Category Archives: Religion

A Homily for World AIDS Day by Park Slope Minister

Pastor Daniel Meeter, of Park Slope's Old First Dutch Reformed Church, preached last night at the Interfaith Memorial Service for World AIDS Day at St. Augustine's Roman Catholic Church in Park Slope .

"People I meet in Park Slope often tell me they can't believe in God because of all the suffering in the world. Consider the Holocaust, or the suffering of so many innocent people from AIDS – how can we believe in God? I cannot finally solve this problem, but I also know that unbelief has no better solution to suffering than belief does, and unbelief adds other problems of its own. In the same way, gay men and lesbian women and bisexual and transgendered people are asked how they can go to church when the church has been the institution that has most excluded and even persecuted them. But this problem is not solved by not going to church. Indeed, the fact that the frequency of church attendance and intensity of religious devotion is higher in the gay community then in the population at large is in itself an evidence for God, if not a proof, and it certainly is evidence that the Son of God is wounded.

"It is Christlike and wonderful that the very persons who have suffered oppression in the church respond by intercession in the church, as you are doing tonight. Tonight is an act of healing and of being healed. For those who are hurt by the church to claim their place in church is an act of healing. For us to pray not only for ourselves but also for sick little children of undetermined orientation, that is an act of healing. For us to pray not only for ourselves but also for addicts in their self-destruction and outcasts in their misery, that is an act of healing. For us to pray not only for ourselves but also for mothers in the brothels of India and children in the clinics of Africa, that is an act of healing. For us to pray not only for ourselves but also to name before God those who have died, that is an act of healing.

"AIDS does not discriminate. Would that our churches were as indiscriminate as AIDS. But to offer intercessions that are indiscriminate and inclusive is an act of healing. For us to hold up to God the individual names of those we know who have died from AIDS and the also the nameless of the world we do not know, who have the condition of AIDS, is both to touch the wounds of Christ and to be Christlike, and also to demonstrate, if not to prove, what God is like, which you are doing here tonight. God bless you."

Kansas Group Sang Filthy Abhorrent Lyrics to Havah Nagila

IMG_1195

A reader of OTBKB sent in this report  about Saturday morning at Beth Elohim:

After much to-ing & fro-ing about whether to
pay attention or ignore that hate group, I wandered up to the demonstration this
morning.  When I saw the rabbi taking part I decided to stay – since it had
been his suggestion that no one react to the provocation.  As your friend
said, ours was a very quiet group.  The rabbi led us in a few chants
& cheers, a small group did a hora on the steps of the temple & there
was a general feeling of gemutlich.  The odious Kansans sang filthy,
abhorrent lyrics to Havah Nagila & the Israeli national anthem but
they were a pathetic, ugly assembly of sorry souls.  Marty Markowitz was
inevitably there but very much in the background.  The police were
pleasant.  I'd estimate closer to 500 of "us" but wouldn't bet on it. 
Notably, there were no video trucks & not much media that I could
see.

One does wonder why they choose to do this kind of
thing unless they're hoping to recruit on the coattails of the far-right hate
mongering that's been rampant recently.

This Morning at Congregation Beth Elohim

Charlie

An OTBKB reader had this report about Saturday morning's protest by the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) at Congregation Beth Elohim.

"I was there this morning as the WBC folks—all 6 of them—arrived at
the corner of Garfield and 8th Avenue. They held up numerous signs and sang
ridiculous anti-semitic songs; one of which was even set to the tune of
a John Lennon classic.

"The whole "event" was peaceful enough and
actually rather un-eventful. Maybe 200 or so counter-protesters stood
across the street in front of the synagogue shouting random things and
chanting, etc.

"Frankly, I'm glad Park Slope didn't react to these morons
in a grand manner as that would have been giving them too much credit
and undeserved attention.

"I must commend Beth Elohim Rabbi Andy
Bachman, who handled the situation gracefully and beautifully, by
having the counter-protesters turn their backs on the WBC crew and join
him in celebrating the Jewish new year as he repeatedly blew the
shofar.

"He also put forth messages about inclusion and even managed to
poke fun at the "small group of visitors" from Kansas, who he added
"give the Midwest a bad name." Bachman apparently is from Wisconsin."

Park Slope’s Old First Church To Host Beth Elohim’s Yom Kippur Services

A Kansas-based anti-gay Baptist church may be planning to picket three Brooklyn synagogues—including Congregation Beth Elohim—on Saturday but one local church is lending a helping hand to the Park Slope synagogue on the holiest day of the year.

On Yom Kippur, Park Slope's Old First Dutch Reformed Church will roll out the welcome mat to Congregation Beth Elohim and let them use their church on the high holy day because the ceiling of their synagogue is falling down.

Here's the story:

On Thursday afternoon, Rabbi Andy Bachman of Congregation Beth Elohim telephoned Pastor Daniel Meeter of Old First Dutch Reformed Church to inform him that the ceiling of the Beth Elohim sanctuary had just come crashing down. He feared that it would be impossible to hold Yom Kippur services in the sanctuary on Sunday night and Monday.

Rabbi Bachman asked Pastor Meeter if he would be willing to let Beth Elohim hold their Yom Kippur services at Old First Church. Not surprisingly, Pastor Meeter told him that he would be honored and he was confident that his congregation would agree.

A structural engineer visited the synagogue on Thursday afternoon to determine the extent of the damage.  After a thorough investigation, the engineer recommended that they close the synagogue because he deemed it unsafe to have people sitting on the upper balcony.

At 5 p.m. on Thursday, Rabbi Bachman came over to Old First Church and met with Pastor Meeter, who told him that he would delighted to host services at his church.

Pastor Meeter expressed his excitement about hosting Kol Nidre on Sunday night and a second service on Monday morning in an email to his congregation. "Yom Kippur is the highest of the High Holy Days of Judaism and it's an incredible thing for us to host our Jewish neighbors for these two services."

Pastor Meeter is reaching out to members of his church to help get the church ready for 1,000 people expected on Sunday night for the Kol Nidre service. "Starting Friday morning, the church custodian and I will start to get the balcony ready," Meeter said in his email. "We need to clean it up, relocate storage boxes, move pew cushions, move some of the pews and stabilize them, clean them, move the harpsichord, and set up the wooden chairs."

Pastor Meeter hopes to have the church ready by Saturday night. On Sunday afternoon at 1 pm—after Sunday morning church services—Beth Elohim will send a volunteer crew  with 100 folding chairs over to the church to begin setting up for the Kol Nidre service.

Rabbi Bachman has invited Pastor Meeter to say some words at the Sunday night service. Bachman also invited church elders and deacons to attend. Pastor Meeter attends the Kol Nidre service at Congregation Beth Elohim every year.

"I consider this a landmark event for Old First, and such an expression of our Third Mission. I believe it's a gift of God to us," Pastor Meeter wrote in his email.

Breaking: Kansas Church Group to Picket Park Slope Synagogue

Shul

On Saturday morning, Congregation Beth
Elohim will be picketed by the Westboro Baptist Church, an
extremist anti-Semitic, anti-gay independent church based
out of Topeka, Kansas.

They plan to send
representatives who will stand in front of the synagogue on Garfield Place displaying
disturbing signs and provoking those entering the building. According to an email from Rabbi Andy Bachman "Their aim is to create enough confrontation to
incite others to provocation. It is their constitutional
right to picket." 

Rabbi Andy Bachman, CBE's Executive Director Elana Paru, and CBE's President David
Kasakove, sent out this email to synagogue members.

Congregation Beth Elohim does not
welcome this group's message or actions in any way. Our
focus and mission as a community is to build an inclusive
Jewish community that celebrates the strength of
diversity. It is a home for individuals and families of
all backgrounds to grow and to learn and to care about and
deepen their connections to one another.

