Save Nazareth (Motherhouse)

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Cloisters

Cloisters

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If this isn’t appropriate for this particular subforum, please move it.

There is a drive on right now to save the Nazareth Motherhouse of the Sisters of St Joseph in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

https://savenazareth.com/

If possible, please sign the petition. Donations are welcome, as well.

This building is another victim of the abortion/birth control trend that is sinking religious orders.

Blessings,
Mrs Cloisters OP
Lay Dominican
http://cloisters.tripod.com/
http://cloisters.tripod.com/charity/
http://cloisters.tripod.com/holyangels/id9.html/
 
There must be two sides to this story. I am not a supporter of the Sisters of St Joseph in my own diocese. They seem to be heavily secularized. I don’t know if this branch of SSJ is different.

But what reason do THEY give for wanting to demolish the building?
I’m very, very suspicious of protest rallies, groups that try to get the secular media and secular political establishment to constrain the Church.

What is the Diocesan position on this?

I usually disagree with SSJ, but at least consider their side of it. In my city, there is a wonderful huge old church that is closed for a decade( hazardous). The architect claims it would cost many millions to restore it to being minimally safe. As of a decade ago, weekend attendance was under 30. There are many other churches in the central city.

Yet the supporters regularly hold rallies against the diocese, inviting pro abortion media and pro abortion politicians, who are most accommodating.
 
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The video shows that a local deacon is spearheading the project. I don’t see any pro-choice outsiders weighing in on this project.

According to the video, the SSJs have said they have looked at all avenues, but nobody seems to want to help.

Just a few hundred miles south of them in Illinois, the African Sisters of the IHM were given an old school that they’re going to convert to Madonna Renewal Center, primarily for unwed mothers. They were ready to pack their bags and leave because their real estate was costing them so much. However, they prayed, and God said to minister. So, IMHO, there’s still a lot that can be done with such a magnificent building.

When I was still working for a quasi-Federal government agency, I worked in both Industrial Development, and Community Resource Development. Perhaps outsiders doing brainstorming can come up with a feasible solution.
 
What exactly does this deacon plan to do?

If the sisters no longer have the will or the funds to maintain the building and no one else is willing to take it on, what other option is left?
 
The only option left is this deacon’s efforts. After that, the building will likely be razed if they can’t turn things around.
 
I’ve been in contact with the savenazareth.com folks. They had been thinking of transitional housing, and will be at the City of Kalamazoo city council meeting tonight. Please pray for this, as the sisters are not even open to any reuse of the property. They want to flatten the four buildings and sell the property.

There is a tremendous need for transitional housing. Canada itself has a seven year waiting list. Here locally, 3500 families signed up for less than 100 units being built down the road from me.
 
Google Earth is the next best thing to being there. I visited the site via Google Earth, and there is construction on the back part of the property of what looks like a smaller motherhouse. The sale of the property will probably go to paying for this new building.

Adjusting prayer intentions…
 
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These sisters have become part of a new Josephite congregation that includes several small, previously independent, communities. I do believe the sisters–rather than a group that has no actual connection with the sisters–are the people best able to decide what is best for their property’s future. They are, after all, intelligent and educated women, who certainly have spent considerable time discerning and praying over this.
 
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Looking at other articles online, the issue seems more complicated than I originally thought. I get the sense there is more going on than meets the eye. Not sure.
 
Something about this deacon’s effort just rubs me the wrong way. I can’t quite put my finger on it.

I think it boils down to the fact that the sisters ought to be able to do with their property what they I believe is best.
 
Greatly appreciate all the comments. This is a complicated matter and the sisters have every legal right to do with their property what they will. I live in the community and while I greatly respect and appreciate all the sisters have done in this community, it makes no sense to tear this historical landmark down when it is usable. The models of re-purposing motherhouses has already been established. There are entities in the community who are interested and have the ability to utilize the buildings. Prayers are greatly appreciated for clarity and grace moving forward.
 
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