UPDATED JANUARY 2009

Bishop Leonard Blair of the Toledo Diocese, through his agent - Father Kent Kaufman, closed St. Joseph Parish as of July 3, 2005. This site is now maintained by the St. Joseph-Salem Heritage Society to preserve and maintain the heritage of the Salem St. Joseph community and to show respect and appreciation for the 157 years of sacrifice their ancestors endured in service to the community and the Roman Catholic Church. The Society hopes to inspire future generations to live in the spirit of Christian community.

The site will serve as a communication link between those who love and respect the history of St. Joseph parish. It will also provide a communication link and show of support to all of those suffering the loss of their Christian Community.

Contact us: webmaster@salemstjoseph.org

St. Joseph-Salem Heritage Society and Transfiguration of the Lord Catholic Parish Reach Agreement on Former Parish Buildings

October 27, 2008

The St. Joseph-Salem Heritage Society (The Society) and Transfiguration of the Lord Catholic Parish in Upper Sandusky (Wyandot County) Ohio, are pleased to announce an agreement that will end the lawsuit filed by the Society in 2006.

The settlement, reached through court sponsored mediation, will result in the transfer of the closed St. Joseph Salem Township Parish church building, meeting hall, and associated property in Salem Township to the Society under certain restrictions as to its use. The cemetery property of the former parish, which was not in dispute, will remain a property of the Diocese of Toledo as a part of Transfiguration of the Lord Parish. The lawsuit will be dismissed with prejudice.

The Society was formed by a concerned group of St. Joseph parishioners as The Salem St. Joseph Save Our Parish Society prior to the parish closure in July of 2005. The Society was incorporated in April 2006 and now is qualified as a non-profit 501 (c)(3) corporation. The Society filed a lawsuit on June 28, 2006, in Wyandot County Common Pleas Court to gain control of the former parish funds and property, excluding the cemetery. The Society has recently changed its name to “The St. Joseph-Salem Heritage Society” to better reflect their corporate goal: “To recover, preserve and maintain the heritage of Salem St. Joseph Parish Community and to show our appreciation for the 157 years of sacrifice our ancestors endured so that it may inspire future generations.”

St. Joseph Parish, Salem Township, existed as a Catholic community since its founding in 1849. For over 90 years, spiritual needs were served by the Franciscan priests from Carey, Ohio. The St. Joseph property in Salem Township, Wyandot County, Ohio is about halfway between Carey and Upper Sandusky. In 2003, Bishop Leonard Blair of the Toledo Catholic Diocese assigned St. Joseph Parish to be part of a cluster with Kirby St. Mary and Upper Sandusky St. Peter Parishes. On July 3, 2005, the final Masses were celebrated at all the churches, at which time all three parishes were closed and combined into a single new Parish, Transfiguration of the Lord.

The St. Joseph-Salem Heritage Society is eager to use the grounds and beautiful Romanesque brick and stone building for meetings of the Society membership to continue their spiritual heritage.

If Catholic sacramental services are requested to be held at St. Joseph-Salem, prior approval of Transfiguration of the Lord Parish’s Pastor Bob Dendinger would need to be obtained. This stately edifice, standing now for 114 years, is a well maintained brick structure built by German settlers in 1894. The Catholic community’s first three buildings were outgrown or accidentally destroyed. Settlers had constructed the first St. Joseph’s log church in 1849. Most of the Society’s members along with many former Salem parishioners are descendants of the early pioneer members and have deep regard for the parish history.

Our Petitions at the Closing Mass

In thanksgiving to the lord for the rain he has provided and that he will continue to give us good weather for our crops, we pray to the Lord.

For the Franciscans and all others who have served our parish for so many years, that they continue to touch so many lives the way they have ours, we pray to the Lord.

For all the people in the Toledo Diocese who have been affected by the closing of their parishes, that they find peace with God and be true followers of Christ not just admire-ers, we pray to the Lord.

For the United Parishes, that their voice be heard so that a dialog can be opened with the church leaders so they may understand what impact their decisions would have before they make them, we pray to the Lord.

For Father Kent and Bishop Blair and all other Church leaders that their eyes and ears be opened to truly understand and care about the people to whom they provide spiritual leadership, and that they be open and honest with their intentions, we pray to the Lord.

For our community, from the ancestors who started this parish in the log cabin in 1849, who built again in 1859, 1885 and again in 1894 and who have served, repaired and kept up our church over the years to the current parishioners, that their heritage and faith not be lost in the corporate America attitude the church leaders are taking, we pray to the Lord.

Links

St. Anthony, Toledo
http://www.stanthonytoledo.org

St. Albertus, Detroit (Now Historic Church Site)
http://www.stalbertus.org

United Parishes
http://www.unitedparishes.org

Council of Parishes in Massachusetts
http://www.councilofparishes.org

St. Albert’s Weymouth, Mass.
http://stalbertsweymouth.org

St. Anselm, Sudbury, Mass.
http://www.stanselmsudbury.org

Call to Action
http://www.cta-usa.org

Association for the Rights of Catholics
http://arcc-catholic-rights.net

Future Church
http://www.futurechurch.org

Future Church Survey on Celibacy (Includes Toledo Diocesan priests)
http://www.futurechurch.org/newsletter/winter04/priests.htm

Voice of the Faithful
http://www.votf.org