We have
clear priorities during difficult moments such as these.
Protecting our members and visitors, and most importantly
our children, is a primary goal. Our internal security
team is already in action and local police authorities
have been alerted. Although you are entitled to your right
to free speech, we ask
that you calmly pass these protesters and walk directly
into our building without incident.

For
more information about the Westboro Baptist and for
educational materials about responding to hate groups,
please download a PDF provided by
the Anti-Defamation League.

Congregation Beth
Elohim is an amazing community in that it is a warm and
welcoming place.  This group will be picketing us
because of our commitment to those who desire
community.  Though Saturday may be upsetting, it is
important to remember that our precious values are truly a
source of great pride. Our best and only response is to
conduct ourselves as usual.



OTBKB Opinion: Give Maura Lorenzen a Chance at Saint Saviour

This morning I received yet another email from the well-organized supporters of principal James Flanagan, the veteran Catholic school principal who was dismissed by Saint Saviour's pastor, Fr. Murphy.

Outraged
parents and parishioners are now calling for Fr. Murphy’s removal as pastor because, they say, he fired Principal Flanagan so he could "give a friend
the job."

This "friend" of Father Murphy is Maura Lorenzen, the co-director of the Early Childhood Center at Congregation Beth Elohim (ECC).

The parents at Saint Saviour are very angry about losing their longtime principal. And they are enraged about the pastor's autocratic style of leadership and his refusal to take their concerns seriously. It is, after all, a Catholic school, and the pastor does run the show. It must be infuriating to have to succumb to that kind of undemocratic decision-making and feel powerless in the face of it.

That said, the outraged parents obviously don't realize what a gem Ms. Lorenzen is.

My daughter and my niece both attended the ECC and I have an enormous amount of respect for Lorenzen.  Like Flanagan, she is a beloved school administrator and educator, who works well with parents, staff and children.

The idea that she was fired from Congregation Beth Elohim is absolutely preposterous. Lorenzen made the choice to leave the school after a 14-year tenure as co-director. Beth Elohim's Rabbi Andy Bachman wrote into OTBKB to set the record straight:  "I'd like to make very clear, on behalf of everyone at Congregation Beth Elohim (CBE) who deeply admire and respect Maura Lorenzen as an educator and administrator, that Maura was NOT fired from her job at CBE.  Maura is leaving her job to pursue this new opportunity at Saint Saviour and our hearts are heavy saying good-bye!  She has performed her duties for the families in our community for years and years with great integrity and we will greatly miss her," he writes. 

Intelligent, honest, open, and straightforward, Lorenzen has been at the ECC since 1982 and is a highly respected co-leader of an extremely popular Park Slope school.

A graduate of St. Joseph's College with a degree in early childhood education and special education, Lorenzen received her master's degree from The College of Staten Island. Before becoming co-director at the ECC, she taught 2s, 3s,and 4s in the nursery school and co-directed the lower day camp since 1988. In 1995 Maura was appointed
the co-director of the ECC (with Jacqueline Israel) where she is very well liked by both parents and staff. Maura is the mother of
four sons, the oldest a college graduate and the youngest in middle school.

Putting aside the circumstances of James Flanagan's dismissal, the school is lucky to have such a decent, graceful and wise administrator as their new principal. She is obviously entering a difficult and divisive situation and I feel for her. From my experience as an ECC parent, Lorenzen strikes me as the kind of leader who can handle the tension and will not personalize it. She will, I believe, be able to help that community heal after this painful controversy. 

I must say that I object to the fact that the parents, as part of their efforts to fight their principal's dismissal, are trying to discredit Ms. Lorenzen's background. "Fr. Murphy states that Ms. Lorenzen was the director
of a local preschool. That preschool’s site, however, described her
role as co-director. He also ignored the fact that Ms. Lorenzen’s
background is in Early Childhood Education, not Elementary Education.
Eighty percent of the Students at St. Saviour, which goes from Pre-K
through 8th grade, are therefore outside her realm of expertise."

While it may be true that Ms. Lorenzen has been co-director of a nursery through kindergarten program, Saint Saviour parents should not underestimate Lorenzen's wealth of experience and wisdom.

They are also, understandably, questioning Fr. Murphy's hiring process.

"Compounding
the appearance of a backroom deal is the fact that Fr. Murphy failed to
interview qualified veteran teachers at the school and has failed to
answer questions sent to him by the president of the Parent School
Board about the hiring and selection," wrote one parent in an email.

Backroom deal or good choice? It seems that it is actually a little of both. Certainly Lorezen is a skilled leader and someone who is eminently qualified and prepared to run a school of any kind.

I hope the circumstances of Lorenzen's hiring as principal won't taint her ability to bring her experience and expertise to a school that is in need of good leadership after this painful controversy.

And the protests continue. Tonight parents, alumni, and parishioners of St. Saviour
Elementary School will line up again to picket their pastor’s
controversial decision.

My heart goes out to most of the players at Saint Saviour. Clearly Fr. Murphy needs to meet with the parents in person and explain his decision and how it was made. Refusing to meet with them is not the answer. While he may not change his mind, he needs to share his reasons for dismissing Jame Flanagan in an open and honest way. Perhaps mediation will be required to help this school community get past this. It is worth noting that principal Flanagan is close to retirement age and was actually planning to retire next year I was told. That said, this all could have been handled in a much more decent way. Perhaps Flanagan can stay on in a transitional capacity as Lorenzen gets her bearings at the school.

Maura Lorenzen begins her tenure at Saint Saviour's under incredibly difficult circumstances. Knowing her as I do, I suspect she will be able to set a positive tone and create an environment that is as open and welcoming of parents and staff and their needs as the one she created at the ECC.

She is a special person. And this school needs someone special to replace the special principal that they lost.

New Principal of Saint Saviour Elementary School: Maura Lorenzen

On Thursday a letter went out to parents and guardians of Saint Saviour Elementary School from Fr. Murphy. Here is a text of the letter, which was emailed to me by one of the school's parents.

Dear Parents and Guardians:

It is with joy that I announce to you that Maura Lorenzen is the new principal of St.
Saviour Elementary School.

Maura is a life long parishioner of St. Saviour. She is a graduate of both our elementary
school and our high school. Currently, Maura is a member of our Parish Council, our
Welcome Team, and our Hospitality Committee as well as being a catechist in our School
of Religion. Maura is also one of the lay leaders representing St. Saviour at the cluster
meetings of our local parishes.

Maura has been an educator since 1982. After graduating from St. Joseph's College she
started her career as a classroom teacher at St. Francis Xavier Elementary School,
teaching 5th and 6th grade children. She then went on to teach at Congregation Elohim's
Early Childhood Center. Her experience in administration began in 1989 when she was
named Lower Day Camp Director at CBE. In 1995 she became a director of the entire
Early Childhood Center, including the nursery school, toddler program and the summer
day camp program.

Gail Harvey, our assistant principal, assures me she will work closely with our new
principal in order to provide a smooth transition.

In the 5 years that I have known her, Maura has consistently demonstrated to me all the
skills and qualities that are essential to lead our school into the future. Please join me in
praying for God's abundant blessings upon Maura Lorenzen as she assumes this
important position.

Enjoy the summer.

God Bless You.

Sincerely,

Fr. Murphy, Pastor

Michele Madigan Somerville In the New York Times

Michele Madigan Somerville, poet, friend, OTBKB contrutbutor and Brooklyn Reading Works Regular, has written a post for the New York Times blog, Happy Days. 

As described on the blog, " Happy Days is a discussion about the search for
contentment in its many forms — economic, emotional, physical,
spiritual — and the stories of those striving to come to terms with the
lives they lead."  Here's an excerpt from Somerville's piece called, Born Again in Brooklyn:

About a decade ago, moved by a convergence of my longstanding
fascination with religion and a time of great personal loss, I embarked
on a search for a church and wound up a born-again Catholic. It was not
a straight or untroubled path, guided as it was by both my attraction
to and enmity for the Roman Catholic Church into which I was born and
baptized.

