By:Jason Scheer
More than 750 families are in favor of expansion, according to the parish's pastor, the Rev. Donald M. Baier. Opponents have gathered 186 signatures on a petition asking the church to cease its expansion plans.
What both sides can agree on is that in 2000, Baier began discussions on making the church accessible to the disabled by building a ramp near the entrance of the church, at 65 Wright Ave. However, if the ramp were built, a handicapped-accessible rest room would also have to be added. The addition of the bathroom would take away available seating in the church, and cost a significant amount of money.
While these discussions were taking place, the church was facing the possibility of a priest shortage. The church currently holds seven weekend Masses with three priests, two of whom are retired. However, Baier said that if the priests decide to fully retire, the church would consolidate the Mass schedule and hold fewer, larger sessions.
Baier said that members of the parish saw this as an opportunity to solve both problems. "The main plan was to make the church handicapped-accessible," he said. But members of the church also advocated expanding at the same time, Baier said.
Different plans proposed
Baier proposed three different expansion plans. The most widely accepted one called for a bigger gymnasium for the children in the church's day school, and large-scale expansion to accommodate more crowded masses. The renovations would also make the church handicapped-accessible. Although the plan won widespread support, parishioners were unable to raise enough money to expand both the church and the gym.
"We needed to raise about $3 million, and we didn't raise enough," Baier said. Various fund-raisers garnered about $1.8 million, which would not allow for the general expansion as well as the gym expansion. "That's when we had to decide what to do, and our priority was to expand the church, as that is the priority for the entire parish," Baier said.
With not enough funds available to satisfy both initiatives, the plan had to be changed. And that's where the problems arose. Michael Bailey, a parishioner who has become the spokesman for the opposition, said that after it became clear that the original plan had to be scrapped, Baier decided on a course of action without consulting church members. He decided to go forward with large-scale expansion of the church, minus the larger gym.
This angered Bailey and other members of the church. They say that other options needed to be explored, including simply making the church handicapped-accessible and leaving other areas of the facility alone. But, according to Bailey, Baier wouldn't hear of anything short of full-scale expansion. "The conversation has been truncated, and a singular solution that doesn't meet the needs of the entire parish is what we're left with," Bailey said.
He added that the large-scale expansion is unnecessary, and far removed from the original plan of making the church handicapped-accessible.
Baier, however, said the plan's opponents had opportunities to voice their opinions at various meetings since expansion was first discussed. "They had chances to discuss their feelings, but they didn't," he said.
He acknowledged having conversations with Bailey and other members, but maintains that the consensus was to expand the church. "They have every right to have their feelings, but over 795 people have made pledges to support the plans," he said.
The group opposing the more extensive expansion plans presented a petition with 186 signatures to Baier at a Malverne Zoning Board meeting on Sept. 30. By then, an architect had already drawn up the expansion plans.
Some parishioners see expansion as a means of combating the inevitable priest shortage. "The Masses are going to be cut in half," said Jack Tulley, a proponent of expansion. "That's not something we want, and that's not something that's perceived. ... It's a simple fact: With no priests, there will be fewer Masses."
And that is where the two sides began to split apart, apparently grasping at two different issues. Proponents see expansion as a means of combating the priest shortage and keeping the church an active and comfortable place to worship on Sundays. Opponents see the present church as adequate to their needs, in need of nothing more than being made handicapped-accessible.
Pastor not forthcoming
Margaret Paone, a member of Our Lady of Lourdes for 46 years, opposes the expansion. She says Baier has been misleading in his attempts to win approval for the expansion plans. The church is serving a declining number of worshippers, Paone says, so a bigger church is unnecessary. "As far as expanding the church, we see no reason for it," she said. "We're losing parishioners every day."
She says they are leaving for various reasons, but that Baier is pushing people away with a stubborn attitude. "He claims that this is the way it has to be done, and if you make any other suggestions, he tells you you're wrong and there's no other way," she said. "His personality can be very abrasive."
Expansion is unnecessary, Paone said, and will only serve to push more people away from the church. "We just see no reason for it," she said. "We just can't understand why he can't do it the easiest way, and make it handicapped-accessible, and make a bathroom, and stop all this nonsense.
"Construction would take a lot longer than anyone anticipates, and we have lost so many people already. If this goes through, we will lose so many more."
Baier said that people who feel that way are entitled to their opinion, but that he is doing what the majority of the parish wants.
On Oct. 28, the issue of church expansion came before the Malverne Zoning Board for the second time in less than a month. Opponents asked the board to quash the expansion plans, because a larger church with fewer, more crowded Masses would mean more congestion and insufficient parking.
Proponents contend that's a moot point, because Masses will inevitably be more crowded, with attendant parking and traffic problems, because of the priest shortage.
The members of the zoning board, like the members of the church, were split on the issue, and tabled further action until their next meeting, scheduled for Dec. 5.
Comments about this story? JScheer@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 282.
