Vatican Sides With Parishioners In Mass. Church Closings

The Vatican is siding with parishioners of three Western Massachusetts churches that were shut down by the Springfield diocese. In a new ruling, the Vatican said Springfield's bishop should not have closed the churches in Adams and Chicopee.

Peter Borre helped the parishioners file their appeals to the Vatican. He's chairman of the Boston-based Council of Parishes, a group formed to fight church closings. He joined Morning Edition Wednesday to talk about the Vatican's ruling.

"I think the ink is still wet on the decrees in Springfield," Borre said. "Frankly, I'm hopeful that the bishop of Springfield may actually listen carefully to Rome and perhaps negotiate with these three parishioner groups on the reopening of these beautiful churches."