Growing up Irish Catholic in New York City put me in a good position
to experience the best and worst of the Church. Most of the Sisters of
Charity who taught at my grade school were tyrants. In 1971 I knocked
on the door of my parish rectory to inquire about becoming an altar
server; I was advised that only boys could serve. Brides, said the
priest, were the only females allowed on the altar. When my mother
became critically ill at age 30, a Catholic priest administering last
rites, refused to offer absolution when she, who had given birth to
four children by age 25, refused to express contrition for taking birth
control pills. People for whom I care deeply have been molested by
priests.

.

A Letter From James Flanagan, Principal of Saint Saviour’s School

Finally a public response from James Flanagan, who is principal of Saint Saviour's School in Park Slope.

June 17, 2009,

Dear Parents,

As most of you are aware, Fr. Murphy has refused to renew my contract for next year.  I am constrained from providing detailed information on this issue, as this matter is in mediation.  With the school year coming to a close, however, I wanted to thank you for your support & provide you some information about the situation.

Fr. Murphy’s informing me on April 3, 2009 that he would not be renewing my contract came as a complete shock.  Last April he told me that we had had the best year yet working together.  My contract required five formal meetings to discuss my performance and major school issues.  No meetings occurred.  This is why when I appealed the non-renewal, the Office of the Superintendent ruled in my favor.  The ruling in my favor, however, did not overturn Father’s decision.  This is why on May 13, 2009 I requested Diocesan mediation.

Fr. Murphy has stated that I am not the type of principal who can implement the changes called for in the Preserving the Vision Process.  In its review of the four schools of our cluster, the Preserving the Vision Committee commended St. Saviour for its strength and urged it to keep growing stronger.
I have taken part extensively in the meetings of the Park Slope Advisory Board for the four schools of our cluster.  The Board developed the marketing campaign for the cluster that resulted in ads for our schools on the sides of 15 Park Slope buses.

Over the last several years, I have instituted the program where several of our eighth grade students study French I at St. Saviour High School; worked with the Friends of St. Saviour to guide the library renovation (which begins Monday, June 22nd); hosted two very successful Art Fairs and several seasonal concerts; restarted the concept of a Science Fair & oversaw the installation & implementation of Smart Board technology & LCD/Laptop instruction.  Not bad for a person supposedly opposed to change.

Father Murphy’s major criticism of me concerns Tuition.  He wanted at one point to charge the actual per pupil cost as tuition.  This would have meant families of two would be paying $10,000 in tuition next year.  I stressed to Fr. Murphy and the School Finance Committee that such an approach would seriously hurt our enrollment.  Ultimately the Tuition was raised $300 per child.  Through fundraising & donations, we were able to raise sufficient funds to bridge the gap between actual tuition & per pupil cost without financial assistance from the parish.  Father Murphy considered my advocacy on behalf of the school as my being insubordinate.

Your phenomenal support has kept me going during this very difficult time.  I have been truly blessed to have served as principal at St. Saviour’s for 25 years.  I look forward to returning as your principal in September.  I thank God for you and your wonderful children & our faculty.

Sincerely,
Jim Flanagan

130 Participate in Protest at Saint Saviours

100_0244 Here is an email from one of the Saint Saviour parents, who has been protesting the decision by Fr. Murphy not to renew the contract of the school's principal James Flanagan.

"We had our rally/prayer vigil/peaceful protest tonight in front of Saint
Saviour's Church from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Over 130 parents, children, alumni and
parishioners took part.  

"Despite the fact that our line actually
extended beyond a city block, the protest was peaceful, well
organized and hopefully did not cause to much inconvenience to our neighbors who
were walking along 8th Avenue.  Many stopped and asked questions about out
the unfortunate situation at Saint Saviour's and we were able to provide them
with information and our handout detailing why we are protesting. 

"Deputy
Inspector Argenziano of the 78th Precinct again joined us to observe
the protest.  With the exception of checking on the cars that were
parked in front of the Church, the police officers and the deputy inspector
had a relatively quiet evening at the protest as we only marched and carried our
signs while ensuring that we did not completely block the sidewalk. 

"After
marching for about an hour, we all gathered and said a few prayers for our school and our Parish.  We then sang together.  Mr. Flanagan attended
the end of the rally and thanked us all for our dedication and
support.  I find it ironic that he is thanking us for our dedication
and support when it is his dedication and support of our children and our school
that has caused us to take action on his behalf. 

"Knowing
the difficulties he has been forced to go through as a result of
Father Murphy's decision, it brought immense pride and a new found spirit
to all of us to see a smile on his face.   He is a truly admirable man
and the sincerity of his appreciation of the support he is receiving, especially
from the children from the school, is evident. 

"Having spoken with
him, I know he was very upset that the school year was ending on Friday, June
19, 2009, this matter has not been resolved and, while he remains
confident, he is uncertain as to whether he will be able to return to Saint
Saviour's in September. 

"Friday will definitely be a very emotional day for
Mr. Flanagan, his faculty, the children and us parents.  Not to sound like
I am whining but, it didn't have to be this way and the fact that our own Pastor
is causing so much pain and anguish to the children and his Parish is
unfathomable."

Proposed Tuition Increases May Be Issue in Non-renewal of Flanagan’s Contract

Here is a letter from a Saint Saviour's parent that contains some interesting information about proposed tuition increases at the Catholic school that may be the reason for a conflict between Fr. Murphy and principal Flanagan.

The letter released today from Principal Flanagan of St.
Saviour School Brooklyn,  outlining the story of his dismissal to date. Note that disagreement with the pastor about proposed tuition
increases  seems to be the core issue in the sacking.

Half of St
Saviour's student body come from socio-economically challenged
neighborhoods in Brooklyn.  Providing a quality education to the
economically disadvantaged is a core tenet of the Catholic education
model as it has been historically delivered at St. Saviour School. Note
also that proper review  procedures were not observed in the sacking of
Mr Flanagan, with the result that Mr Flanagan is seeking intervention
from the Brooklyn Diocese . He seeks mediation after winning an
arbitration judgement that resulted in no change of position on the
sacking by Fr. Daniel Murphy.

This new information points to a
larger story about what is to change and what remains the same as 
Catholic Education seeks to re-invent itself .  The old autocratic
religious hierarchy is in full effect in the execution of this
autocratic dismissal; no information or notification given to parents,
no recourse or communication  forthcoming throughout the period of
protest. Though laity are supposed to take a bigger role in redefining
Catholic Education  for the future, as outlined in the document
'Preserving the Vision', in this case the diocese is abdicating all
responsibility for the Pastor's actions, and allowing him full
autonomy, even if procedurally he has erred.   This leaves the paying
parents of St. Saviour school without a recourse other than broad
public protest in their effort to retain a highly successful
principal.  No information has been issued by the parish or diocese as
to Fr. Murphy's vision of education or why Mr Flanagan does not fit
into this vision.  Parents don't know how they should close the school
year.  They remain without the knowledge of what awaits their children
in the fall and have heard nothing from the diocese on any prospect of
mediation.

The crass idea that a high performing school in a
rich neighborhood could provide the parish with a cash cow, is not far
from parishioners minds, as I write.   Those who live in Park Slope and
are seeking a quality education for their children might consider St.
Saviour given the other private schools in the neighborhood cost
between 25 -30K per child per year . For  the children of Bed
Stuyvesant and Crown Heights who currently attend St. Saviour,  if
tuition does increase from the current 3.5K to 5k – 10K, they'll be out
in the cold.

