Here is yet another good story about a parish doing the right thing. St. John the Evangelist Church in Green Bay has planning to open a COTS program for homeless people. I do not know what COTS stands for, but I assume it as a somewhat standardized program to serve homeless people. Well, the "good" neighbors of the church expressed concerns to the City of Green Bay. The city said that the parish could not open the church for such a program. The "good" neighbors of the church didn't want those "undesireable" homeless people in their neighborhood.
The City of Green Bay stated that, if the church opens the program, the city could fine the church $600 per day. The church and the Diocese of Green Bay replied with a rousing "So what?!" The director of administration for the Diocese of Green Bay went so far as to publicly state that it is unconstitutional for the City of Green Bay to deny the diocese and/or any parish from working to fulfill its mission. The church plans to implement the COTS program with or without city approval.
Obviously, the leaders of the City of Green Bay and the "good" neighbors of St. John the Evangelist Church missed the sermon on compassion.
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