For the past 25 years I had been attending Mass at St. Anne’s Church & Shrine and I heard many homilies and Bible verses preached from the pulpit that I thought would inspire and give me hope, but now I question this.

I’ve heard, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed then you can move mountains (Luke 17:6).” Move mountains yes, but can we reopen St. Anne’s Church?

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, (Philippians 4:13).” Perhaps, or is the exception dealing with the dictatorial strength of a bishop?

“If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31).” Perhaps a bishop who has closed St. Anne’s Church?

I sometimes wonder if God is hearing the cries and prayers of His St. Anne’s parishioners. But I believe we have a trump card, a verse that comes from Revelation 3:8, “I know your deeds. I have set before you an open door which no human is able to close.” This Bible verse gives me confidence that somehow, someway, God will eventually intervene and reopen the doors of St. Anne’s Church & Shrine and no one, no bishop can prevent it.

Bishop Edgar da Cunha claims he brought together business and community leaders who he believed could give expert advice on the possibility of a capital campaign to repair St. Anne’s, and the expert consensus was that there are not sufficient resources to restore and maintain the iconic church. Fundraising millions, “highly unlikely,” said the bishop.

An impossible task? Experts? Perhaps Bishop da Cunha may need to review his Bible a little closer.

Let’s thank God that Jesus never first enlisted the experts and professionals to spread His teachings throughout the world, because the so-called experts would have a similar response that it couldn’t be done. That it was all crazy talk. Instead Jesus chose fishermen, Andrew, Peter, James, John, Thomas and Bartholomew, who worked long hours, probably smelled bad from their day’s labor and almost certainly used foul, offensive language. Jesus also chose a hated tax collector in Matthew who probably extorted money, and few would ever associate with Simon the Zealot, whose original goal was to instigate a revolution. Philip, James and Judas (Thaddaeus) were tradesmen of some sort, and ironically it was only Judas Iscariot, the betrayer, who continued to struggle with financial insecurity never feeling like they had enough money to accomplish their goals. Eleven of these disciples of Jesus learned that God would meet their every need as they pursued the goal of preaching and spreading the light of the Gospel to shine on all people and nations. Perhaps Bishop da Cunha should have ignored his so-called experts and considered everyday laypeople and parishioners and believing in the Bible, that God will meet every need as we move forward in repairing and reopening St. Anne’s Church & Shrine. Remember, “What seems impossible with man is possible with God (Luke 18:27).”

So Bishop da Cunha, all those weekends when I listened to all those remarkable stories from the Holy Scriptures and the homilies on how with God all things are possible, that all I need is faith, and to believe and never doubt, was it all just simply lip service from the pulpit? Perhaps it may be time to truly put our Catholic faith to the test, reopen St. Anne’s Church & Shrine and to work together in partnership and with God to explore what simple, common St. Anne’s parishioners of belief and faith can really do that the so-called experts cannot.

Edward J. Costa

Fall River