If you would like to find out more information on this story please visit www.stsaviours.wordpress.com or contact brolsmacindy@yahoo.com

Children of Abraham Peace Walk: Open Hearts and Curious Minds

IMG_5397 Yesterday's intermittent rain didn't stem the enthusiasm or energy of the Children of Abraham Peace Walk. For the sixth year in a row, a group of approximately 75 Christians, Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Rastafarians, atheists, agnostics, and peaceniks (organized and sponsored by a large coalition of Brooklyn religious congregations) walked from one  religious institution to another with open hearts and curious minds.

The first stop on this uniquely Brooklyn walk was the Al Noor School, a private school on 21st Street and Fourth Avenue in Sunset Park, that provides a secular and Islamic education for grades K-12 and is one of the largest and fastest growing Islamic schools in the United States. The walkers went inside, where they learned about the school and watched "Cities of Light," a film about a time in Spain, over a thousand years ago, when Jews, Christians, and
Muslims, lived together and flourished.

From there the walkers walked to The Church of Gethsemane on 8th Avenue near 10th Street in Park Slope, a diverse Presbyterian congregation founded by men and women who have
been incarcerated, their families and friends. They share the church with Kolot Chayeinu, where Rabbi Ellen Lippman, one of the organizers of the walk, runs a progressive Jewish congregation made up of individuals of varying sexual orientations, gender identities, races, family arrangements,
and Jewish identities and backgrounds, who "share a commitment to the search for meaningful expressions
of our Judaism in today's uncertain world." A Vietnamese Buddhist group also uses the well-utilized space and the Children of Abraham Peace Walkers were treated to a brief chanting session with them.

IMG_5693 I joined the group at the next stop on the tour: Congregation Beth Elohim on 8th Avenue and Garfield Place in Park Slope, where Rabbi Andy Bachman was waiting on the steps of the sanctuary. Once inside, he told the walkers that the synagogue was built in 1861 at the beginning of the Civil War. "Times change, communities evolve, institutions remain. Abraham Lincoln was president when this synagogue was built. Could the people praying here then have imagined our president today?" Rabbi Bachman asked the group.

Rabbi Bachman introduced Jacob, a 13-year-old boy who will be a Bar Mitzvah in November and asked him to explain the meaning of certain aspects of the synagogue to the group.

"This is the ark where we keep the Torah, the most sacred text in Judaism," Jacob told the group. "And this," he said pointing to a lamp "is the eternal light that doesn't go out."

"There has to be an eternal light, which is God's presence," Bachman interjected. "This one is a light bulb and sometimes it has to be changed. Don't tell anyone I told you that." Everyone laughed. "It requires a certain suspension of disbelief which is a legitimate theological position."

4935_1107250573865_1604834493_30254557_3243631_n Jacob, standing on the stage of the sanctuary with an electric guitar, taught the group the words and melody to a song popular with members of the Israeli peace movement, which included the Hebrew and Arabic words for peace (salaam, shalom).

From there the group continued on to its final stop, the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture. Members of BSEC  welcomed the group as they walked up the steps of the elegant 1900 mansion, which is considered one of the best examples of the
rare neo-Jacobean style. It has been home to the Society since 1947.

The walkers sat down in the large parlor room of the mansion and listened as a member of the Society described Ethical Culture as a humanistic religious and educational fellowship that is ethics-centered. "We spell God with two O's," she said.

"The Society for Ethical Culture was started by German Jews escaping growing nationalism in Germany," one member told the group. "They were  immigrants hoping that democracy was more than a dream. They felt you could either do your good work with only your own or start something by joining with others."

Debbie Almontaser, one of the founders of the walk and a native of Yemen spoke movingly about Charlie Horowitz, the deceased
president of the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture, and another one of the  original founders of the Children of Abraham Peace Walk. "He felt it was
important to take this walk to different parts of Brooklyn as a way to
broaden the Brooklyn community together," she told the group. Alomontaser, a veteran of the NYC Public Schools was the founding principal of the  Khalil Gibran International Academy, a dual language public school that opened in 2007. She forced out before the school opened its doors because of a flap about a misconstrued comment that she made.

Rev. Tom Martinez, minister of the All Souls Bethlehem Church in Kensington and one of the organizers of the walk, told the crowd that he knew that they were hungry and tired but that there was still one more item on the program.

"This year we've expanded to include Vietnamese Buddhists and now a Rastafarian. My friend Oosagyefo will read a poem."

IMG_5734 Oosagyefo, a tall, handsome Rastafarian man with a rainbow colored knit cap on his dread-locked head stood in front of the room and performed his poetry using his arms with a dancer's grace.

Son of man tell Ian’ I
Something about life that have never
been said
Like how you will measured
The moments of infinity with
patient
Love your neighbor like yourself unconditionally
Entertain
strangers like they were your next of kin
Put an end to galactic wars

Sign everlasting peace treaty
That has no beginning and no ending

Like yesterday and tomorrow
Son of man tell Ian’ I
How to make this
earth dance again with your rhyme scheme 
How to breathe new life into
this ailing world with your prose
And how to rejuvenate this tired creation

With your metaphors
Write Ian’ I a poem to resurrect the dead
Give
sight back to the blind
Heal the cripple
Set the captive free
Make
your words sing a bittersweet Poetic melody
That even the Angels on Mount
Zion
Will once again sing in harmony
Yes we are knock knock knocking on
heavens door 
I say we are knock knock knocking on heavens door 

Yes we are knock knock knocking on heavens door 
Me say we are
knock knock knocking on heavens door.

And then it was time to break bread. This group of hungry and tired Christians, Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Rastafarian's, agnostics, atheists and peaceniks enjoyed a feast of Middle-Eastern specialties donated by one of the great food shops on Atlantic Avenue. Participants spilled outside into the large garden of the Ethical Culture mansion and talked to one another, ate, and relished the sense of unity and shared purpose.

Today: Children of Abraham Peace Walk

The Sixth Annual Children
of Abraham Peace Walk is today. This uniquely Brooklyn event begins at the Al-Noor School at 4 p.m. and continues on to the Church of the Gethsemane/Kolot Chayeinu, Congregation Beth Elohim and concludes at the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture.

Organized by Rabbi Ellen Lippmann, Rev. Tom Martinez (OTBKB's Witness Photographer) and Adem Carroll, the Children of Abraham
Peace Walk brings together Jews, Christians, Muslims and those of
other faiths and all ages, who walk together and learn about each
other’s traditions and houses of worship.

In past years the Peace
Walk has explored Brooklyn Heights, crossing the Brooklyn Bridge over
to Ground Zero; and has visited many congregations, including an
Albanian mosque. This year, the Ethical Culture Society on Prospect Park West in Park Slope is the final venue.

The 2009 Peace Walk begins at 4 p.m. at the Al-Noor School (675
4th Ave. near 21st St.), where participants will view the film "Cities
of Light" and learn more about the school. "Cities of Light" is part of
the “Many Religions One Community” initiative.

The group will then begin the Peace Walk
around 5:15. The first stop is the Church of Gethsemane/Kolot
Chayeinu) at 1012 8th Ave. between 10th and 11th
streets. It is the home of both a Presbyterian congregation formed as an
“intentional community” of and for prisoners and their families and
loved ones; and the progressive synagogue Congregation Kolot Chayeinu
(which means Voices of Our Lives).

The Peace Walk will then progress to
Congregation Beth Elohim/Garfield Temple, (Reform branch) at 8th Ave.
and Garfield Place. The Walk concludes at the Brooklyn Society for
Ethical Culture, 53 Prospect Park West (between 1st and 2nd streets),
where participants will eat, talk, hear poet Osagyefoo and see a repeat
viewing of Cities of Light.

