I stopped by St. George’s Church in Shenandoah the other week, before the ecclesiastical wrecking crew arrived. I was stunned by the magnificant gothic structure with its stone figurines looking down upon me. That it was going to be destroyed and leveled and left as a dirt lot was perplexing to me. The disemboweled church’s artistic and historic treasures --- the statues, the sacred vessels, the paintings, the antiques, the stained glass, the altar stone, etc. -- all paid for by the sweat and tears of mainly immigrant, anthracite coal miners -- were presumably being packed up and hauled away out of Schuylkill county. They may end up on Channel 44’s Antique Roadshow, Renninger's at Adamstown or on Ebay. Who knows?
Nothing is going to remain behind in Shenandoah as a reminder of this historical, ethnic and Catholic past. The higher-ups want no trace of the church’s existence to be left behind. Its treasury, together with its building improvement fund, has been long gone for some time. I guess that is a new twist on the Bishop’s Appeal Fund. I was also told by a reliable source that the plunder may also include the cemetery perpetual care funds, but I cannot verify that this, as there are no open discussions about what is going on or what the plans will be. I was told that there will be no keepsakes left behind. There was not even a small ceremony of deconsecration or farewell party held before the pillaging began.
I had thought it was Canon Law that a deconsecration service was required to be held, but I was wrong. There is no such requirement. Apparently the parishioners were simply told to get out and stay out. Someone told me that they were all given green plastic hats and instructed to march on over to the Annunciation Church and don't look back. The local historical societies were not given any invitation to copy any church records, or an opportunity to photograph or videotape the church’s interior for posterity.
The whole episode sort of reminds me of a combination of the Taliban in Afghanistan demolishing the Buddhist statues and the WWII Germans confiscating art work throughout Europe. At least the Russians did not raze the buildings when they closed the churches in eastern europe.
The United Nations has stated its recognition of the importance of the protection of cultural heritage and commits itself to fight against its intentional destruction in any form so that such cultural heritage may be transmitted to the succeeding generations. However this appreciation has fallen upon deaf ears around here. The oldest Lithuanian church in the United States is being obliterated. Just as the twin towers in New York came down, the twin towers of Shenandoah will be no more. The powers that be are similar to Stephen Girard and the other coal barons of the 19th century, extracting the wealth from the coal region to be used elsewhere. The powers that be were almost successful in annihilating every Lithuanian church in the county, but one got away - that one in Mahanoy City - and only because Mother Teresa inadvertently ruined their plans when she stopped by to purchase a take-out order of bleenies (limit six to a customer) and then decided to preach at that church. “Darn you, M T !” However the flattening of St. George’s and riddance of its existence makes up for “that one that got away.”
The church building was a cultural resource, a tangible link to Shenandoah’s past and Schuylkill County's past. The building provided information and knowledge in different areas such as art history, genealogy, and architecture. The building provided aesthetic value to that mining community, which will now probably be left with a vacant dirt lot, accumulating debris from the town’s Burger King customers. Lastly, the building could have been an economic resource if left to a viable cultural association.
It is somewhat contradictory that church-goers are taught to be respectful of worn-out, sacramental objects such as scapulars, bibles and rosary beads while at the same time the consecrated church building is being eradicated and leveled. The deconsecration process apparently consists of getting the proper permit from the borough and paying the haulers and demolition crews on time.
Isn’t it ironic that the decision to pulverize St. George’s was done on the watch of Bishop Edward Cullen? Assessment records of Avalon, Cape May County N.J., reveal that the ocean front property at 4660 Dune Dr. is deeded to an Edward P. Cullen (no title) with a value of $1.36 million. The tax bill had been sent to 2920 Chew St., Allentown, Pa., the residential address of the Bishop of the Diocese of Allentown, the Most Reverend Edward P. Cullen. The assessment records of Stone Harbor, Cape May County, N.J. reveal that Unit 201, Golden Shores Condominiums, 8001 Second Ave. is deeded to an Edward Cullen (no title) with a value of $600,000, and the tax bills were being sent to 4660 Dune Dr. Avalon. The assessment records of Lehigh County showed that a property at 3853 Larkspur Dr. Allentown, was deeded to a Most Reverend Edward P. Cullen, with a value of $390,000, and tax bills were being sent to P.O. Box F, Allentown, Pa., the address of the Chancery of the Diocese of Allentown. (information taken from the Allentown Morning Call).
The whole episode sort of reminds me of a combination of the Taliban in Afghanistan demolishing the Buddhist statues and the WWII Germans confiscating art work throughout Europe. At least the Russians did not raze the buildings when they closed the churches in eastern europe.
The United Nations has stated its recognition of the importance of the protection of cultural heritage and commits itself to fight against its intentional destruction in any form so that such cultural heritage may be transmitted to the succeeding generations. However this appreciation has fallen upon deaf ears around here. The oldest Lithuanian church in the United States is being obliterated. Just as the twin towers in New York came down, the twin towers of Shenandoah will be no more. The powers that be are similar to Stephen Girard and the other coal barons of the 19th century, extracting the wealth from the coal region to be used elsewhere. The powers that be were almost successful in annihilating every Lithuanian church in the county, but one got away - that one in Mahanoy City - and only because Mother Teresa inadvertently ruined their plans when she stopped by to purchase a take-out order of bleenies (limit six to a customer) and then decided to preach at that church. “Darn you, M T !” However the flattening of St. George’s and riddance of its existence makes up for “that one that got away.”
The church building was a cultural resource, a tangible link to Shenandoah’s past and Schuylkill County's past. The building provided information and knowledge in different areas such as art history, genealogy, and architecture. The building provided aesthetic value to that mining community, which will now probably be left with a vacant dirt lot, accumulating debris from the town’s Burger King customers. Lastly, the building could have been an economic resource if left to a viable cultural association.
It is somewhat contradictory that church-goers are taught to be respectful of worn-out, sacramental objects such as scapulars, bibles and rosary beads while at the same time the consecrated church building is being eradicated and leveled. The deconsecration process apparently consists of getting the proper permit from the borough and paying the haulers and demolition crews on time.
Isn’t it ironic that the decision to pulverize St. George’s was done on the watch of Bishop Edward Cullen? Assessment records of Avalon, Cape May County N.J., reveal that the ocean front property at 4660 Dune Dr. is deeded to an Edward P. Cullen (no title) with a value of $1.36 million. The tax bill had been sent to 2920 Chew St., Allentown, Pa., the residential address of the Bishop of the Diocese of Allentown, the Most Reverend Edward P. Cullen. The assessment records of Stone Harbor, Cape May County, N.J. reveal that Unit 201, Golden Shores Condominiums, 8001 Second Ave. is deeded to an Edward Cullen (no title) with a value of $600,000, and the tax bills were being sent to 4660 Dune Dr. Avalon. The assessment records of Lehigh County showed that a property at 3853 Larkspur Dr. Allentown, was deeded to a Most Reverend Edward P. Cullen, with a value of $390,000, and tax bills were being sent to P.O. Box F, Allentown, Pa., the address of the Chancery of the Diocese of Allentown. (information taken from the Allentown Morning Call).
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