Josh wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 12:01 pm
Perhaps the reality is that the people with ethnic and religious affiliation moved - probably to escape Baltimore’s ridiculous levels of crime.
When I lived in Baltimore, it was the reverse. The neighborhood I lived in was gentrifying and pushing out the locals. The so-called "Baltimore Renaissance" had created a situation where the yuppies were moving in and the poorer people were being dislocated to the suburbs.
There are neighborhoods with terrible crime rates, but it's not everywhere. Certain neighborhoods are worse than others.
Like a lot of churches and denominations, the Catholic Church has become irrelevant in a lot of the communities it used to be relevant in.
0 x
“It’s easy to make everything a conspiracy when you don’t know how anything works.” — Brandon L. Bradford
The priest shortage is probably a factor as well. Being a church leader used to be a high-status position, but now it's low-status which makes celibacy a harder sell. The molestation scandal in the Catholic Church makes being a priest especially unpopular.
Historically, this is not the first time this has happened and it will not be the last: as large cities change in demographics, so too, the need for Catholic parishes will change. Headline-driven, fear mongering dramas aside, this procedure is normal and occurs on a regular basis throughout the world whenever cities fall into decline. Catholics move their families to areas in which they can raise their children in safety and can also find healthy employment.
Some cities are dying due to crime and economics and sadly, it appears to be the case in Baltimore. The Catholic Church establishes parishes where there is already a Catholic presence. So too, when the Catholic population declines, it will close or consolidate churches. Priest shortages can be supplemented with retired priests who were formerly incardinated in a different diocese or a religious order. The major factors in Baltimore's case has to do with demographics and Catholic population changes.
Other cities such as those in Texas or Georgia are growing exponentially in their Catholic population. They are having to build new parishes in order to keep pace. I recall one Baltimore priest referring to Atlanta as "Hotlanta" because of the rapid increase in the Catholic population. It is still continuing in growth.
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Max (Plain Catholic)
Mt 24:35 Proverbs 18:2 A fool does not delight in understanding but only in revealing his own mind.
1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God
MaxPC wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 7:00 pm
Historically, this is not the first time this has happened and it will not be the last: as large cities change in demographics, so too, the need for Catholic parishes will change. Headline-driven, fear mongering dramas aside, this procedure is normal and occurs on a regular basis throughout the world whenever cities fall into decline. Catholics move their families to areas in which they can raise their children in safety and can also find healthy employment.
Some cities are dying due to crime and economics and sadly, it appears to be the case in Baltimore. The Catholic Church establishes parishes where there is already a Catholic presence. So too, when the Catholic population declines, it will close or consolidate churches. Priest shortages can be supplemented with retired priests who were formerly incardinated in a different diocese or a religious order. The major factors in Baltimore's case has to do with demographics and Catholic population changes.
Other cities such as those in Texas or Georgia are growing exponentially in their Catholic population. They are having to build new parishes in order to keep pace. I recall one Baltimore priest referring to Atlanta as "Hotlanta" because of the rapid increase in the Catholic population. It is still continuing in growth.
You think it is “normal” To see that much of your constituency vanish? This is a huge decline, it is like there is 10% of the seats being occupied as compared to 30-40 years ago. My Catholic friends are calling this catastrophic and unprecedented. The parish I attended as a child is closing. That neighborhood has seen NO decline in population.
The largest Hispanic churches here are Pentecostal. That is where the Hispanic population is. My former church helped one get going 30 years ago. They went from zero to busting at the seams.
If this happened to us, we would be doing some major soul searching.
MaxPC wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 7:00 pm
Historically, this is not the first time this has happened and it will not be the last: as large cities change in demographics, so too, the need for Catholic parishes will change. Headline-driven, fear mongering dramas aside, this procedure is normal and occurs on a regular basis throughout the world whenever cities fall into decline. Catholics move their families to areas in which they can raise their children in safety and can also find healthy employment.
Some cities are dying due to crime and economics and sadly, it appears to be the case in Baltimore. The Catholic Church establishes parishes where there is already a Catholic presence. So too, when the Catholic population declines, it will close or consolidate churches. Priest shortages can be supplemented with retired priests who were formerly incardinated in a different diocese or a religious order. The major factors in Baltimore's case has to do with demographics and Catholic population changes.
Other cities such as those in Texas or Georgia are growing exponentially in their Catholic population. They are having to build new parishes in order to keep pace. I recall one Baltimore priest referring to Atlanta as "Hotlanta" because of the rapid increase in the Catholic population. It is still continuing in growth.
Max (Plain Catholic)
Mt 24:35 Proverbs 18:2 A fool does not delight in understanding but only in revealing his own mind.
1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God
Josh wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 12:01 pm
Perhaps the reality is that the people with ethnic and religious affiliation moved - probably to escape Baltimore’s ridiculous levels of crime.
