Congressman Kucinich Works to Keep St. Emeric Church Open (Cleveland, OH)

Congressman Dennis Kucinich Works to Keep St. Emeric Church Open
Updated September 11, 2009 ‒ News Release

In remarks delivered at the 54th Annual Hungarian Scout Festival held in Parma, OH, Congressman Dennis Kucinich pledged his support in the efforts to help keep St. Emeric Church open. Bishop Lennon of the Cleveland Diocese has earmarked closing the parish, despite its solid financial condition, vibrant membership and parish community life, and the availability of a dedicated priest who is not a burden on the diocese, here on permanent assignment from a Hungarian community in the Transylvanian region of Romania.

“I pledge to all of you that I will work to represent your community and the Hungarian Scouts so that we can find a way to keep St. Emeric Church open and serving the great Hungarian community of Cleveland,” said Congressman Kucinich.

Mr. Kucinich was present at the direct invitation of the proactive church-saving group called Templom Orzo. Its mission, according to Eva Szabo, is to explore and evaluate available options, and take steps to prevent the closing of St. Emeric Church. Congressman Kucinich assured Templom Orzo members that he is very motivated to help, both as a politician serving his electorate, and as a product of Cleveland and its ethnic communities. He indicated he feels that by eliminating churches, the Diocese is eradicating the focal point of many types of activities as well as obliterating great architecture and history from the city’s landscape. Szabo confirms that the targeted churches, including St. Emeric Church, have great historic, social and cultural significance.

St. Emeric, a 105 year old church located near the Westside Market at Lorain and W. 25th, in the Market Square Historic District of Ohio City, is a landmark Hungarian community parish that is home to a number of organizations, including the Cleveland Hungarian boy and girl scout troops as well as home to the Hungarian Scout Folk Ensemble and the weekly Hungarian School. Serving hundreds of Hungarian American youth in these programs makes the parish unique in its community presence and outreach in the diocese.

Joseph Gyorky, president of the American Hungarian Friends of Scouting, the organization providing financial support for the Cleveland Hungarian Scout troops, and also active within St. Emeric Church, agrees with Congressman Kucinich that action must be taken , in the hope that the decision to close the parish is reversed. “The closing order is unwarranted, even by diocesan criteria, and is very trying, painful and depressing to our Catholic Hungarian community – and to many others. There is still time to right a wrong,” Gyorky notes. “I am pleased that we have the support of many in the Cleveland area, including Congressman Kucinich, who are working to keep our parish open.”

Congressman Dennis Kucinich can be contacted directly through his website www.kucinich.house.gov by clicking on the ‘Contact Dennis’ link to send an email. Information about St. Emeric Church can be found at the independent website www.stemeric.com.

For additional information, go to http://www.stemeric.com/