Sponsoring congregations include,
as of press time: Al-Mahdi Islamic Foundation; Al-Noor School; All
Souls Bethlehem Church; the Arab Muslim American Federation; the Arab
American Association of New York; Beit El Maqdis Islamic Center; Brit
Tzedek v’Shalom, New York chapter (Jewish Alliance for Justice and
Peace); the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture; Brooklyn
Congregations United; Church of Gethsemane; Congregation Beth Elohim;
Council of Peoples Organization (COPO); Fellowship of Reconciliation;
Kolot Chayeinu/Voices of Our Lives; the Muslim Consultative Network;
the Park Slope Jewish Center; Temple Beth Emeth v’Ohr Progressive
Shaarei Zedek; and the Islamic Mission of America.

A Letter From Father Murphy to Saint Saviour Parents

Finally a letter from Father Murphy, pastor of Saint Saviour Church about his controversial decision not to renew the contract of the elementary school's long time principal. This letter was sent to me by a Saint Saviour parent.

June 8, 2009

Dear Parents,

These past several weeks have been ones of tension and anxiety for some of you. Perhaps some clarification on certain issues would be helpful.

On April 3, 2009 I informed Mr. Flanagan that I was not renewing his contract for the 2009-2010 academic year as principal of Saint Saviour Elementary School. Mr. Flanagan knows that my decision is final. As his employer my decision not to renew Mr. Flanagan’s contract came after a lengthy period of prayer and consultation. In the month prior to April 3rd, I discussed my reasons for this non-renewal with several experts in Catholic education. Each of them supported my reasons and decision.

Although I have received much approval from parents for my decision, there is a group of parents that have been circulating information that contains completely inaccurate and untrue accusations, which include the following:

• That I intend to close the school and sell the building. This is a lie; there is absolutely no truth at all in that statement.
• That I don’t like children. That is just not true. Throughout my 39 years of priesthood I have always enjoyed a special bond with children of all ages.
• That I refused to go to Methodist hospital to baptize babies that are dying. That is not only a lie but also a calumny, a serious sin against the 8th Commandment.
• That I “shame the priesthood.” In a written statement to Bishop DiMarzio such a claim was made, however no evidence was given for that cruel accusation.
• That I said, “if you don’t like it take your children and go.” What was said was give the new principal a year before making any rash decisions.

A disrespectful and distracting tactic occurred on Pentecost Sunday, May 31st when students from our elementary school were directed by parents to hold picket signs in my direction as I greeted parishioners exiting Mass. I do not believe I need to elaborate on the unfathomable involvement of children in this situation and on this occasion. Furthermore, I have received telephone calls and written correspondences containing profanity and vulgarities. One phone call (from a male parent) used such language to our evening receptionist, a young (female) college student.

It is understandable that this decision may have raised concerns from some parents. My intention for writing to you is to clarity the fallacies expressed within such a discourteous crusade by some of these parents.

Sincerely,
Father Murphy, Pastor

Saint Saviour Parents Continue to Protest at the Diocese

Saint Saviour Elementary School parents protesting the decision by their pastor, Father Daniel Murphy, not to renew the contract of James Flanagan, their popular, longtime principal, held a peaceful protest in front of the Diocese of Brooklyn's
office located at 310 Prospect Park West today even though Bishop DiMarzio wasn't there.

The Bishop was scheduled to attend a meeting at the Diocese but it was cancelled because of the  funeral of police officer Omar Edwards, which he was attending.

According to a parent who was at the protest,  parents were "warmly greeted" by the Diocese employees as well as the employees of The Tablet, the Diocese of
Brooklyn's newspaper which is also located there.

Interestingly, a reporter for The Tablet interviewed several of the parents; they were told that The Tablet will run a story on the controversy.

Saint Savour alumni and
parishioners intend to continue to bring their protest to the steps
of the Diocese, at its locations at Greene Street and on Prospect Park West. It is still the hope of the parents that Bishop DiMarzio will eventually decide to meet with the parents and confirm
whether he, in fact, was responsible for Mr. Flanagan's non-renewal as part
of his vision for the future of parish schools.

 
One parent who emailed me has doubts that Bishop DiMarzio had anything to do with the
decision concerning Mr. Flanagan. " I believe Fr. Murphy has now
decided to claim it was all part of Bishop DiMarzio's decision given the
serious backlash he has received in his Parish, which has come not only from the parents,
but from many of our older parishioners as well.  I don't believe
the idea of casting someone aside simply because you believe
they are too old and, as it appears Father Murphy has done, has been
taken well by them."

.

Saint Saviour Controversy: Murphy Says He Was Just Carrying Out Bishop DiMarzio’s Vision

Today an interesting new twist to the Saint Saviour Elementary School controversy:

Although many Saint Saviour Elementary School parents, alumni and parishioners were under the impression that their Pastor, Fr.  Murphy, was solely responsible for the decision not to renew the contract of James Flanagan,
principal of their elementary school, some parents now believe that he was acting on orders from Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, the
head of the Archdiocese of Brooklyn. 

In an article in today's Brooklyn Eagle, Fr. Murphy told BE reporter Mary Frost that in his decision not to renew Mr. Flanagan's contract he was just carrying out
Bishop DiMarzio’s long-term vision for the Diocese, a called Preserving the
Vision.

 “We need a principal with the leadership skills that look towards the
future…Principal Flanagan has done a superb job, but things
are changing. We need a principal with the vision for that change, so
we can implement Bishop DiMarzio’s plan well. This doesn’t just apply
to St. Saviour, this applies to all the schools in the Diocese…St. Saviour is
a strong school now, and it’s going to remain strong. The principal is
changing, but nothing else is changing. It’s a significant change, but
the only change," Fr. Murphy is quoted as saying.

It is still unclear whether orders to dismiss James Flanagan came from the Bishop or whether Father Murphy was just interpreting the Bishop's edict.

Some Saint Saviour's parents now believe that it was a direct order from the Bishop. But  Father Kieran Harrington, spokesperson for the Brooklyn Diocese disputes that interpretation. “We
try to facilitate the process but every decision is made at the local
level. The person who makes the decisions is Father Murphy. He hires,
he fires. He signs all the contracts for the parish. We don’t even set
salaries," he told the Brooklyn Eagle.

Sounds like everyone is shifting the blame. It will be interesting to see if the parents take their protest straight to the Bishop now. 



A Prayer for Dr. George Tiller

Rev. Matthew Westfox, associate pastor at All Souls Bethlehem Church, a Unitarian congregation in Kensington, works for the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice and was asked to say a few words of prayer as part
of a vigil in Union Square that was held in honor of Dr. Tiller, an abortion doctor, who was murdered in his church on Sunday.

 The video from the vigil can be found here- http://www.feministing.com/archives/015803.html#comments

Here is what he said:

 

CALL TO WORSHIP

 We come together in mourning.

To
express our grief and sorrow at the murder of a doctor who spent his
life helping others. We grieve for all those who were touched by his
life, and tonight are feeling his loss.

For
all the women who will now find it even harder to access needed
services, services that may be necessary to preserve their health or
even their very lives, because Dr. Tiller is no longer with us.

We
mourn the loss that we all feel, the loss of our sense of safety. We
are reminded that when one of us is attacked, all of us are attacked.

We come together in mourning.

 We come together in anger.

We
are angry tonight, and we should be. Angry in the face of cold-blooded
murder. Angry at those who would lash out in violence.

We
are angry that someone who did so much to help others was taken from
us.  We bear witness to this terrible act, and stand together to
declare that violence against doctor or clinic staff cannot, must not
be tolerated.

We come together in anger.  Not to lash out, not to fight, but to cry out from our anger that this must never happen again.

We come together in celebration and thanksgiving. 

We
celebrate the life of this doctor who did so much to help others. Who
day after day refused to let violence and harassment stop him from
offering needed, often times life saving medical services to those in
need.

