[MassHistPres] Roman-Catholic-Diocese-lawsuit-vs.-City-of-Springfield
sgaug2108 at comcast.net
sgaug2108 at comcast.net
Mon Jan 25 19:42:31 EST 2010
But....
Why was no one concerned about this "wonderful" "historic" building until the diocese, as part of its overall pastoral planning, decided to close it??? Why did it suddenly become so important an historic site?? Disgruntled parishioners are simply using the system to try to get their way. Now this building will sit empty until it falls down - or is the city of Springfield going to buy it because they' ve decided it's so important a structure ???
Susan Gaughan
----- Original Message -----
From: "Pat Patrick" <pat at oldtownrepair.com>
To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
Sent: Monday, January 25, 2010 7:21:08 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: [MassHistPres] Roman-Catholic-Diocese-lawsuit-vs.-City-of-Springfield
This suit compels me to disregard propriety and say it like I see it. The
Catholic Church shows yet again an insulting denial and convenient
convolution of history. In doing so, they deny incumbent stewardship and
choose not to stand with our American heritage; while conveniently hiding
behind worn, schoolyard rhetoric. It is not significant if the structure has
not seen a Mass in years or ever how long! The only considerations are the
building's place in Springfield and American history, and our constitutional
right and obligation to preserve that history for present and future
generations. Have the people not spoken in this regard? Freedom of
religion is an equal constitutional protection for all, not a convenient
vestment behind which to hide from citizenship and responsibility. The
church and its lawyers should be ashamed to have even brought this frivolous
matter to suit, exposing again an ancient arrogance. Stand strong
Springfield. It is your right, and your obligation to do so. Again,
history is in your capable hands.
James M "Pat" Patrick
OldTownRepair
2 Pleasant Ct., Gr. Fl. Office
Marblehead, MA 01945
781-631-5145 (P)
781-639-8024 (F)
pat at oldtownrepair.com
www.oldtownrepair.com
Restoration and Solutions for Old and Historic Windows and Doors
Member of The Northeast Window Restorers Alliance
-----Original Message-----
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: Church sues over district creation (slater at alum.rpi.edu)
2. Re: Church sues over district creation (Jonathan Feist)
3. Re: Church sues over district creation (McClure, Veronica)
4. Re: Church sues over district creation (Brian Yates)
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Message: 1
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 08:31:27 -0800
From: <slater at alum.rpi.edu>
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Church sues over district creation
To: <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
Message-ID: <c06501ca9ddb$d7b08930$0168010a at mail2world.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
I have uploaded a copy of the lawsuit here:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/25777752/Roman-Catholic-Diocese-lawsuit-vs-Cit
y-of-Springfield-re-Our-Lady-of-Hope-Historic-District
One of the claims seems to be that since the church building is in the
shape of a cross, regulating anything pertaining to it would be the same
as regulating religious expression.
Ralph Slate
Springfield, MA
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Message: 2
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:27:59 -0500
From: Jonathan Feist <jfeist at charter.net>
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Church sues over district creation
To: MHC MHC listserve <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
Message-ID: <910D7C05-2682-4DFD-9741-02C82EE846C0 at charter.net>
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DelSp="yes"
A nicer way to spin this is that beautiful, unique places aren't as
disposable as crappy, ugly places. It's an acknowledgement that beauty
exists and that we as a society value it. One would hope that a
church, of all places, might be sympathetic to this perspective.
--Jonathan
On Jan 25, 2010, at 11:17 AM, Brian Yates wrote:
> The Archdiocese of Boston changed its mind about closing Mary
> Immaculate of Lourdes church in Newton Upper Falls and gave as the
> reason that its location in a local historic district would make it
> very difficult to re-use the property.
>
> Alderman Brian Yates
>
> On Fri, Jan 22, 2010 at 10:13 AM, Joey Glushko
<JGlushko at town.arlington.ma.us
> > wrote:
> participants in this discussion might find of interest the "Legal
> News" articles in the Jan. 2010 APA magazine, PLANNING (see p. 9).
