Bishop receives two appeal letters against November decrees

Bishop John E. Keehner received two letters appealing decrees promulgated Nov. 10.
One decree erected the parish of St. Donatus in Alton by merging the parishes of St. Mary in Alton, St. Joseph in Granville and St. Anthony in Hospers. The rational included “sustained and measurable decline in sacramental participation and Mass attendance over three decades,” demographic and economic changes including “the out migration of younger families, longstanding collaboration between the parishes, even as far back as the late 19^th century.

The second decree expanded St. Rose of Lima Parish in Denison by merging the parishes of Sacred Heart in Manning, St. Ann in Vail and St. Rose of Lima in Denison. The rationale was due to factors including, “significant and sustained decline in sacramental participation and Mass attendance over the past three decades,” demographic shifts and population decline, existing collaboration between the three parishes and a single pastor responsible for the three parishes since 2017.

A similar decree erecting St. Donatus Parish was promulgated Nov. 4, 2024, and the decree merging the three parishes into St. Rose of Lima was promulgated Oct. 7, 2022.

Following consultation with bishop’s leadership including the Presbyteral Council and Pastoral Planning Committee, the bishop was made aware of procedural errors in the original St. Donatus and St. Rose of Lima decrees, Bishop Keehner revoked both decrees as of Aug. 15, 2025. New decrees were then promulgated on Nov. 10.

A parishioner of the former St. Ann Parish in Vail requested that the bishop revoke the Nov. 10 decree and restore St. Ann as an individual parish.

A parishioner of the former St. Joseph Granville submitted a similar request that the bishop revoke the Nov. 10 decree and restore St. Joseph as an individual parish.
As of publication time, Bishop Keehner has not made a decision regarding the petition regarding the former St. Joseph Parish, nor the petition regarding the former St. Ann Parish.

Photo - St. Joseph Church, Granville.

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