"Cleveland has led the way," he said. "And now the people of Cleveland need to keep working to get those churches open right away." — Victor Anop of Mater Dolorosa in Holyoke, Massachusetts as quoted in to-day's Cleveland Plain DealerYes, Cleveland's parishes are making news across the continent. The drama has been written up for a third installment in the Los Angeles Times (click here).
Outside Saint Casimir, another consecutive Sunday service took place. More praying, singing, sharing of news. Yesterday, they marched for Saint Patrick. To-day some of the banners they marched with were on the fence. They had new visitors. Sure, a couple came again from nearby Saint Vitus; but there was a continuous police presence. Now, on the Day of Eviction (8 November 2009) 27 Cleveland cops were there on behalf of Richard Lennon. Since then, a sheriff's car would come by and wave; and less frequently a Cleveland police cruiser would do the same; but to-day, constant surveillance was maintained, and photos were taken. Rome ordered the parishes to be given back to the parishioners, did Lennon think the people would take Roman words to heart, and retake the church? Well, it was another easy assignment for the police.
Before the service the first patrol car stops, and the policeman speaks to some of the early arrivals.
Police stakeout: Later, the first police car is to be replaced by a second.
Saint Casimir's address is at the corner of E.82nd and Sowinski. This car was just a bit west of that on Sowinski.__________________________
postscriptum: What looked so odd to begin with, turned out to be the protective interest of the local police toward the parish.
I don't understand -- why were the cops there, and what were they doing?
ReplyDelete- Robert