[b] On January 7, 1892-01-07, Mr. Joseph Hoffman, a Catholic, and a large property owner in that part of Cleveland, donated for church purposes a parcel of land, 200 ft (61 m) by 244 ft (74 m), bounded by Pulaski St., Kossuth (East 82nd St.), and Sowinski St. At the intersection of Pulaski St. and East 82nd St., the foundation for a combination brick church and school was begun in April, 1892, and on May 15, Boff was delegated by Bishop Ignatius Frederick Horstmann to lay the cornerstone.

His wish was granted, and he left the diocese in February, 1896 and was at once succeeded by Father Francis X. Fremel, who set courageously to work to put men and things to rights.

Pope John Paul II's 1999 Ecclesia in America states that, the institution of the parish, while it retains its importance, is facing difficulties, especially in large urban areas, in fulfilling its mission and needs constant renewal to be effective.

They were welcomed by Telesz to St. Casimir Church, one of the places visited, were Auxiliary Bishop Ryszard Karpiński, of the Diocese of Lublin, Poland, the Polish Episcopal Conference Delegate for Polonia Abroad, along with Fr.

Leonard F. Chrobot, PhD, of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend presented a lecture about "the changing nature of our Polish communities and the generational differences among the people who now make-up Polonia."

[18] In a November 20, 2008, press release describing a meeting between a delegation of the Polish Episcopal Conference and representatives of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) about pastoral work with migrants, Father Allan F. Deck, SJ, PhD, executive director of the USCCB's Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church (SCDC), pointed out that experts on religious trends in the United States, such as Robert D. Putnam, PhD, professor of public policy at John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, have noted that maintaining cultural identity is a factor in preserving religious identity.

"[19][20] On February 3, 2009, with a stated view of fulfilling the requirements of Canon 515§2, Lennon heard the opinions of the members of the Presbyteral Council regarding the proposal to close the Parish.

Mr. James J. Armstrong, deacon at St. Wendelin in Cleveland, a media and public relations expert,[c] was hired to take inventory in the closed churches and oversee distribution of the objects.

[citation needed][31] This began when a ninety-six-year-old altar server, Władysław Szylwian, a survivor of imprisonment and forced labor, as a prisoner of war for five years, in Nazi concentration camps including Bergen-Belsen from which he was liberated,[32] disconnected power to the microphone.

Then in a nonviolent resistance act of public social rejection, reminiscent of the scene in the film Casablanca, the congregation sang "Boże, coś Polskę", "Serdeczna Matko", and other songs.

[3]: art.3 [14]: 5–6  After a church closes, Bradford Mckee wrote in Architect magazine that, "The container of countless shared and private memories surrounding births, marriages, and deaths has been sealed shut, and its comforts can no longer be reached.

Each Sunday, a group of Poles gathers outside the closed St. Casimir Church on the northeastern side of the city, praying and singing the Polish national anthem.

[51] Joseph Feckanin in an interview with Forum, a newsletter published by the John Paul II Polish-American Cultural Center in Cleveland, Ohio, said that, "Our presence there, at the doors of the church, in the cold and snow, in the rain and storms, shows others what is happening."

[52] From St. Casimir's example, similar continuous Sunday street prayer circles were instituted at Saint Patrick's in the West Park section of Cleveland (they would call each other at the beginning of the vigil to synchronize starts), and St. Emeric.

[64] On June 24, 2011-06-24, correspondent Marco Tosatti of La Stampa's Vatican Insider website, reported that, A "classic" negative example of the reorganisation linked to the economic problems is that of Cleveland, where the Holy See has decided to send an apostolic visit, or rather, an investigation to look into whether the decisions taken by [...] Lennon were adequate.

[65] Such rumors of investigations were addressed by Lennon with a July 11, 2011 press release,[66] after the publication date of Render Unto Rome,[64][67] the same day that the apostolic visitor began "interviewing priests and parishioners about how they perceive Lennon as a spiritual leader",[68] and days after the chancery had denied such a visit[citation needed] he said, While I am confident that I am faithfully handling the responsibilities entrusted to me, I personally made this request earlier this year because a number of persons have written to Rome expressing their concerns about my leadership of the Diocese.

[68] Lakewood based FutureChurch, a church reform organization not affiliated with the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland,[76] called on the Vatican to make Smith's findings public.

[79] On March 12, 2012, the Diocesan Department of Communications announced that, "The Diocese has not formally received from the Vatican any decrees from the Congregation of Clergy concerning parish appeals; subsequently, no response is available at this time.

"[82] On March 14, 2012, Lennon, through a press release from the Diocesan Department of Communications announced that, "As indicated in my previous statement, I promised to inform you when I had received from the Vatican Congregation for Clergy decrees associated with parish appeals.

"[83] Lennon announced, on March 27, 2012, that, "With the help of a number of advisors – including members of the clergy, laity and experts in church law – I am carefully studying and seeking to fully understand the decrees.

[38] Sister Kate Kuenstler, PHJC, JCD, a Canon lawyer, in her commentary on this series of decrees, [l] observed that the Second Vatican Council's decree Christus Dominus specifies, "The parish exists solely for the good of souls," and further specifies, "The same concern for the salvation of souls is to be the motive for determining or reconsidering the erection, suppression, or other modifications of parishes, and any other changes of this kind, which the bishop is empowered to undertake on his own authority.

"[14]: 2 The Congregation for Clergy combined and responded to both petitions with this single decree, the object of the recourse being against the merger/suppression of the parish and closure of the church building as ordered by Lennon.

[3]: art.14 [14]: 9 The Congregation for Clergy also pointed out that canon law requires, for validity, that the diocesan bishop consult the Presbyteral Council in order to seek the advice of its members before coming to his decision regarding the suppression of a parish;[4]: can.127.2, can.515.2 and, the Congregation for Clergy noted that, a legitimate decree should be issued, stating at least in a summary fashion the lawful motivations supporting the decision,[4]: can.51 formalizing the diocesan bishop's dispositions and making them manifest to those who have interests in the matter.

The Congregation for Clergy reasoned that it is apparent from the acts that Lennon did in fact arrive at a decision to implement the effects of the process envisioned by Canon 1222§2 without fulfilling its procedures.

[4]: can.127.2, can.1222.2  Lennon, even after being advised as to these shortfalls,[91] declined to clarify the matter either by allowing the Church to remain open for divine worship and the devotion of the faithful, or by following the procedure for relegation.

By the law itself, such an omission renders invalid Lennon's decision to implement the effects of Canon 1222§2, i.e., the permanent closure of St. Casimir and its concomitant relegation to secular but not unbecoming use.

[99] In what may be described as another example of indiscrezione, on May 25, 2012, the National Catholic Reporter published an article about several priests writing to Lennon's superiors voicing their lack confidence in his leadership and requesting his removal.

The Catholic News Service reported that Orzech said the true test of the parish's spirit will come when a rhythm of weekly worship develops with a smaller congregation.

As soon as the edifice was enclosed, a temporary altar was erected and plain chairs, in lieu of pews, were provided in one of the large rooms in the unplastered upper story, and divine service was held for the first time on Christmas, 1892.

George Francis Houck, then the Chancellor, wrote in 1903 that, "it was indeed a day of rejoicing for the people, whose hard earned money had been freely given towards the erection of another temple to God.