The diocese sent a supply priest to say masses at the community, but given the small numbers of the parish by diocesan standards, the bishop could no longer afford to supply the parish with a priest. I'm told that one Sunday a sign was posted on the parish doors, informing members that the parish was closed and to start attending their local novus ordo parishes. The parish plant was sold and is now a parking lot of a mini-mart.
One might argue that this is the reason Anglicanorum coetibus was established, to put now-Catholic former Anglican groups out of the reach of unfriendly diocesan bishops. But how would the story have been different if the Las Vegas group had been part of OCSP? An Anglican pastor, for any of several reasons, is unable to continue with the group. The closest potential replacement is many hundreds of miles away, perhaps already occupied with his own group, and perhaps unable to relocate in any case. How would things have been better in the OCSP?
A visitor has pointed out that even in the OCSP, if a diocesan bishop pulls support for an OCSP group, for instance by denying living arrangements in a diocesan rectory (as was done in Rochester, NY), or denying other diocesan chaplain or supply assignments, the OCSP group is just as dead as the one in Las Vegas. A personal prelature works only in theory if it isn't prosperous, and clearly none of the Ordinariates is self-sustaining enough to relocate clergy without diocesan support. The money isn't there, and with membership numbers somewhere in four figures at best, it will never be.
I would be interested to hear any additional information on the St Mary's Las Vegas experience, especially dates.
