There is little doubt that the sexual abuse scandal in the church
has had repercussions. Some people have walked away from the church and others
are dealing with feelings of hurt and anger.
For three local Catholic stores, the owners say the scandal has
meant less sales and the closing of one.
Meg Rydzewski, owner of Joyful Spirit in Arlington, will close
her doors at the end of December after four and a half years.
Rydzewski said there are multiple reasons for the closure, but she
believes the final straw was the July resignation of former Washington Archbishop
Theodore E. McCarrick and the Pennsylvania grand jury report issued in August.
“We concluded we really needed to close the store given the news
flow is not going to improve any time soon based on all the investigations,”
she said.
Other reasons include difficulty getting word out about the store
and low sales in church goods.
Rydzewski hopes people will take advantage of deep discounts as
she prepares to close the door. Items 50 percent off through Dec. 15; and 80
percent from Dec. 15 until the end of the year. Everything, including shelves
and fixtures must go.
“It’s been a very rewarding time. I’ve enjoyed the many
conversations I’ve had with customers and positive relationships with several
of the local parishes,” said Rydzewski. “I’ll really miss the interaction.”
She remains optimistic but said the store can’t wait for the news
to turn more positive.
“It’s been a special place to be in, a very peaceful
environment,” said Rydzewski.
Longtime customer and Arlington resident Jessica Terner came to
the store for a gift for a friend. She said she was sad about the closure. “We
loved having a shop in Arlington,” she said. “This store has unique things,
such as tasteful statues and gifts. I’ll miss it, but I know it’s been a lot of
work for the owners. I just wish they had more customers.”
Cecilia Balog, co-owner of the Paschal Lamb in Fairfax, open 31
years, said her store also saw a decrease in sales in August and September. “We
assumed (the crisis) was what it was about,” she said. “Sales rebounded in
October and November, so it is hard to say if it is (certain) we will do a lot
better or a lot worse.”
Balog hesitates to blame the church but has faith in her customers.
“In a sense, the feeling is that we have wonderful customers and
perhaps a good number of them were disillusioned or upset,” she said. “But they
are good solid Catholic folks who realize we are only part of the church that
provides them with everything they need to lead a good life.”
“We try to help customers understand that we are not Amazon or a
big online business,” said Balog. “We’ve been through a lot and hope to do this
as long as we can. We are thankful for the many customers that we’ve had over
the years and hope we’ve been part of the new evangelization in some way.”
Sister Joan Paula, manager of Daughters of St. Paul’s Pauline
Books in Alexandria, said the store saw a little dip in sales.
“People are a little more cautious. It’s a cross between if it’s
the economy or the church,” she said. “Those that come in are very concerned,
some are hurt, but they are still coming and trying to bolster their faith.”
