Jump to content
An Old School Catholic Message Board

I Have To Change Churches


CatherineM

Recommended Posts

My parish has lost its mind. They have put in a $6000 key system with a keypad on only one door. So that means that I will no longer be able to enter the church where the elevator is. Someone will have to go in on the other side of the church, go to the other side, and ride the elevator down to the entry to let me in. There were three of us waiting outside in the snow today. One elderly lady left. I finally got inside, but that won't help me open up for Women's meetings. I'm supposed to have keys and a pin number for the key pad, but the secretary at church who is supposed to give it to me refused to open the door for me to let me in to the office in order to get it. I've told my vice president that if I can't get in the building for meetings, that I will sit in the parking lot. It was her and her husband who arranged for the new key system. It was supposed to be a new keying that would allow us to only have one key, specially keyed to let us into only the doors we had authority to open. The women's group actually raised the 6 grand to pay for it. No one told me it would include an electric system that would make the building nearly inaccessible for me. So we are going to have to transfer to another parish that is newer and more accessible. We were one of the top 5 financial contributers to the parish, not that it should matter, but it does seem strange to alienate us like this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

AccountDeleted

catherine - isn't there any recourse for you to protest this? What about the priest or the parish council or something? You shouldn't have to change parishes because of stupidity by others! And surely there must be some civil liberty issues here (even if it is Canada) - something that says access is denied to certain people because of their disabilities etc....

Letter writing, phone calls, get the media involved! This travesty must cease!!!! (as you can tell, this has upset me so I can't imagine how you must feel). I just hate stupidity more than almost anything.

Look,even I have a key to my church, and I'm not incapacitated in any way. they just let me go to pray when I want. I just think there must be something that can be done for you. Fight this!!

And BTW I haven't sent you a pm yet with my address because I disabled my messenger for now - to stop unwanted pms - but will get back to you on the book thing - many thanx.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

missionseeker

[quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1321233237' post='2335875']


I disabled my messenger for now - to stop unwanted pms - .
[/quote]

I never pms, either. :ohno:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Groo the Wanderer

besides the fact that i rarely have pms either....why does your parish have a vice president? we have a pastor and parochial vicars, a secretary and a business manager, but no presidents or vice presidents...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nola Seminarian

[quote name='CatherineM' timestamp='1321232953' post='2335873']
My parish has lost its mind. They have put in a $6000 key system with a keypad on only one door. So that means that I will no longer be able to enter the church where the elevator is. Someone will have to go in on the other side of the church, go to the other side, and ride the elevator down to the entry to let me in. There were three of us waiting outside in the snow today. One elderly lady left. I finally got inside, but that won't help me open up for Women's meetings. I'm supposed to have keys and a pin number for the key pad, but the secretary at church who is supposed to give it to me refused to open the door for me to let me in to the office in order to get it. I've told my vice president that if I can't get in the building for meetings, that I will sit in the parking lot. It was her and her husband who arranged for the new key system. It was supposed to be a new keying that would allow us to only have one key, specially keyed to let us into only the doors we had authority to open. The women's group actually raised the 6 grand to pay for it. No one told me it would include an electric system that would make the building nearly inaccessible for me. So we are going to have to transfer to another parish that is newer and more accessible. We were one of the top 5 financial contributers to the parish, not that it should matter, but it does seem strange to alienate us like this.
[/quote]

my sister, have you spoken with the pastor? Maybe that is not how the "chain of command" works at your parish (to go directly to the pastor i mean), but this does seem to be a pressing issue

Link to comment
Share on other sites

brandelynmarie

[quote name='CatherineM' timestamp='1321232953' post='2335873']
My parish has lost its mind...it does seem strange to alienate us like this.
[/quote]

Um, yeah.


What does Father say about all of this? :huh:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

missionseeker

[quote name='missionseeker' timestamp='1321235613' post='2335905']

I never pms, either. :ohno:
[/quote]
that should say never WANT pms...

[quote name='Groo the Wanderer' timestamp='1321235765' post='2335908']
besides the fact that i rarely have pms either....why does your parish have a vice president? we have a pastor and parochial vicars, a secretary and a business manager, but no presidents or vice presidents...
[/quote]
I was wondering the same thing. Also, you guys had no say in what kind of lock??? :(

Edited by missionseeker
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The vice president of the Catholic Women's League, not the parish. As president, I'm supposed to have a key to open up for meetings. We are going to talk to the pastor, but the way the system is, and the way the church is designed, there isn't going to be a way to add a keypad to the elevator entrance without spending serious dollars, and they just aren't going to do that for just a few cripples. Plus, they think that the situation is okay because all I have to do to get in the building is to call someone to let me in, or it have someone open up for me, and then go down a flight of stairs to the basement, across the basement, then up the elevator to the outside landing, then let me in and retrace their steps. That would have to be my husband, who shouldn't have to come to women's meetings with me, shouldn't be doing stairs himself because of nerve damage to his feet from frost bite, and isn't allowed to know my pin number.

We had asked if he could come in to the office and set my pin for me so that I wouldn't have to go up the stairs to the rectory which isn't accessible at all. Big No. I had to go. That's why we called to make sure the secretary would be there so that I wouldn't have to struggle up the stairs for nothing. Called her, no problem come over. 5 minutes later we arrived, went up the stairs, and stood there ringing the bell for 10 minutes. She has done that to me repeatedly. No idea why. I don't know how they expect me to call the pastor every time I need in to deal with CWL business. What if he isn't there?

When you are disabled, you crave for any amount of self reliance that you can obtain. It is a big deal to have to depend on other people for stuff like this. There are "locked doors" all over when you are mobility impaired. One of them shouldn't be the church doors. One of my best friends is on parish council, and I'm going to contact her, but there really isn't anything that can be done at this point. My husband put an empty envelope in the basket this week. He believes in voting with your wallet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

AccountDeleted

catherine - I did pm you with my details then disabled the messenger again. I hope you got it. I included my email address.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok this is the second post recently where you've really scared me. In my mind church is your religious affiliation, and parish would be the specific church you attend. I though you were becoming Mormon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...