maricopa County Jail, I ran into this article about the sudden critical need to
have more seating, like at a sporting event, in a new big improved sports
stadium, in the RC Cathedral in Phoenix.
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| Sts. Simon and Jude Cathedral, Phoenix Area |
The present Cathedral of St. Simon and St. Jude on the
west side off the highway I-17 only has 1200 seats for important clerical events.
The old Basilica of St. Mary’s downtown, run by the Franciscans, only sits 850
bottoms at important sporting religious events.
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| St. Mary's Bascilia Phoenix Arizona |
The need is at this stage of real estate negotiations to
enlarge St. Mary’s with an expansion of a rather plain, mediocre wood and
stucco structure that would not meld easily into any modern expansion or
construction.
I see them tearing it down,
citing “termites”; it is an ugly obsolete structure, after they wrestle the
Franciscans for the property rights, in the middle of the most expensive real
estate in Arizona, recession or no recession.
And some comments from the faithful in Phoenix:
mojo43Jun-23 @ 7:28 AM What a great place to properly represent the diocese today as it is led by the current bishop. St Mary's history includes forcing those who were of a darker skin color and who spoke primarily spanish into the basement for their masses rather than in the main church with the catholics of European descent. This bishop is well known for favoring whiter, more affluent churches over the poorer ones whose worshipers are from countries south of our border. Most of the money from collection plates stay with the affluent churches where it is needed less rather than with the poorer ones whose parishioners have the most need for help. …You're fricken right I'm disgruntled! My family was among the many who contributed to the development of that church only to be treated as lesser than the whites. They had no choice but to help found Immaculate Heart where they would be considered as worthy of God's Graces as those of European descent.
And the Bishop has shown time and time again that he is willing to disregard the needs of the poorer (brown skinned) churches over those of the affluent (white skinned) ones. How the diocese money is spent along with his disregard for priests who work with the poorest of the poor is proof. Have you ever talked with priests and parishioners from the poorer churches and catholic schools? Have you ever even visited them, helped contribute to their well being while in your ivory tower? I doubt it.
I have volunteered countless hours with the poorer of the faithful and with others have tried at great lengths to get help from the richer churches and the diocese only to be turned away. They'd rather spend their money fighting gay rights and issues important to their wealthy members than give much thought to the dire conditions of many of the poorer congregations and schools.
Number40Hero
Jun-23 @ 8:56 AM Kind of sad to me. I went to Ss. Simon and Jude, class of 1986, and Brophy. I was there in 1987 when John Paul II came, that's where the big cross came from outside. Let's call a duck a duck. Ss. Simon and Jude, when I was growing up, was in the middle of middle-class-ville. Not so much anymore. Most of the old time parishioners are gone and replaced by mostly Spanish-Speaking people. The Church wants to move because there is no money at 27th and Maryland. If they go downtown, they'll have hotels, restaurants, etc. Instead of a 1/3 expansion at SS&J, or even a 1/4 expansion at St. Francis, they'd rather do a 1/2 expansion at St. Mary'?
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| Downtown Phoenix, Google Maps . |
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