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BS
Which part is BS?
I agree that demolishing this beautiful church makes no sense, and I am not a Catholic. We, in America, do not value our history. We tear down historic buildings with little regard. I went to a little 6 room schoolhouse in Shelby County, and they tore down the original building that was the first multi-room schoolhouse in Shelby County, and left the ugly added-on section that sat empty for many years. My wife and I adopted our daughter from Russia in 2001, and while in-country discovered buildings, particularly churches, there that are up to 300-400 years old. Preserve our historical buildings, repurpose if necessary, but don’t destroy history, and the denigrate the legacy of the artisans that built them. Kudos for the preservation society and the neighborhood association for stepping up!
If you don’t want the Archdiocese to demolish the building, then buy it as a community center with a proviso in the deed that it may never be used as a commercial building, especially one serving alcohol as a commercial enterprise, and a provision the Archdiocese has final right to decide, in its sole discretion, if a proposed use is appropriate for a former Catholic church. The Church has history on this, with the ultimate use of St. Joseph’s.
The neighborhood wants the building to remain standing, so let them buy it and invest the millions necessary to bring it up to a safe status, and not permit the building to be used for any purpose not in keeping with the Archdiocese’s concerns. Otherwise, the Archdiocese should be permitted to demolish the building and let a developer step in and build something else on the site. Put up or shut up, neighborhood.
This isn’t some old warehouse or fire station, or even a school. It’s a Catholic church. It has a religous tradition that is first and foremost over being a landmark for a neighborhood. It isn’t owned by its former congregation; the Catholic Church is hierarchical and the property belongs to the Archbishop, not the parishioners. The Archdiocese has legitimate concerns over future use, and those should be honored. The head of the parish has determined it should be demolished, and the city should have no right to contradict that fundementally religious decision.
They’ve tried. The archdiocese refuses to sell.
Exactly.
I’d like to see some proof regarding who has offered to buy the property and that the archdiocese has said no.
Interesting how the separation of church and state gets ignored when the state wants to interfere with the church. It’s hogwash and poppycock that an abandoned church is “integral” to the “fabric” of the neighborhood. If it were, then there would not have been dwindling attendance that led to the consolidation of the parishes. Nor is it an insult to any artisan to have a building go away; I’ve got $100 that says they don’t have an “artisan” day in the neighborhood naming and celebrating all the workers who helped with the construction. Judas Priest.
That’s not how separation of church and state works, sorry. That just means that the State can’t prevent people from practicing their religion and religion can’t enforce their belief system into rule of law (even though they do all the time). It doesn’t mean the church gets to do whatever it wants. They’re still subject to all of the same zoning and property laws as everyone else, they don’t get a free pass on that like they do with taxes (and since they don’t pay taxes, I think that gives the City and the community more of a reason to have a say). In fact, because of separation of church and state, Catholic canon law has no legal sway here. It can be considered but has no teeth.
Also, the archdiocese has burned most of the good will that he had with the city and the community. He has a bad habit of letting properties rot and become hazards just like the absentee slumlords, outright refusing to work in good faith with neighborhoods who are interested in saving these buildings. I view this as him being held accountable – he can’t just demo properties by neglect anymore. That era is over.
I was shocked when I went to my first Catholic festival 15 years ago and discovered that they were selling liquor and gambling on church property – with kids present. I’ve been to several other parishes festivals over the years and it’s the same at each of them. Sordid use indeed! Sounds like the Archbishop needs to tear down every church in town.
As a person born and raised a Catholic and an Alter Boy as well, the shock I received was reading this article about the objection of the church leaders to alcohol being consumed in a former church facility.
Unless I missed something, I’ve never attended a Catholic Mass where it wasn’t consumed.
In fact, one of the most attractive features to joining the church is that it’s okay to do darn near anything as long as you only do it in “moderation”.
Have you not heard the parable of Jesus turning water into wine? The entire basis of Christianity is keeping the party going all night
These entities that are blocking the demolition should provide the funding to save it. It’s not the responsibility of the church if they have a willing buyer.
The Historic Landmark designation would open up funding that is currently not available to the building.
So, JJ, I think that may be in Knights of Columbus Charter.
Maybe if the archdiocese would quit tearing down beacons of their religion and tradition, they would stabilize or grow the parrish numbers vs making it feel like its a lost religion.
And also, isn’t the catholic church losing money left and right. They are just as bottom line focused as anyone. Probably get more money with the objects on it than an empty lot