By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
In a blow to the efforts of those who have worked to save St. Anthony's Church in St. Peter, on April 8, the Catholic Diocese of Salina issued a decree that would likely lead to its demolition.
But the board of directors of the St. Anthony's Church of St. Peter Preservation Society say the fight is not over, claiming the decree by the Bishop of Salina, Gerald Vincke, is contrary to the work of the church.
And while they promise to appeal the decision, they also said those who had been charged with its upkeep following the end of regular Mass at the church bear some responsibility.
"The most recent action to demolish the church in St Peter is supported by perhaps as many as 15 or 20 former parishioners of St Anthony’s Church who are in their 80s and 90s," a statement from the society said. "The small, but disorganized group, argue that they are unable to continue to maintain the property. However, the group has put forth very little effort for more than 30 years, as they have allowed the physical structure to go into disrepair, most notably the roof. This same group derailed a community effort to repair the roof in the past 15 years."
They also claim this action goes against the work of the church and is not the first time Vincke has done so.
"Bishop Vincke’s decree represents the second time since his appointment to the Salina Diocese that he has taken steps that seem contrary to the work of the Catholic faith," the society said. "In 2019, Bishop Vincke volunteered to house defrocked Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Washington, D.C., who was accused of one of the largest sex scandals among priests in the United States at the Victoria friary. For a period of time, McCarrick lived as a free man among the Volga-German people. It is now reported that he has left the Victoria friary. His whereabouts are unknown."
They also said the diocese is going against the wishes of those families that can trace their family lines to the town and the church.
"The society proposed to enter into an agreement with the Diocese to take over management and operations of the church. Despite support from more than 100 Volga-Germans who wrote letters to Bishop VIncke and who trace their heritage to the Volga-German settlers in St. Peter, Bishop Vincke, with the support of Fr. Charlie, has chosen the path of demolition," the society said.
But along with the decree that would ultimately allow the building to be razed, the bishop issued a statement that outlined the reasoning behind the decision, including continued population decline and the overall cost of the upkeep today and into the future.
The Diocese estimated the work would cost at least $300,000 to save the building — and another $1 million would be required to continue with upkeep, noting spending such a large amount of money would raise moral concerns.
While the money needed to keep the building intact creates a significant challenge to its preservation, the preservation society noted the demolition costs may also carry a hefty price tag.
"The Diocese estimates that it will cost about $300,000 to repair the building," the statement said. "The bishop does not, however, indicate how the costs of demolition will be covered. It should be noted that much of the cost of the demolition of St. Ann Catholic Church in Zurich in 2010 was borne by the parishioners of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Plainville."
They fear a similar situation may occur with the closest parish to St. Peter.
"Although it has not been announced, the cost of demolition may fall to Christ the King Parish in WaKeeney and St. Michael’s Parish in Collyer," they said. "Few, if any, of the 80- and 90-year-old former parishioners of St. Anthony’s Church are known to be members of Christ the King or St. Michael’s."
"The church is in need of repairs, but the costs to demolish the building to be within EPA guidelines, as well as other health and safety standards will be very costly, probably in the hundreds of thousands of dollars," the society said. "Bishop Vincke does not mention in his letter to the parishioners that is being published in the Catholic Register who will be responsible for the costs of inspections, demolition permitting, disposal of hazardous waste materials, and other associated costs."
But Vincke said even if the desire and funds materialize to save the church now, the future should also be considered.
"While there may be some who want to see the St. Anthony church building saved, there is no guarantee that others will want to step forward and keep the project going when these people have passed," he said. "Such a board would be responsible for seeing to the mowing of the grass, cleaning of the interior, maintaining the plumbing, boiler, air conditioning, doing regular inspections of the building to keep ahead of needed maintenance, repairs, etc. Will there be interested people 25 or 50 years from now who will embrace these duties? Since that is unlikely, then a future group of people will be faced with the same decision that now confronts us."
But the society said it will continue efforts to save the church by appealing the decision, something it claims is within the purview of canon law.
"Since funding will be needed for repairs or demolition, The Preservation Society is filing an appeal to save the church and bring it into repair with the intent to hold a minimum of two Masses annually, as well as to make it a modern-day place of prayer and quiet for visitors who come to St. Peter searching for their Volga-German ancestry and an understanding of the deep faith of their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents who built the great community of St. Peter."
With the effort, the society is seeking support from anyone who wants to be involved with the church's preservation.
The full statement from Vincke can be read here.
More information about the decision from the Diocese is expected at a later date.