We
give thanks for the doctors and the nurses, the clinical staff and
administrators, for all those who work in clinics and hospitals, facing
danger and harassment day in and day out to provide abortions to those
who need them.  Let us come together in celebration and thanksgiving.

We come together in solidarity.  This vigil is one of many, as all
across the country, people come together in anger, come together in
mourning, come together in celebration. We come together to remember
that we are not alone.  To mourn the passing of Dr. Tiller and to give
thanks for all he did. To stand in solidarity with those patients of
Dr. Tiller who remind us that they owe their lives to his work. We
stand in solidarity with them, for there is no greater testimony to Dr.
Tiller and the goodness of his life’s work.

 PRAYER

Gracious
and loving God, known to us by so many different names and so many
different faces, tonight, in all our different voices we lift our
prayers to you.  Prayers for the family of George Tiller.  For all
those who were touched by his life and are grieving tonight at his
loss.  We pray tonight for all of us who are afraid, afraid of the
threat of violence, but still are willing to stand up and raise our
voices for justice.  Hear our prayer, spoken with our lips, and spoken
in our solemn silence. 

Gracious
and loving God, be with all of those brave souls who make abortion
possible.  Hold them in your loving embrace and keep them safe—
doctors, nurses, clinic staff, administrators, janitors and counselors
and receptionists—all those who labor to provide abortions to those in
need.  Bless them and keep them safe from harm
and harassment and intimidation and fear. Hear all of us tonight as we
lift up our voices to you, and say in all you many names- Amen.

 BENEDICTION

 
With
the murder of Dr. Tiller our movement, our world, lost a great man. We
mourn his loss, but we remember that his spirit lives on. 

 That
any time a doctor or a nurse or a clinic practitioner goes to work to
provide abortions care to those in need, the spirit of Dr. Tiller lives
on. 

That
any time an elected official submits a bill or casts a vote in favor of
justice, in favor of clinic defense, in favor of access, that the
spirit of Dr. Tiller lives on. 

That
every time we come to a vigil and say “No more violence, no more
killings; clinic workers must work in peace,” the spirit of Dr. Tiller
lives on. 

That
every time we give of our hearts, through gifts of time, or money, or
energy or volunteerism, we make it possible for women to have access to
needed services, and the spirit of Dr. Tiller lives on.  By doing all we can to make abortions accessible and safe, the spirit of Dr. Tiller lives on.

Gracious
and loving God, let your strength flow through all of us.  Let all of
us honor the memory of this great man, and keep his spirit with us as
we work for justice, work for access,  and work together to make sure that no doctor, no administrator, no clinic worker is ever murdered again.

Saint Saviour’s Parents Get Messages From Aux. Bishop Caggiano

Scan0003 Caggiano(2) Parents, Alumni and Parishioners have begun receiving letters
from Aux. Bishop Caggiano (pictured) as per his personal assurance
to James Flanagan, the Principal of Saint Saviour's Elementary School in Park Slope, whose contract is not being renewed by the Parish priest, Father Murphy.

Aux. Bishop Caggiano's response to the Saint Saviour's parent's letters was appreciated and consistent with both his promise to Mr. Flanagan and his
previous assurances that it was his intention to keep all parents informed about
what was happening at the school.

Parents noted that Aux. Bishop Caggiano's responsiveness is in stark contrast to Father Murphy who has still
not formally advised any of the parents of his decision not to renew Mr.
Flanagan's contract and who stated on Channel 12 News
that the parents have no say on what goes on in their
school, 

 
Aux. Bishop Caggiano has been charged with spearheading the
strategic planning process for the Diocese of Brooklyn on how to preserve
the vision of Catholic elementary education within the diocese.  Despite
his direct involvement in shaping the future of those schools, Aux.
Bishop Caggiano can only provide guidance
to Mr. Flanagan and has no decision making power.

Aux. Bishop Caggiano has publicly advised several
parents  of Saint Saviour's that they should just keep doing what they are
doing and keep the enrollment up.  As Vicar General, Aux. Bishop Caggiano has no say over what happens in the
individual Parishes of the Diocese. 

 
It has become clear that the fate of Principal James
Flanagan and Saint Saviour's Elementary School rests solely in the hands of
Bishop DiMarzio, who as Bishop for the Diocese has full control over
all of his Parishes. 

The parents are hopeful that Bishop DiMarzio will review this situation and ensure
that Mr. Flanagan is offered a new contract,

 

Saint Saviour Parents Bring Their Protest to the Steps of the Brooklyn Diocese

100_0190 A group of Saint Saviour Elementary School parents brought their protest to the Diocese of
Brooklyn o Greene Avenue in the hopes that Bishop DiMarzio and Aux. Bishop Caggiano would hear their
voices. 

Approximately 25 parents marched peacefully outside of
the Diocese. However, Bishop DiMarzio was unavailable to meet with them as he had a pre-scheduled meeting.  The parents were
advised that the Bishop was aware that they were
outside. 

The parents are hopeful that today's peaceful protest at the
Diocese will encourage Bishop DiMarzio to respond to the numerous letters written by concerned parents,
alumni and parishioners. 

It is the parent's hope that when the Bishop reviews the present situation at Saint Saviour regarding the significant and positive role Mr. Flanagan has had and continues to have at
Saint Saviour's Elementary School, he will  try to persuade Fr. Murphy to to reverse his original decision and renew Mr. Flanagan's contract.

Michele Somerville: “The Scenario at St. Saviour is a Sad One”

Michele Madigan Somerville,
an OTBKB reader, responds to OTBKB's recent posts about the controversy at Saint Saviour
Elementary School. Somerville is an award-winning poet. Her book, Black
Irish, is forthcoming from Plain View Press.
A short essay by Somerville will appear in the New York Times' online Op Ed series,  "Happy Days."


I’m a member of a
neighboring Brooklyn parish with no children attending St. Saviour School. 
As a former educator who taught for three years in parochial schools, I know
that that when they do it well, Catholic schools do a very good job of educating
children, Catholic and otherwise, for a fraction of the resources public schools
send.  I take special pride in the Roman Catholic school model, because, in
my experience,  at least in NYC, the diocesan schools have embraced the
diversity of the city and have, in many ways, excelled the public schools
in this regard. 

 
The scenario you describe at St. Saviour is a sad
one.  If your characterization of Father Murphy is accurate – if indeed he
does not visit the school,  if he truly described visiting the school “as a
drain”–  then he is falling woefully short in answering the call to
priesthood.  The chief obligation of a priest is to serve as model for
Jesus on earth.  A pastor who is indifferent to the children in his school
is failing to reflect Christ’s love and conducting himself in a disgraceful
manner.  Being a Roman Catholic pastor is a hard job.  Perhaps Father
Murphy is ill-suited for this work, or burned-out.   Father Murphy has
the right, in a technical sense to hire and fire as he sees fit, but he has a
moral and ethical obligation to stand before his fellow members in the Body of
Christ — the St. Saviour School community –and explain this decision in a
loving and respectful way.  It is possible,indeed it is likely —
that he was simply ordered to fire this principal. It is
also quite possible that he
has been explicitly forbidden to speak candidly about
this. Unfortunately, this is how things the Catholic Church often
operates. 
 
Even wonderul pastors like my own are being
forced  to make dramatic cuts. Parishes have been hit by the financial
downturn.  The diocese has been laying the groundwork preparatory to school
and parish closings for a few years now.  Many of our churches are over a
hundred years old and are architectural masterpieces containing priceless
art.  The cost of maintaining these buildings threatens to bankrupt even
the most prosperous of parishes. 
 
This current fiscal crisis casts a new light on the
time-honored custom of withholding of contributions as a means of protesting
policy.  It may good for parishioners to bear in mind that in some cases,
those who wish to do so can direct collection dollars to the school and not the
church by noting this preference on their checks. (Churches are supposed to make
every effort to honor this.)  During this time, when so many churches and
parish schools are closing, it is crucial that active Catholics advocate and
protest judiciously and with caution.      
 
