Real estate developers in one of the hottest housing markets in decades see the potential of dozens of properties, many of them in desirable locations, becoming available in the near future, so they start preparing proposals for buying them. Makes sense right? Well, the properties are Boston-area parishes that have been recommended for closure, although no final decision has been made. However, the mere mention by a developer that he is interested in a particular parish should it become available is enough to make parishioners start blaming ... the archdiocese?
At St. George parish in Norwood was recommended for closing by the cluster. A developer heard this and says he wants to buy it. So the parishioners say that this confirms their suspicions that the archdiocese has been trying to get rid of the parish for years. Do these people even listen to themselves? How paranoid do they sound?
Never mind the paranoia. They are talking about converting church buildings into residential buildings. The question in my mind: is it better—from a Catholic perspective—for a church to be converted to profane use or should it simply be demolished? How would you like living in a home that looks like a classic church while going to worship at a modern church that looks like a flying saucer?