When I lived in Baltimore, it was the reverse. The neighborhood I lived in was gentrifying and pushing out the locals. The so-called "Baltimore Renaissance" had created a situation where the yuppies were moving in and the poorer people were being dislocated to the suburbs.
There are neighborhoods with terrible crime rates, but it's not everywhere. Certain neighborhoods are worse than others.
Like a lot of churches and denominations, the Catholic Church has become irrelevant in a lot of the communities it used to be relevant in.
Unfortunately, that is reversing for the past 10 years or so. One of our teachers was the victim of an attempted robbery just the other day. Even Hampden is not safe anymore. The “soft on juvenile crime” policy is reaping its predictable fruit. The vast majority of car thieves are juvenile, since they can’t be locked up, and are returning to their parents that failed to supervise them in the first place.
MaxPC wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 7:00 pm
Historically, this is not the first time this has happened and it will not be the last: as large cities change in demographics, so too, the need for Catholic parishes will change. Headline-driven, fear mongering dramas aside, this procedure is normal and occurs on a regular basis throughout the world whenever cities fall into decline. Catholics move their families to areas in which they can raise their children in safety and can also find healthy employment.
Some cities are dying due to crime and economics and sadly, it appears to be the case in Baltimore. The Catholic Church establishes parishes where there is already a Catholic presence. So too, when the Catholic population declines, it will close or consolidate churches. Priest shortages can be supplemented with retired priests who were formerly incardinated in a different diocese or a religious order. The major factors in Baltimore's case has to do with demographics and Catholic population changes.
Other cities such as those in Texas or Georgia are growing exponentially in their Catholic population. They are having to build new parishes in order to keep pace. I recall one Baltimore priest referring to Atlanta as "Hotlanta" because of the rapid increase in the Catholic population. It is still continuing in growth.
Gotta have money to do this. They will have none when the bankruptcy court is through with them. Remember creditors are paid in order of precedence. Victims will be given a very high precedence.
You are aware they shut down their last mental health facility years ago. The one for youth, that more recently closed, just got hit with a huge lawsuit connected to the abuse and exploitation of juveniles under their care.
Last edited by Judas Maccabeus on Wed Apr 17, 2024 10:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Josh wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 12:01 pm
Perhaps the reality is that the people with ethnic and religious affiliation moved - probably to escape Baltimore’s ridiculous levels of crime.
When I lived in Baltimore, it was the reverse. The neighborhood I lived in was gentrifying and pushing out the locals. The so-called "Baltimore Renaissance" had created a situation where the yuppies were moving in and the poorer people were being dislocated to the suburbs.
There are neighborhoods with terrible crime rates, but it's not everywhere. Certain neighborhoods are worse than others.
Like a lot of churches and denominations, the Catholic Church has become irrelevant in a lot of the communities it used to be relevant in.
Unfortunately, that is reversing for the past 10 years or so. One of our teachers was the victim of an attempted robbery just the other day. Even Hampden is not safe anymore. The “soft on juvenile crime” policy is reaping its predictable fruit. The vast majority of car thieves are juvenile, since they can’t be locked up, and are returning to their parents that failed to supervise them in the first place.
Szdfan wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 1:43 pm
When I lived in Baltimore, it was the reverse. The neighborhood I lived in was gentrifying and pushing out the locals. The so-called "Baltimore Renaissance" had created a situation where the yuppies were moving in and the poorer people were being dislocated to the suburbs.
There are neighborhoods with terrible crime rates, but it's not everywhere. Certain neighborhoods are worse than others.
Like a lot of churches and denominations, the Catholic Church has become irrelevant in a lot of the communities it used to be relevant in.
Unfortunately, that is reversing for the past 10 years or so. One of our teachers was the victim of an attempted robbery just the other day. Even Hampden is not safe anymore. The “soft on juvenile crime” policy is reaping its predictable fruit. The vast majority of car thieves are juvenile, since they can’t be locked up, and are returning to their parents that failed to supervise them in the first place.
I’m really sorry to hear that.
We just got rid of a state’s attorney who did not want to prosecute for what she called “low level” offenses. That came to include armed carjacking if no one was injured. For those who have lived here, there are lots of vacant shops on the avenue. 7-11 near Poly has closed, one near us has a security guard. Got a new state’s attorney last year, takes a tougher stance, however the police, under the mayor are still not arresting these people. I was planning to move down there, I have reconsidered that plan. Moving there wo sure make life easier, as I have on occasion made three trips back and forth in a single day. I teach at the school, so that adds to it.
More than one truth can be present.
Did the abuse scandals cost the Balt Archdiocese financially? Absolutely
Did they wait too late to do consolidation due to dwindling numbers? Unquestionably
Was this Archdiocese led well over the years? Heck no.
Did you know the unofficial but widely used nickname for the St. Mary’s Seminary has been “The Pink Palace”
It’s always been a bastion of the Catholic gay mafia.
