Church Demolition

[Uncle_Norbert]

I read an interesting article in today’s local paper, about a former Catholic Church building that was currently unused and for sale.

Since it’s closing as a Catholic Church in 1954, it has been used as an “Odd Fellows” and “Rebekah” Lodge, and assorted other churches. It was most recently used as a “Fairy Tale Wedding Chapel”

What is Church policy/teaching on no-longer used Churches? Is there applicable Canon Law?

Or, are they “just buildings”. But, then again, aren’t all Catholic churches “consecrated” ?

Game On

 

[IrishAm]

There is a ceremonial/ritual “decommissioning” of consecrated churches before they pass on to secular uses. Once that has occurred, there may be fond memories of them, but they are “just buildings.”

 

[scylla]

There really is no reason for us to have any Churches closing except for a lack of leadership and Catholics not doing what they should do.

We all have failed in some way if a Catholic Church nearby is closing as we should always be growing. But since this is a time where the Church has suffered greatly we will have to deal with the unhappy sight of formally holy places being demolished or desacralized.

It is a sad thing but just a consequence of the failure of Catholics to do their job. We can always grow again and reinvigorate the faith.

God Bless
Scylla

 

[Uncle_Norbert]

The church building that I was referring to, is in a town that has a huge, half-empty Church already. The article pointed out, that in the early 1900’s the second Church was started to address the large Italian population then in the town.

It was a very small building by today’s standards, might seat 100 in a pinch. It was closed as the need to address a specific ethnic group dissipated.

I was just wondering where it went from there, as far as being released for other uses, which it obviously has.

I’ll buy some lotto tix this weekend. If I win, I’ll buy and restore it

 

[Cristiano]

The church building that I was referring to, is in a town that has a huge, half-empty Church already. The article pointed out, that in the early 1900’s the second Church was started to address the large Italian population then in the town.

It was a very small building by today’s standards, might seat 100 in a pinch. It was closed as the need to address a specific ethnic group dissipated.

I was just wondering where it went from there, as far as being released for other uses, which it obviously has.

I’ll buy some lotto tix this weekend. If I win, I’ll buy and restore it

Hey they managed to get rid of them Italians!!!

You know what?? Now we are back!!

If you restore it I will round up some Italians for Mass.

 

[Kielbasi]

There really is no reason for us to have any Churches closing except for a lack of leadership and Catholics not doing what they should do.

We all have failed in some way if a Catholic Church nearby is closing as we should always be growing.

That really isn’t true. Here in Pittsburgh, the population has plummetted over the past 50 years, many people including Catholics, leaving as the jobs left. Same many other places.

In addition, many Catholic churches have fell into disuse as the ethnic groups which built them have been dispersed and absorbed into the American population through intermarriage and general upward mobility.

 

[scylla]

Except for some places where the whole economy has shifted and populations have been decimated this is true. I agree that places like Pittsburgh and Boston have experienced a bid population drop.

But that only matters truly if Catholics really are not out there being Catholic, evangelizing, sharing the faith with non-catholics and reproducing.

If the Catholic population doubled every generation even with population drops we would have a miniscule amount of Church closings.

Yes we are not doing our job and neither are many Bishops and Priests. I don’t evangelize every day and since I was a bad Catholic for most of my marriage (I am improving) we denied God and did not have the amount of children we should have. Hopefully we can make that up the sins of our past now.

I am not perfect and I am working to be a better Catholic, you can use me as a great example of a bad Catholic. I did not go to Mass, I did not invite others to be Catholic, etc, etc…

God Bless
Scylla

 

[Geremia]

I would like to know who allowed this 13th century Dominican church in Holland to be converted into a bookstore called Selexyz:miragebookmark.ch

Actually, this article says Napolean kicked them out. In Italy there are desacralized churches converted into workout gyms; you can see frescos while lifting weights.

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

Honestly, I would think better a bookstore than some of the uses former churches around here have been put to - such as a “Bed and Breakfast,” or even destroyed entirely.