Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Who owns the parishes?
'The parishioners own the parish," Jon Rogers, a spokesman for the group, told a May 23 press conference. 'We bought it; we paid for it; we built it." The group argues that the archbishop holds the property in trust for the parishioners, and although he can change the canonical status of a parish, he cannot sell the property.
One of the legal pleas entered by the Council of Parishes also makes the claim that the Archdiocese of Boston, in buying land for one parish in the suburban town of Wellesley, pledged that the land would be used for a parish in perpetuity. The original owners of that land, who say that they sold at a discounted price to the Church, have now joined in the effort to prevent resale of the parish land.
Hogwash, say I.
One of the legal pleas entered by the Council of Parishes also makes the claim that the Archdiocese of Boston, in buying land for one parish in the suburban town of Wellesley, pledged that the land would be used for a parish in perpetuity. The original owners of that land, who say that they sold at a discounted price to the Church, have now joined in the effort to prevent resale of the parish land.
Hogwash, say I.