Perhaps your pastor imagines contracting a more
malleable, less expensive principal may be a good way to cut costs. 
Perhaps Fr. Murphy is taking the lead from public schools wherein there is a
trend to hire less experienced (younger) educators because they
come cheaper and are more malleable.  Perhaps the pastor has a different
direction in mind for the school.   It sounds as if your pastor simply
may not want a school in his parish.   
 
Parents of children enrolled in these schools need
to be aware that a parish school operating without its own pastor’s full support
and protection is extremely vulnerable at this point in time.  Protest and
demonstration can only work up to a point in any dispute with the RC church
because in the end, it is always the bishop’s call.  Fortunately there are
priests (bishops included) nuns and lay Catholics who are open to what their
fellow Catholics think and feel. I exhort all involved in
this conflict to keep abreast of local church politics to whatever extent
is possible as they work toward keeping St. Saviour School vital. Members of
Saint Savior’s Parish Pastoral Council may a good resource in this struggle
because often parish council members gain a sense of what the
direction of the diocese is before the rest of the parish can know.
 
 
I also hope that teachers and especially students
are taking part in the letter writing campaign and in the protest. Teachers are
the best resource for what the problems in school administration might be. As
for the  children; there is an extremely valuable
lesson in this. These children need to know that the church belongs
as much to them as to any bishop.  My sense is that Bishop Frank
Caggiano, who according to one of the pasrent's letters, handles school
matters, is an unusually soulful (pun intended) and highly intelligent
bishop, and one not likely to be “drained” by interaction with the children
of your school. I expect that you will receive thoughtful response from him on
this matter in good time.
 
I wonder whether these diocesan powers that be are
aware of how many Catholics leave the church as a consequence of the kind of
disrespect the families at St. Saviour are currently enduring. The
diocese and pastor of St. Saviour Church may have the power to hire and lay
off the school principal, but that the church belongs, nonetheless, to those
families and that parish community.
 
I will keep St. Saviour School Community in my
prayers.
 
Michele Somerville

Saint Saviour Controversy: Parish as Feudal System?

100_0181 After two weeks of waiting, Saint Saviour Elementary School parents are finally receiving individual written responses to the letters they sent to Thomas Chadzutko, the Superintendent of Schools for the
Diocese.

In their letters, parents expressed their disappointment with the plan by Saint Saviour pastor Father Murphy not to renew the contract of James Flanagan, the school's principal, who has run the school for 26 years.

"While we appreciate Chadzutko's acknowledgment and response,
unfortunately the message contained therein only serves to frustrate us
more," one parent wrote to OTBKB.

In his letter, Dr. Chadzutko confirms that, despite his title as Superintendent of
Schools, he can only provide guidance to Mr. Flanagan, as Mr. Flanagan is
employed by the Parish and not his office. 

Dr. Chadzutko also told the parents that he shared the parent's concerns with with Father Murphy. "We suspect that, as
with all of the parents, alumni and parishioners who have shared their
concerns with Fr. Murphy, Dr. Chadzutko's concerns also fell on deaf
ears.  It seems implausible that, in this day and age, a Parish can
be run like such a feudal system, with the Pastor as overlord
and his parishioners as serfs, meant to pray, pay and
obey," says this same parent.

The parents are hoping that Bishop DiMarzio and Aux. Bishop Caggiano will address their concerns after they review the situation.

Quiet Protest Outside Saint Saviour on Behalf of Beloved Principal

100_0181 100_0179 100_0178 Today during Sunday service at Saint Saviour, a Catholic Church on 8th Avenue in Park Slope, parents protested the decision by pastor Father Murphy not to renew the contract of James Flanagan, a respected and beloved principal at the Saint Saviour Elementary school.

"I'm not naive. Given Mr. Flanagan's age, which is 62, I know he won't be principal at the school forever. He probably won't be there when my son graduates from elementary school," a parent who asked me not to use his name told me. "But Mr. Flanagan has the right to stay as long as he wants and leave the school with the same grace and dignity that he has carried himself all these years. He has led a very successful school. There are no criminal charges against him. It makes no sense."

The outraged parents, who know that Father Murphy has the final say, know that "the only chance we have is if the public outcry is so great, Murphy will sit down with the Bishop and they'll figure out a way to let Mr. Flanagan stay as a way to save face on this."

Inside the church, Father Murphy delivered a homily, interestingly enough, about the importance of change. "The holy spirit is all about change," the parent told me.  "From Elvis to the Beatles or the Mets at Shea Staduium changing to Citi Field, it's all about change."

A parent, who particpated in the protest told me: "It hurt me to march outside the church but we had to get our message out. I grew up in this close-knit Catholic community in Brooklyn. I have a strong faith. But we are upset by this."

Saint Saviour Parents Get Support From a Parish in Cincinatti

Here is a follow-up to the story about the controversy at Saint Saviour's Elementary School in Park Slope. Parents at that school learned recently that the church's pastor, Father Daniel Murphy, has decided not to renew the contract of their highly respected, longtime principal Jame's Flanagan, who has been at the school for 25 years.

Father Murphy has yet to
formally advise the parents of his decision and when
asked for the reason of his decision he has refused to discuss it. He did, however, send a letter to the faculty to inform them of his decision.

With the exception of one teacher the entire staff wants to see Mr. Flanagan stay on. They have signed a petition and sent letters to the Monsignor.

A very large number of parents have also been very vocal about their opposition. At a recent meeting of parents opposed to the actions of Father Murphy, 100 parents were there. Many have participated in low key protests in front of the school.

Father Murphy did tell  Channel 12 News on May 20, 2009 that parents have  no say in what happens at the school and that if the
parents do not like the new principal they can just take their kids and
go.

Nice.

It is true that under Catholic canon law, the pastor is king but it is very irksome to parents and teachers that Father Murphy refuses to take into account the almost unanimous desire of parents and teachers to keep Flanagan as their principal.

Saint Saviour parents have found support and encouragement from a parish in Cincinatti, Ohio that went through a similar struggle in 2003. Those parents were able to convince the leader of their parish to rescind his decision and reinstate their principal.

The Saint Saviour parents hope to have the same outcome here in Park Slope. The following was written by an OTBKB reader and a parent at the school

In the days immediately following Fr. Murphy's unfortunate and illogical
decision not to renew Principal James Flanagan's contract, putting aside the
intense hurt and disbelief, many parents felt like we were all alone in our
struggle. 


We also feared that, although our cause was clearly moral
and just, we might not have much chance of success given that we were
up against Fr. Murphy, who has autocratically ruled over Saint Saviour's Parish
since he arrived in June 2004.  I know I certainly had felt at times
that the battle was too great and wondered whether it was even worth
fighting.  Thankfully, when I am at my lowest, I am reminded of
how important this struggle is every time I see my children.  Knowing
how truly fortunate we all are to have such a dedicated and compassionate
Principal, whose success cannot be questioned, leading our school and our
children helps to get us through the periods of doubt.

 
 
We also have found inspiration in an unlikely place…Cincinnati,
Ohio.  In the days immediately following  Fr. Muphy's illogical
decision, one of our parents found an article about Nativity Grade School, a
Catholic School in Cincinnati, Ohio.  On November 24, 2003, the Wednesday
before Thanksgiving, Pastor Fr. Sherlock of Nativity Parish fired the Principal
of the Grade School, Robert Herring.  Like Mr. Flanagan, Mr. Herring was a
very successful principal who was beloved by his students and the parents. 

