I just wanted to say to the list. My post was NOT meant to disparage, insult, nor embarras anyone. And most certainly it was not directed to Robert as an attack. Absolutely not. And so if it was taken any other way I publicly appologize and want to say it was not send in disrespect. It was just to take part in conversation in this topic that is close to my heart. It saddens me that so much "culture" is being lost and that my own generation as a whole is not doing anything about it (so it seems) and this is MY own opinion and observation. We move away, we forget, and the only time we decide to contribute or help out is when something dies or is removed or closes. That was my point. My generation could and can DO more but time and again we choose not to and we keep relying on the more "seasoned" generations. Thank you all for allowing me to par take in this very interesting discussion! On Jan 23, 2007, at 12:05 PM, tony zugay wrote: I can echo Robert's concern and am saddened to hear this news. In the early 90's the Bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg, PA decided to combine five Catholic parishes in Steelton PA into one parish. The new parish was named Prince of Peace and took over St Mary's Roman Catholic Croatian Church. The Franciscan fathers were sent off and replaced by diocesan priests. There was a loud and long outcry from the Croatian community as well as the Slovenian, Italian and German parishes in Steelton that even made national news but in the end the bishop and the business side of the church prevailed. I have not lived there for 50+ years but keep up with the news. I understand that occasionally a Croatian priest is allowed to come back and offer a mass in the Croatian language so that some of the new recent immigrants and old timers get a taste of what the parish was like. On Jan 22, 2007, at 2:51 PM, Robert Jerin wrote: > I recieved this notice from one of the posters to a genealogy message > board. > > This trend is alarming, while we can all understand the reduced > church attendence and parohicial school enrollment (at least in some > areas), I believe that some Bishops and Diocese Offices do not respect > the contributions made by the European ethinic communities to the > building of the Roman Catholic faith in America. Recently the olderst > Roman Catholic Croatian church in America, St Nicholas in Pittsburgh > PA, closed. What a shame that we did not all raise our voices (and > maybe also money!) to save such an important American-Croatian > institution. How many more will close before the community acts in a > positive manner to help? > > ********* > > St. John The Baptist Grade School in Kansas > City, Kansas is scheduled to be closed. It will be consolidated with > two other grade schools, and the students will be moved to the grade > school which is based at the archdiocese catherdral. > > St. John's is important in the history of Croatians in the United > States. It was the first Croatian grade school, established and opened > in 1909, under the direction of Msgr. Martin Krmpotic, shortly after > the > church was constructed and dedicated in 1904. The history of the > parish > is outlined in the book The Croatian Immigrants in America by George > Prpic, a professor at John Carroll University in Cleveland. The parish > complex was also the sight of the first Croatian orphanage in this > country, founded and run by the same sisters who staffed the school. > The orphanage has long closed, and the building is the site of the > Strawberry Hill Museum. > > I have written the archbishop to make him aware of the significance of > the school and the church, which is also rumored to be on the closure > list. If any of the other list members who have ties to St. John's > would want to write him as well, the address is : > > His Excellency The Most Reverend Joseph F. Naumann, D.D. > Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas > 12615 Parallel Parkway Kansas City, KS 66109 > Phone (913) 721-1570 > Fax (913) 721-1577 > email: archkck@archkck. org <mailto:archkck@archkck. org> > <mailto:archkck@archkck. org>

Natalie, No offense taken, it is good to have discourse about this issue. You are absolutely correct about us doing more.... one idea that someone suggested was that each Croatian community or parish "buy" a part of these endangered historic structures IE doors, windows, pews, etc.. in that way smaller goals are set which hopefully will lead to the entire goal being met. Robert Natalie Prodan <prodan@alltel.net> wrote: I just wanted to say to the list. My post was NOT meant to disparage, insult, nor embarras anyone. And most certainly it was not directed to Robert as an attack. Absolutely not. And so if it was taken any other way I publicly appologize and want to say it was not send in disrespect. It was just to take part in conversation in this topic that is close to my heart. It saddens me that so much "culture" is being lost and that my own generation as a whole is not doing anything about it (so it seems) and this is MY own opinion and observation. We move away, we forget, and the only time we decide to contribute or help out is when something dies or is removed or closes. That was my point. My generation could and can DO more but time and again we choose not to and we keep relying on the more "seasoned" generations. Thank you all for allowing me to par take in this very interesting discussion! On Jan 23, 2007, at 12:05 PM, tony zugay wrote: I can echo Robert's concern and am saddened to hear this news. In the early 90's the Bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg, PA decided to combine five Catholic parishes in Steelton PA into one parish. The new parish was named Prince of Peace and took over St Mary's Roman Catholic Croatian Church. The Franciscan fathers were sent off and replaced by diocesan priests. There was a loud and long outcry from the Croatian community as well as the Slovenian, Italian and German parishes in Steelton that even made national news but in the end the bishop and the business side of the church prevailed. I have not lived there for 50+ years but keep up with the news. I understand that occasionally a Croatian priest is allowed to come back and offer a mass in the Croatian language so that some of the new recent immigrants and old timers get a taste of what the parish was like. On Jan 22, 2007, at 2:51 PM, Robert Jerin wrote: > I recieved this notice from one of the posters to a genealogy message > board. > > This trend is alarming, while we can all understand the reduced > church attendence and parohicial school enrollment (at least in some > areas), I believe that some Bishops and Diocese Offices do not respect > the contributions made by the European ethinic communities to the > building of the Roman Catholic faith in America. Recently the olderst > Roman Catholic Croatian church in America, St Nicholas in Pittsburgh > PA, closed. What a shame that we did not all raise our voices (and > maybe also money!) to save such an important American-Croatian > institution. How many more will close before the community acts in a > positive manner to help? > > ********* > > St. John The Baptist Grade School in Kansas > City, Kansas is scheduled to be closed. It will be consolidated with > two other grade schools, and the students will be moved to the grade > school which is based at the archdiocese catherdral. > > St. John's is important in the history of Croatians in the United > States. It was the first Croatian grade school, established and opened > in 1909, under the direction of Msgr. Martin Krmpotic, shortly after > the > church was constructed and dedicated in 1904. The history of the > parish > is outlined in the book The Croatian Immigrants in America by George > Prpic, a professor at John Carroll University in Cleveland. The parish > complex was also the sight of the first Croatian orphanage in this > country, founded and run by the same sisters who staffed the school. > The orphanage has long closed, and the building is the site of the > Strawberry Hill Museum. > > I have written the archbishop to make him aware of the significance of > the school and the church, which is also rumored to be on the closure > list. If any of the other list members who have ties to St. John's > would want to write him as well, the address is : > > His Excellency The Most Reverend Joseph F. Naumann, D.D. > Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas > 12615 Parallel Parkway Kansas City, KS 66109 > Phone (913) 721-1570 > Fax (913) 721-1577 > email: archkck@archkck. org > ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to CROATIA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message "Civilization is the progress toward a society of privacy. The savage's whole existence is public, ruled by the laws of his tribe. Civilization is the process of setting man free from men." Ayn Rand 1905-1982