Dear Archbishop Sean O'Malley:
 
I am writing this letter to you asking you, why are you closing Sacred Heart Church, Lexington and why are you hurting the innocent ones when your predecessor let the guilty ones do so much damage?
 
Sacred Heart Church in Lexington has been my place of worship for 38 years. I was born and brought up in a family that went to the Universalist or Congregational Church depending on which minister met their needs. In other words, I did not find my spiritual needs fulfilled as a child and teenager. I went to many holyday services with my friend on our way to Jr. High School. When I was in my late teens I met a fellow and we dated for a while. I started attending his church with him. As time went by, I decided to learn more about his church and eventually I converted to Catholicism. I made this decision behind my parents' backs as I knew from my younger years - "you cannot go around with Catholics" - they would not let me. I was married in a Catholic church but not at a Mass and when we moved to Lexington I was confirmed at Sacred Heart, (the church that has been there for me many times). Four of our five children were baptized there and five received first communion and confirmation there. One daughter was married at Sacred Heart and our youngest of 5 grandchildren was baptized at Sacred Heart in January of this year rather than in Maryland where they live.
 
We are a smaller church than some, but we are a caring, loving, concerned, considerate and very hard working church with a fantastic "Pastor" and his religious and lay workers. Our church is a warm, loving family that are there to help others in need. We have caring people who take part in programs to help the poor and sick people in other countries as well as our own - not just in a monetary way.
 
This church - Sacred Heart in Lexington is not a "cold ice-box" with ice-cube people" as many of the Catholic churches I have been to in surrounding areas and when I have been out of town are.
 
I am deeply hurt for myself and our Sacred Heart family and this hurt will never, never go away. It is like being thrown into a black hole.
 
I have been very much misled by the church authorities as I believed the Catholic Church was there to provide spiritual leadership to the people young and old. We are being treated impersonally without any consideration for our feelings.
 
This situation we are in is giving others the impression that the Catholic Church does not care about its people as Jesus taught us.
 
Sincerely,