JAMESTOWN – As a choir warms up at Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church in Jamestown, the choir’s voices begin to fill the air.

One can hardly help but wonder if this is what Heaven sounds like.

Or it seems.

Images of faith abound in this historic sanctuary.

Along the walls are works of art depicting the Stations of the Cross.

Stained glass windows in honor or memory of many adorn this incredibly beautiful and inspiring church.

In front of the altar and above the organ and choir is the church’s iconic rose window, visible from inside and outside the church.

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The Buffalo-based diocese covering Western New York is having to make difficult and unenviable decisions to address issues that Catholics are not the only ones facing, such as attendance, finances and clergy shortages.

Then there are the claims that particularly, though not exclusively, affect Catholics. For such claims, the New York State government legislatively temporarily extended the expired statute of limitations.

No one can seriously doubt that the facts underlying these claims are tragic.

Nor can the implications of legislatively extending, even temporarily, expired statutes of limitations be seriously doubted.

Today’s column leaves for another day questions that do not require any legal genius to detect:

— If the government begins to legislatively extend expired statutes of limitations, where is the stopping point?

— Is it constitutional to legislatively extend, even temporarily, expired statutes of limitations?

— If so, how do you balance the resulting tragedy of financially harming long-established institutions with the benefit of compensating plaintiffs for long-ago events about which the plaintiffs, for whatever reason, failed to timely file claims?

—Would the New York state government, beset by the political philosophy that dominates Albany, have acted as it did if it were primarily harming a faith-based institution that was not, of course, a traditional Christian church? 2) that (3) effectively (4) opposes the State on (5) particular (6) burning social issues (7)?

Mmmmm.

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Whatever the answers to those questions, and whatever the implications or consequences of those answers, the diocese’s decision to close Saints Peter and Paul is wrong.

Admittedly, the parishioners’ advocates seem to behave as good clients do with good lawyers: they remain calm, carefully evaluate the situation and plan their strategy, which, they emphasize, excludes – excludes – ruling out any other parish. under the proverbial bus. They are both right and brave in trying to save – or rescue, if you prefer – Saints Peter and Paul.

The diocese should overrule – or, if necessary, a higher authority such as the Vatican should revoke – the diocese’s decision and should keep Saints Peter and Paul open.

The reasons are not difficult to see. Let’s consider just a few.

—Among what is central to Western civilization is the Judeo-Christian tradition, of which Catholicism is a fundamental and crucial component.

— History teaches that communities that have places of worship at their centers are strong communities in many fundamental ways.

— Saints Peter and Paul have been at the heart of Catholicism in their community since its beginning.

— Saints Peter and Paul have been at the heart of their entire community, spiritually and physically, since its beginning.

— In this region, many people identify strongly with their ethnic heritage. Many traditional churches, including those of St Peter and St Paul, are linked to an ethnic heritage that is rich, strong and vibrant.

— The Catholic presence – like the presence of other Christians and people of other religions – in this region is also rich, strong and vibrant. It is no disrespect to (1) any other Catholic parish, (2) any non-Catholic parish, or (3) any place of worship of any other faith, to observe that the closure of Saints Peter and Paul will significantly, tragically, and unnecessarily not only the Catholic presence but more broadly the Christian presence, and even more broadly the faith-based presence, in this region.

—Are churches more than buildings? You know they are. However, the cathedrals of this region, including those of St. Peter and St. Paul, are nothing short of grand. Previous generations faithfully and generously bequeathed us such structures. They are not for us to discard. It is our solemn duty to preserve them for future generations. First because they are our inheritance. And second, because, in all likelihood, it is not financially possible to build another similar church from scratch in this region in the short term. The closure of Saints Peter and Paul will create a void that the region will not be able to fill in the short term.

— Parishioner advocates publicly note that Saints Peter and Paul is financially sound and can continue financially, and that substantial financial resources that benefit Saints Peter and Paul will not be available to the diocese if Saints Peter and Paul closes.

— Closing it could cost the diocese more than it gains, especially if parishioners and their money flee the Catholic fold. If that happens, the diocese cannot afford to close Saints Peter and Paul.

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This region, and not just Catholics, needs to (continue to) unite around the effort to maintain Saints Peter and Paul as the rich, strong and vibrant institution that it is.

Not only for the good of the Catholics of this region, not only for the good of the Catholic Church in this region, but also for the good of all Christendom in this region and of the entire region itself.

We should all support the cause.

Dr. Randy Elf’s family has belonged to local Lutheran churches for over a century. He urgently recommends his column on not eating corn seeds to all members of places of worship who have donations. The column is in and

(c) 2024 BY RANDY ELF