Offertorio: Am I Bankrolling the Demise of My Parish?

Every Sunday at St. Mary's I put some cash in the basket.  Since Cardinal Dolan issued another decree on December 17th, St. Mary's is not a parish.  I am not sure that my gift is being used to promote St. Mary's survival.  My crumpled bills accompany the envelopes to St. Peter's Church, the parish church of St. Peter-St. Denis-St. Mary's Parish.  I don't know what happens after that or where the money goes.  Like the people sitting around me at Mass, the money I put in this basket is a prayer for the future of St. Mary's.

I do know that, despite St. Mary's shifting canonical status, the civil corporation called "Church of the Immaculate Conception" exists.  I know this because, on November 14, 2024, the "Church of the Immaculate Conception" joined the Archdiocese of New York in suing the City of Yonkers to remove landmark status from St. Mary's.

The "Church of the Immaculate Conception" is the civil corporation that owns and manages the real assets of St. Mary's Parish.  It sued the City of Yonkers to remove the landmark designation that parishioners sought, obtained and celebrated.  There was never a ruling in the case.  Attorneys representing the "Church of the Immaculate Conception" proposed a settlement that may make it easier to close the church. The City of Yonkers agreed to it.  

Did our coins, bills and envelopes pay for a lawsuit that paves the way for the demolition of our church?  Maybe.  There is no transparency.  

Today I was alerted to two articles stating that the Archdiocese of New York is asking parishes to fund reparations to abuse victims to prevent the Archdiocese from declaring bankruptcy:

Archdiocese of NY warns priests of bankruptcy — unless hundreds of millions are raised to pay sex abuse victims  by Rich Calder of The New York Post

Archdiocese to Pastors: Raise Millions for Sexual Abuse Victims or Go Bankrupt by Keith Kelly of Westside Spirit

Each parish corporation has a 5 member board comprised of the Archbishop, the Vicar General, the Pastor and 2 lay trustees.  They must vote on the use of corporate assets.  Will our parishes become insolvent and close?  Will parish corporations declare bankruptcy?  Will a Pastor and 2 lay trustees who will vote against the wishes of the Archdiocese?