LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Archdiocese of Boston Should Transfer New Priest, Reinstate Beloved Religious Educator

Letter To The Editor:

I have been a resident of Westwood for more than 45 years and served as Chief Legal Counsel to the Massachusetts House of Representatives for 25 years. I thought that I had seen everything. On September 16, 2024, I was proven wrong. I received a telephone call from the Director of Faith Formation at St. Joan of Arc Parish, Karlene Duffy. She told me that the new Pastor, Fr. Matthew Norwood, called her into his office and told her that her position had been eliminated. For the first time in my life I was speechless not knowing what to say and thinking it was just a bad dream. I soon composed myself and said, "No this is not possible. Are you sure?” Yes, she was sure. She said no explanation was given by Fr. Norwood. How cruel, unprofessional and most importantly Unchristian could this new Pastor be?

Ms. Duffy has written a letter to the community explaining her position so there is no reason to repeat what she has said so elegantly. I refer to her as the glue that has kept the parish together for 20 years. We have seen priests come and priests go; the only consistently stable force for us parishioners has been Karlene.

The solution to the problem is simple. Fr. Norwood needs to be transferred immediately, and Karlene Duffy reinstated immediately. Will the Archdiocese do the right thing? Your guess is as good as mine.

Louis Rizoli

Note: A copy of the letter from Karlene Duffy, which Mr. Rizoli references, is attached as a file at the bottom of this article.

Thanks to Louis Rizoli for sharing his comments with Westwood Minute. Mr. Rizoli is an attorney who resides in Westwood and is a member of St. Joan of Arc Parish in Westwood. 

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