Diocese announces St. Ann Church demolition
http://buffalo.ynn.com/content/search/683016/diocese-announces-st-ann-church-demolition/
- By: Kevin Jolly
- 08/18/2013 05:46 PM
YNN Buffalo: Diocese announces St. Ann Church demolition Play now
BUFFALO, NY- A little more than a year after the Diocese of Buffalo suspended use of St Ann Church citing structural issues, a decree has been issued to demolish the aging church. Father Roy Herberger had to deliver the news to the few remaining parishioners hear in the basement of St Ann School where they’ve held services for the past year.
“The first letter that I had to read from the Bishop stated that because of all the structural problems, etc. that the church was not only gonna be closed permanently but also demolished,” said Herberger.
The second letter Herberger read said effective Monday no part of the church property can be used for worship.
“So not only did they lose that part of the struggle about keeping that part of the church up and restored but can’t even have mass,” said Herberger.
Diocese officials said the reconstruction of the church would have cost between eight and 12 million dollars. Martin Ederer is the co-chair of th St Ann Church Revitalization Committee. He thinks demolition would destroy one of the city’s historical treasures.
“We understand the money issues but we feel that we haven’t fully exhausted all of those avenues yet, so that’s where we’re at,” said Ederer.
One of the avenues the parishioners plan to explore is bringing in two independent architecture firms to look at the cost of preserving the church.
“With that in mind we’ll go back to the diocese and say, “OK, this is what can be done, we’d like your permission to do it, we ask nothing in the financial way from you,You Excellency the Bishop, we ask nothing from the Diocese,” said Bates.
In a statement released by the diocese Bishop Malone wrote:
“It is always a sad day when we have to acknowledge that a church can no longer be used, and sadder still when the church must be razed. But St. Ann Church, and the parish life that has thrived there for more than 150 years, has made its mark on the history of Catholicism in Western New York, and more importantly, on the lives of so many who have worshipped there. That is to be remembered and celebrated now and into the future.”
Meantime, demolition of the church is expected to take place later this year.
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