Dear Editor,

Here we go with another bad Gordonwood decision with the suspension and infinite closure of the Emrich Retreat Center. I agreed with the decision a few years ago set by Steven Bancroft that Emrich needed to be developed and not simply maintained. 

The Emrich board was given more than ample time and resources to develop a plan to increase revenue by hiring an architect to construct a building that would cost an excessive amount of ten million dollars.  They simply weren’t in the current reality and were not able to raise the cash.  Why the Emrich board didn’t come up with alternative decisions to support their campaign is beyond my reach but they simply failed to explore all their options. 

This said, what is more disturbing is the Diocese of Michigan not taking full responsibility and full disclosure of their unaccountability to Emrich Retreat Center.  Since the Diocese inherited the Emrich property from the disbanded Parishfield community, the Diocese has for decades threatened to close or yank funding to the center.  It is my belief as long as the Diocese of Michigan owns Emrich Retreat Center, the center will be in a constant state of dysfunction. 

It is probably in the best interest to retain and preserve the property to a privatized entity than for the sake of the center to feel in constant rejection from the Diocese.  

Brad Munce
Lexington, Kentucky