The priests “would feel as if they and what they have done and continue to do is of no value and is not appreciated,’’ wrote Helmick, who recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination.
Helmick wrote O’Malley Dec. 9, days after all archdiocesan priests gathered at a function hall in Randolph to discuss the proposal, which aims to improve efficiency and put the archdiocese in a better position for growth and to spread the faith.
The letter was given to the Associated Press by Peter Borre, head of the Council of Parishes, a group formed to oppose church closings. Borre said he did not get the letter from Helmick, but released it with permission from someone who received it from Helmick.
Phone and e-mail messages to Helmick yesterday were not returned.
Terry Donilon, spokesman for the archdiocese, pointed out that the letter was written two months ago and said it has since become increasingly clear to many priests that, though the plan is far from final, the archdiocese is headed in the right direction.
“If we do nothing, we’re going to have fewer priests, we’re going to have fewer people going to Mass, we’re going to have more parishes in financial trouble . . . and the cardinal is saying: ‘I don’t accept any of that. I do not accept that premise,’ ’’ Donilon said.
The Boston Archdiocese, with 1.8 million Catholics, is the nation’s fourth largest.
The church released its proposal late last year, arguing that its traditional parish structure cannot be sustained in an archdiocese where only 16 percent of local Catholics attend Mass and where more than a third of parishes cannot pay bills.
The key part of the archdiocese’s proposal sees the parishes divided into 125 “collaboratives,’’ each with one to four parishes, which would share buildings and resources and be run by a “pastoral service team,’’ led by one pastor.
Helmick wrote that his concern starts with “simple mathematics,’’ which indicate that 165 priests now serving as a pastor at a parish will not be chosen to lead a collaborative and will be dismissed as a pastor.