> In an Illinois case, the courts found the denial of a church
> relocation to be valid; see River of Life Kingdom Ministries v.
> Village of Hazel Crest, No. 08-2819, October 27, 2009 (7th Cir.).
>
> Joey Glushko, Planner
> Planning and Comm. Devel.
> Arlington, MA 02476
> Phone: 781-316-3093
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: <slater at alum.rpi.edu>
> To: <acornhp at yahoo.com>
> Cc: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
> Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2010 06:31:58 -0800
> Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Church sues over district creation
>
> >Should we assume this is a move because they hoped
> >to tear it down? I can't think of another reason why they would say
> this.
> >
> >Sounds like a great opportunity to have a design charette to come
> up with
> >alternative uses for the site and get some developers to pay
> attention to it.
> >
>
> The church attorney claimed that government is interfering in its
> ability to dispose of its property, and the attorney advanced the
> argument that it is constitutionally offensive for the church to
> even have to appear before government to request permission to do
> anything.
>
> There have been no stated plans, but the site is attractive for
> retail development, being a corner lot in a business district. The
> church already sold one parcel on that corner several years ago to
> Walgreens -- I think it used to have the church's convent on it,
> which was then demolished.
>
> I think this brings up some interesting questions -- if a church is
> exempt from being in a historic district, then could a church within
> a district (but exempt) that wanted some extra parking purchase an
> abutting property and then demolish it, claiming that the new
> property would also be exempt because it is now church-owned?
>
> Ralph
>
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================================
Jonathan Feist
jfeist at charter.net ? 978-772-4864
Blog: Delights and Processes http://blogs.townonline.com/delight/
Writing about Music http://jonathanfeist.berkleemusicblogs.com/
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Message: 3
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:45:50 -0500
From: "McClure, Veronica" <veronica_mcclure at harvard.edu>
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Church sues over district creation
To: "slater at alum.rpi.edu" <slater at alum.rpi.edu>,
"masshistpres at cs.umb.edu" <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
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<9187B9397DB1B54A8E2FC83C89CBEE4A9F7C101E8E at MAIL.hks.internal>
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Does that make cross-gabled houses religious symbols?
Veronica McClure
________________________________
From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu
[mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of slater at alum.rpi.edu
Sent: Monday, January 25, 2010 11:31 AM
To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Church sues over district creation
I have uploaded a copy of the lawsuit here:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/25777752/Roman-Catholic-Diocese-lawsuit-vs-City-of
-Springfield-re-Our-Lady-of-Hope-Historic-District
One of the claims seems to be that since the church building is in the shape
of a cross, regulating anything pertaining to it would be the same as
regulating religious expression.
Ralph Slate
Springfield, MA
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Message: 4
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:51:29 -0500
From: Brian Yates <byates at comteam.org>
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Church sues over district creation
To: Ralph Slate <slater at alum.rpi.edu>
Cc: MassHistPres MA <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
Message-ID:
<fb80590c1001250851l4a5ded88t3697f97c71cebb03 at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
If the building is no longer a church, how is the Free Exercise of Religion
restricted?
On Thu, Jan 21, 2010 at 7:21 PM, Ralph Slate <slater at alum.rpi.edu> wrote:
> The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield is suing the city for including
a
> church in a historic district:
>
>
>
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/01/roman_catholic_diocese_of_spr
i_7.html
>
> It's safe to say that this case has enormous impact on historic
> preservation in the state.
>
> The basis for the suit is that historic designation of the church violates
> freedom of religion, speech, expression, assembly, and equal protection
> guaranteed under both the US and Massachusetts constitutions. The church
is
> looking to nullify the district and is also seeking compensatory damages.
>
> The church is advancing the theory that the district was created with
> unnecessary haste, and out of political expediency.
>
> It is important to note that the church is no longer serving as a church
--
> it has been closed, and presumably deconsecrated. So even though it looks
> like a church, it is just a building now.
>
> Ralph Slate
> Chair
> Springfield Historical Commission
>
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> For administrative questions regarding this list, please contact
> Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us directly. PLEASE DO NOT "REPLY" TO THE
> WHOLE LIST.
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