Minnesota CTA is part of a vigorous protest against the closure of the Newman Center at the University of Minnesota/Twin Cities. Archdiocesan officials, without warning or consultation with parishioners, suddenly announced June 1 that the on-campus Center would be closed, the property sold, and its ministry transferred to an off-campus parish. Not until June 16 did an archdiocesan spokesman admit unambiguously at a priests' senate meeting that the main reason for the Newman Center's closure was its "radical egalitarianism."

The Newman Center had been nationally known for its inclusive liturgies, social justice ministries, and shared governance. Three non-ordained staff members -- liturgist/musician Tom Conry, Dominican Sr. Jeri Cashman, and Irish Christian Brother Fintan Moore -- were regular homilists. Conry, Cashman and a cadre of Newman students had led popular workshops on liturgy and justice at the CTA National Conferences in 1996 and 1997. But a change of Paulist priest-pastors in the past year led to conflicts with the lay staff. Lay preaching was banned. Conry and Cashman moved on. Now Moore has been told he too is out.

Minnesota CTA is actively supporting the "Save Our Newman Center" (SONC) campaign coordinated by CTA member Terry Dosh. SONC is calling for letters to Archbishop Harry Flynn, and to the Apostolic Nuncio in Washington, urging reversal of the Newman Center closing. Minnesota CTA wrote all its members that besides preserving a vital, progressive on-campus parish, the campaign is an important protest against hierarchical decision-making without an open and democratic process with the affected community. "Any parish could be destroyed in a similar manner," the CTA letter said: an incompatible priest is assigned, conflict with parishioners saps membership and financial support, then these declines plus the "priest shortage" are used to justify closing the parish.

Kevin Brady, a Newman Center student member, wrote a long letter to other CTA-Hope young adults via the Internet, pleading for their support. "We see the attempts to close the Newman Center as an attack on progressive ministry that allows students to actively inquire about their faith," he said. Brady recalled wistfully that the Center slogan had been, "Catholicism: Not just for Sundays any more."

Contact SONC through Terry Dosh: 612 827-1818. Or e-mail the Catholic Student Association on campus: catholic@tc.umn.edu

Write Archbishop Harry Flynn at 226 Summit Ave., St. Paul MN 55102. arch.com@archspm.org

A related footnote:The Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church (ARCC), whose president is Terry Dosh, needs volunteer lawyers willing to file an amicus brief in court cases of Catholics whose rights have been abused by the Church hierarchy or clergy. Lawyers, contact Jim Lee of the ARCC board at jamesjlee@aol.com or call ARCC at 609 461-8960.