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Although Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger has spoken with the New York province of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) who oversee the Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs in Auriesville, he has not accepted any offer for the Albany Diocese to take ownership of the shrine.

The Bishop told The Evangelist that, for the moment, he's simply open to continuing discussions about the shrine's future. "The ball is in the court" of the Jesuits, he said.

In the meantime, five Catholics -- three of whom are from the Albany Diocese -- have started a foundation, The Friends of Our Lady of Martyrs Shrine, Inc., to promote support for the shrine in the Diocese and across the country.

Local committee members include Schenectady attorney William Baaki and his wife, Julie. Another member, attorney Carmine Musumeci of Manhattan, recently finished a term as head of the New York State Knights of Columbus.

Mr. Musumeci noted that there's a close bond between the K of C and the shrine: The knights have sponsored annual pilgrimages to Auriesville for 77 years, and "some of the oldest Knights of Columbus councils in New York State are near the shrine."

Historic site
The shrine is "of national historic proportions for our country, as well as our Church," he added. "How many times can you say, 'This is [a site] where saints walked?'"

If the superior general of the Jesuit order gives his approval, Bishop Scharfenberger said, the shrine could potentially pass into the hands of the foundation.

However, the Bishop and foundation committee members cautioned that there are complex canonical procedures that have to occur in order to transfer Church property, so it's too early to speculate about what the final outcome might be.

The 600-acre shrine, also known as the Shrine of the North American Martyrs, stands on the site of a 17th-century Mohawk village called Ossernenon. St. Kateri Tekakwitha was born there in 1656; a decade before that, Jesuit missionaries Ss. Isaac Jogues, Rene Goupil and John Lalande were martyred there.

The shrine was built along the Mohawk River in the 1930s and was, in its heyday, a popular pilgrimage site for Catholics and Native Americans from across the the United States. But in recent years, the shrine's high note was hosting a 2012 celebration of the canonization of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the maiden known as "the lily of the Mohawks." About 20,000 people attended that event.

Jesuit decision
Last year, the Jesuits announced that they would no longer be staffing the shrine as of the end of 2015. In addition to the financial upkeep of the property, the order faces the same decreased number of clergy as many other religious orders and dioceses.

The shrine's supporters, most notably retired radio broadcaster Joseph Caruso, undertook a fundraising campaign to make repairs to the shrine's many buildings, especially the coliseum used for outdoor Masses, which can accommodate up to 10,000 pilgrims.

Although the effort raised well over $2 million, with generous donations from the Knights of Columbus, the shrine still fell into what Bishop Scharfenberger informally termed "caretaker" status by the Jesuits.

The Bishop said that, when he received a letter after Thanksgiving offering the property to the Albany Diocese, he entered into talks with the perspective that the importance of the shrine is "bigger than any diocese," so the site shouldn't be under Albany's ownership.

One goal
As he awaits whatever results from communication between the Diocese, the Jesuits and the newly-formed foundation, Bishop Scharfenberger said all three have a single goal: "that [its] spiritual and sacramental presence will continue."

Mr. Musumeci hopes the Diocese will be able to provide priests to celebrate the sacraments in Auriesville.

On the shrine's website, www.martyrshrine.org, the Jesuits state that they "remain committed to providing a prayerful place for pilgrims to visit and pray. Self-guided tours of the landscaped grounds are encouraged, and include the meditation gardens and Stations of the Cross, the Martyrs' Ravine, and chapels for prayer. The Jesuit cemetery remains an active burial site for the USA Northeast province and the final resting place for hundreds of Jesuit priests and brothers. All are welcome to visit from April through October."[[In-content Ad]]

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