Immediately following his termination, a large group of parents went to Fr.
Sherlock and asked him to reconsider and rescind the termination.  As with
Fr. Murphy, who is also in his fifth of his six year term at Saint Saviour's,
Fr. Sherlock refused to give any reason for his decision and refused
the parents request to rescind the termination.  Also like Fr. Murphy, Fr.
Sherlock had limited to no involvement in the school.  Over the
Thanksgiving weekend, many of the parents got together to discuss what to
do.  In the weeks that followed, they prepared protest signs and
picket lines appeared outside the church and school. Parents, students and grade
school alumni also demonstrated outside the archdiocesan. 

The struggle
continued for weeks with Fr. Sherlock refusing to budge.  Finally, after
approximately four weeks, Fr. Sherlock agreed to
rescind the termination of Mr. Herring.  Over five
years later, Mr. Herring remains the Principal of Nativity, and in 2006 was
named as one of the five National Distinguished Principals for the entire
United States. 
 For a more detailed discussion of the struggle that Nativity's parents went
through in 2003 please see http://www.natcath.com/NCR_Online/archives2/2003d/121903/121903k.htm

 

Reading about the successful campaign run by the parents of Nativity
encouraged us. What happened next was even more inspiring. 

One of the
parents in our group reached out to one of the leaders of the Nativity group to
advise them of our struggle and to request any guidance or advice they
could provide.  We received several lengthy e-mails, as
well as a 20-minute phone call, which provided not only advice but
were filled with such compassion, encouragement and
understanding.  In one e-mail, the gentleman from Nativity advised
that, upon reading our e-mail he immediately recalled the shock and
frustration that the November 24, 2003 discharge of long-time and
beloved Nativity School Principal Robert Herring by Fr, Sherlock and
empathized with the writer, the writer's family, Mr. Flanagan, the St.
Saviour parishioners, the school parents, the students, and the faculty.

Based on the information provided, he noted that
there were a number of similarities in Mr. Flanagan’s and Mr. Herring’s
situations.  Both men were excellent and experienced principals
of thriving Roman Catholic elementary schools, respected and well-loved by their
parish communities.  In each instance the pastor has refused to discuss the
reasons for his decision on the grounds of privacy.  In each instance, the
pastor did not consult with, or even inform, any parish lay leadership, such as
the Pastoral Council or School Board, prior to executing his unilateral
decision.  In each instance the parishioners are the subjects in an
essentially feudal system of church governance in which the bishop or the
archbishop is the overlord, the pastor is the vassal or lord of the manor, and
the parishioners are the serfs, urged to pray, pay and obey.  It was noted
that this system, an autocratic one, rather than a democratic one, is a far
cry from the way in which citizens govern themselves in a democratic republic,
and publicly-traded corporations run themselves.  The system, although
archaic, works until the pastor stops acting in a pastoral and benevolent way.
 Unfortunately, in both Mr. Herring and Mr. Flanagan's situations, the
pastor has clearly not acted in a pastoral and benevolent
way. 

The gentleman from Nativity further advised that
he believed that the efforts and prayers of hundreds collaborating in an
organized way, contributed to Mr. Herring’s reinstatement.  He noted that
he was uncertain if the Archbishop of Cincinnati or his Auxiliary Bishop
reached out to Fr. Sherlock to either order or urge him to engage in the
ultimately successful mediation or to reinstate Mr. Herring.  We
advised him that we hoped that our Bishops, Bishop DiMarzio and Bishop Caggiano
would investigate this matter and, upon realizing the unfortunate
decision made by Fr. Murphy, would either order or urge Fr.
Murphy to offer a new contract to Mr. Flanagan.

He stress that he believed it was
totally appropriate that the lay members of the Church, including your parish
community, express their opinions about Fr. Murphy’s decision, as prayerfully,
respectfully, and effectively as possible, just as we had done in
our letters to Bishop DiMarzio.  He also noted that, throughout the
storm of controversy, Mr. Herring maintained an inspiring Christ like
approach and attitude.  Mr. Flanagan has conducted himself
similarly despite how he has been
treated by Fr. Murphy. 

The gentleman stated that he
was proud of his lay parish community for having chosen to
challenge the unilateral and truly lousy decision by Fr. Sherlock.  He
believes that his Parish is stronger, more vital and more engaged than if
they had just accepted what seemed like a nonsensical, tyrannical
decision.  In closing, he commended us for
our efforts to reinstate Mr. Flanagan as Principal and advised that our mission
is in his prayers. He also advised that he and his fellow Nativity
members would provide us with any assistance needed.

At a meeting held with
approximately one hundred parents of Saint Saviour's on May 28, 2009,
the e-mail from the gentleman was read aloud to the parents.  We could not
put into words how inspired and moved we were to know that others
have walked the road that we have now undertaken and worked together
for a successful result.  We have written to our fellow parents at
Nativity to let them know how inspiring they are and how much their
encouragement means to us.  With their continued support,
assistance and prayers, we too can hope for a proper outcome to this
unfortunate situation.

At difficult times in our
lives like this when we face such daunting tasks, we all need the love,
support and encouragement of friends.  The parents of Saint Saviour's
Elementary School have now found many new friends 637 miles away at
Nativity Parish in Cincinnati, Ohio.  And for that, we are truly
blessed.

Newsweek: Park Slope’s Beth Elohim One of Most Vibrant Synagogues in Nation

Newsweek along with Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman and CEO Michael Lynton, News Corp.
executive vice president Gary Ginsberg and JTN Productions CEO Jay
Sanderson put together a list of the vibrant Jewish congregations in the US.  God only knows how they measure these things. Most of the synagogues are in NYC and Los Angeles but Wellesley, Mass, Atlanta and Dallas are represented. Needless to say, the whole thing makes Beth Elohim's Rabbi Andy Bachman uneasy. Last year he made it into Newsweek's top ten pulpit rabbis in the US.

Here's the citing in Newsweek:


Congregation Beth Elohim, Brooklyn, N.Y.


A 148-year-old synagogue quickly adapting to Brooklyn's exciting, young population.

And here are Bachman thoughts on the matter from his blog,  Ideas.

I was trying to figure out what makes me uneasy about our synagogue
being selected by three entertainment and media leaders and Newsweek
magazine as one of the 25 most vibrant synagogues in the country. (Last year I was on the list for rabbis
but this year seem to have lost a few vibrant steps, due in no small
part to a series of muscle spasms in my lower back which comes with
age, alas.

It dawned on me last night while sitting right
inside the liberal Jewish echo chamber–Jon Stewart's Daily Show
monologue. Stewart was going after Fox News (appropriately) for their
whining and carping about how President Obama is building a
dictatorship in the United States. Absurd as it may be, this kind of
rampant conspiracy "group-think" plays very, very well to people
sitting at home on couches, racking up ratings points which networks
and advertisers take all the way to the bank…

Read the rest on Bachman's blog, Ideas.

Question: Why Did Jesus Have to Die?

Park Slope's Pastor Daniel Meeter of Old  First Church asked five people why Jesus had to die. He got five different answers and the sermon is on his blog, Old First.

 One guy said, "Because it was that
bad." Boom. That simple. We’ve made that much of a mess. The situation
is extreme so the solution is extreme.
If
God so loves the world, and if Jesus is in solidarity with the world,
then he does not exempt himself from how bad it is. He enters it, he
goes with it. What the world gets, he gets. What victims get, he gets.
What criminals get, he gets. What innocents get, he gets. He gets it
all because it is that bad.
A second person
told me that the reason Jesus had to die is because sin costs. Sin
costs and somebody has to pay. The world is built that way. The payment
for sin is a sacrifice. And sacrifice in general is not something added
to the world. Sacrifice is built into the world…

…A third person told me that Jesus had to die as the ultimate gesture of
God’s sincerity. It was the ultimate test of God’s credibility, God’s
commitment, it is God’s pledge to us. "This is how far I am willing to
go for you."

Read the rest at Old First Blog.