The Catholic religious order that owns the Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Enfield accepted an offer Tuesday to sell the property back to the local Shaker community that it bought it from in 1928, the provincial superior said.
The purchase price will be disclosed at closing, which is set to occur shortly before the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette of North America close the shrine Oct. 1, said the Very Rev. William V. Kaliyadan, M.S., the provincial superior.
“We are thrilled that he gave us a chance to preserve and protect the former Shaker property and to work with the community to preserve the La Salette legacy on the site,” said Carolyn A. Smith, president of the Enfield Shaker Museum board of trustees and acting director of the Enfield Shaker Museum, which is adjacent to the shrine.
As part of the deal, the Shaker community agreed to partner with lay members of the La Salette community whose presence in the Upper Valley dates back to 1923, she said.
While daily Mass no longer will be celebrated at the approximate 27-acre shrine without permission from the Diocese of Manchester, Smith said the “overall appearance of the property is not going to change dramatically” and the museum would allow La Salette lay members to continue holding activities, such as the popular Festival of Lights.
“I’m excited because this is going to keep the spirit of bringing all people — both Christian and non-Christian — to the grounds and keeping the Shaker heritage alive at the same time,” Kaliyadan said. “It’s a beautiful conciliation between the Shakers and the La Salettes who share a long history.”
Noting there was “more than one developer in the wings” who wanted to buy the shrine, Smith said the board of trustees is grateful to Kaliyadan and the La Salette leadership for their willingness to work with them to develop a plan that would preserve the property and buildings.
Smith said the museum will do fundraising to help purchase the property and provide money to maintain it.
Kaliyadan had said an independent appraisal in December placed the property’s value at $3.2 million.