Madison diocese in financial squeeze

Amid all the conversations I’ve had about what is emerging in the church there’s the occasional reality check like this story from the Diocese of Madison which is being forced because of finances to close a well-known multi-cultural center that serves one of the city’s poorest neighborhood:

“The actions, according to a media release from the diocese, are being taken ‘to address the long-term decline in the diocesen portfolio as well as increased cost of services provided by the diocese.’”

No one can argue with economic realities, but one wonders when, at a national level, we’ll begin the conversation about the implications of an ever diminishing Catholic presence in some of our cities.