April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
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To lock or unlock? Parishes muse on when to keep churches open
To lock or unlock? Parishes muse on when to keep churches open
"I don't even know where there is a key to lock the door," he admitted.
But, for many parishes in the Albany Diocese, the onetime tradition of leaving church doors unlocked 24/7 is a thing of the past.
For example, Immaculate Conception Church in New Lebanon is locked when not in use, said Rev. John Close, pastor.
After an arson fire in the mid-1980s, the previous pastor, Rev. Joseph Halloran, decided that locked doors would be best. Father Close has continued the policy, noting that "it's a shame that this is what we've got to do these days."
Fortunately, Immaculate Conception parish is also home to the outdoor Wayside Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes. Parishioners and passersby can use the shrine as a place of prayer when the church building is locked.
Unfortunately, the shrine itself has also been victim to some vandalism and theft, so the parish installed an alarm system and security cameras.
Exception to rule
Immaculate Conception parish in Hoosick Falls is another exception to the locked-door rule: The church has remained open at all hours since Rev. Thomas Zelker arrived as pastor more than six years ago.
Father Zelker believes it's more of a risk to lock the doors than to make the church available at any hour. People "are home here," he explained, and unlocked doors allow people to feel comfortable "going home" whenever they wish.
Even people who don't visit the church often have told him they like the idea that it's open.
"I come here quite often just to sit and be peaceful and pray," affirmed parishioner Louise Ciuk. "It's kind of like my escape. I know if I'm home, the phone is ringing. Sometimes you just want the quiet time."
For Sue Hickey, another parishioner, knowing that the doors are always open is reassuring. "I was baptized here," she noted.
The two women also clean the church once a week. Often, they'll see people stopping in to pray or even walking laps up and down the aisles.
Cooperstown statement
Those parishioners would like St. Mary's parish in Cooperstown: Rev. John Rosson, pastor, joked that if the church were to wear a FitBit fitness tracker, it would only have about 60 "active minutes" a week. So, St. Mary's keeps its doors open as a way to get in a few more minutes of "exercise" every day when people take the opportunity to use the church.
"I think that it makes a statement" to have a church building available for prayer, Father Rosson continued. "It's not a courthouse and it's not a facility where you have to go through metal detectors. The church has to be open."
At St. Joseph's in Worcester, parishioner Patrick Hanus stops by every morning for a quick prayer at the open church before heading to work.
"I know that the Eucharist is there in the tabernacle," he told The Evangelist. His strong devotion to the Blessed Sacrament is modeled after saints such as Maximilian Kolbe and Mother Teresa.
Parishioner's view
As a father of five, he feels the need to ask for help.
"I can't afford not to stop" at the church, he said. "It's my chance to spill out my worries, joys and sorrows to the Lord. I just ask for direction each day."
Taking the time to visit the open church acts as a good model for his children, Mr. Hanus said, and it has strengthened his faith, though the practice took several years to become routine.
"In the grand scheme of things, taking a few minutes out [of your day] isn't really that big a deal. As busy Americans, we think that if we slow down just a little bit, it's going to throw everything off," he remarked, adding that sometimes all it takes to connect with God is three minutes.
St. Joseph's has experienced a bit of vandalism over the years, prompting Father Green to install a surveillance camera about a year and a half ago. But locking the doors, he said, was out of the question.
Keeping watch
The administrator is always able to tell when someone has been in the church. He said that a book moved a certain way or a kneeler being left down immediately catches his attention. Seldom does any activity become a problem.
At Immaculate Conception, Father Zelker noted that there was a break-in before the church doors began being left unlocked, but not since. He's also able to see the church from the rectory, while the local Baptist pastor keeps an eye on the property from the other side.
If someone is in the church while Father Zelker is there, he tries not to approach them and interrupt their prayer. The pastor figures that people are there for their own reasons, not to talk to him: "I try to respect their quiet time."
Father Zelker also noted that the doors get propped wide open in the summer months, allowing the fresh air to enter the church. He said that's when the community really takes interest.
"They look in, pause," he said. "It's really a beautiful thing."
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