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Wellsville church hires attorney

WELLSVILLE, Ohio - A Columbiana County Catholic church set to merge with a nearby Parish hasn't officially done that yet.

The Catholic Diocese says a news release saying the merger was completed was sent prematurely.

Now, the congregation at Immaculate Conception in Wellsville is taking steps to make sure the merger never happens.   They hired an attorney who specializes in Canon Law to fight a merger that would effectively close their church forever.

The Canon Law lawyer fights church closings all across America.

Parishioners say there is no reason to close Immaculate Conception.  Tom Brophey says, "I think really and truly Father Peter does not want to make one trip down here a week is what it boils down to."

Father Peter Haladej of St. Aloysius in East Liverpool performs Mass at Immaculate Conception each Saturday afternoon and the congregation wants to it stay that way.  Beverly Hentzell says "Mass is full, the collection basket is full, there is no grave reason to close our Church; it has been a rush to judgment."

According to the Diocese, the Parish is not financially stable and they welcome any appeal.  Reverend Peter Shori says, "We certainly would cooperate with any appeal made to the Vatican.  Other Dioceses have faced the same thing; the process we use we feel is very solid.  We feel our procedures are very good and inclusive of the people that represent both of both those parishes."

Reverend Shori says Bishop Murry will sign merger documents next week and a formal closing Mass is expected to be performed later this summer.