http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/05/world/europe/05france.html?ref=global-home

The one who must be laughing in his grave is none other than Josef Stalin. He destroyed churches by either erasing them totally, transforming them into swimming-pools, youth centers, museums, hay lofts, pigsties, etc. In Europe, chuch attendance has been decreasing steadily, without any Soviet input, since the 18th century, thanks to the "Enlightnment".

Now European (and French) churches are empty and there are not enough priests (here one priest serves many parishes). I could go on about the fact that the decrease in sacerdotal callings is due to the absurdity of the rule of celibacy for Catholic priests, but that is another subject altogether.On the other hand, other faiths are growing (Islam) and need their own buildings of worship.

Could the Europeans do like it is done here in the States, when sometimes a Church becomes a synagogue and the building changes parishioners and faith affiliation without a scandal?

After all, the meaning of the Latin word "ecclesia" does not mean a stone, cement and brick Church, just a gathering of the faithful... Church should be within one's heart and soul, not an architectural show. And since the steeple is already standing in the landscape, no need for additional minarets... My idea is not new, look at Hagia Sofia in Istambul...

Now of course, if the parishioners are truly opposed to any change (be it a peaceful revolution in the attribution of the building or the physical destruction of the church building as suggested in this article), why don't they show more fervor or faith for that matter? The hypocrisy of claiming their "Christian" or "Catholic" places of worship while not attending Mass is one more example of a decadent civilization. Practice what you say. Do not only lip-worship.

As for the government not helping, it is the rule of law: no government should be involved in spiritual issues. Temporal power and spiritual power are antinomic. And that is valid for all countries under the sun: old Europe, new Europe, the US, Saudi Arabia and Iran... Theocracies only bring out tyranny. Same with extreme secularism, alas!

 For The Quill & The Brush, January 4, 2010.