The St. John’s Roman Catholic archdiocese is asking the court to stop Portugal Cove South residents from blocking the sale of Holy Rosary Church, saying one buyer has already backed out and at least one other parish has said it plans to copy the protest.
The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of St. John’s (RCECSJ) filed documents in Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court on March 15, applying for an injunction against the PCS Historical Corporation, whose members say Holy Rosary is theirs, they’ve changed the locks, and they’re not interested in selling it.
The RCECSJ is looking to sell the property, as it has many others, to settle with survivors of sexual abuse by Christian Brothers at Mount Cashel Orphanage and other Roman Catholic clergy, for which it has been found vicariously liable.
The archdiocese has raised roughly $44 million of the more than $104 million needed to settle the claim.
‘Our parish is being punished for something we did not do’
The last mass was held at Holy Rosary, located in the Irish Loop, on Sept. 1, 2024.
After that, parishioners vowed to prevent the 108-year-old church from being sold as part of the court-supervised liquidation of RCEC assets, installing new locks on the doors and posting “No Trespassing” signs.
“Our parish is being punished for something we did not do,” members of the PCS Historical Corporation, including the mayor and deputy mayor, wrote at the time in a letter to Archbishop Peter Hundt.
The organization was formed in 2015 with a mandate to “preserve, restore, develop and promote” the town’s historical and cultural assets, including Holy Rosary, which was, back then, badly in need of repair.
More than $130,000 was raised to renovate the building, including roof repairs, siding, lighting, windows, and a new steeple.
“We, the people of Portugal Cove South, had restored the church of our ancestors,” the residents wrote to Hundt, “a church that was ours and would now continue for many years to come.”
The residents told the archbishop, “As a united community, we will do all in our power to stop anyone from purchasing the property,” and asked him to end any potential purchase offers.
Church in archdiocese’s possession since at least 1956
The archbishop replied, telling the residents the RCECSJ is the legal owner of the property, and it is obligated to do all it can to settle the survivors’ claim.
“As is often the case, the sins of a few have caused great hurt and pain not only to the direct victims of the abuse but also to the victims’ families and to the broader community,” Hundt wrote, saying he was unable to interfere with the bids.
“Hopefully, if we can together accept the hurt and the consequences of those sins, then together we can move on to that healing, the reconciliation and the peace that God wishes us to have.”
The archdiocese’s lawyer reiterated its ownership of the property in a follow-up letter and suggested it would be willing to seek a court order to allow the sale of the church to proceed, which it is now doing.
In its court filings, the RCECSJ says it was given the land and has owned the church since at least 1956, and denies the funds raised for the renovation give the historical organization an interest in the property.
The donation included a $50,000 grant from the Catholic Missions in Canada, it points out.
Buyer backed out
The archdiocese argues the historical organization has not filed any proof that it owns the property, that it expected to be compensated for the money it raised to renovate the church, or that the donations were meant to establish a trust.
“It is common for parishioners to make donations to the parish from time to time, particularly for building or renovation projects,” the RCECSJ argues.
“Religious properties have traditionally and historically been supported by community member organizations.”
The archdiocese has been having difficulty attracting interest in Holy Rosary but found a buyer for the church last June.
A sale agreement was signed but the man — whose name and purchase price are redacted in court documents — backed out in November with concerns over whether he’d be able to take possession of the church as scheduled, given the residents’ actions.
Another parish planning similar action
The PCS Historical Corporation has reportedly not responded to repeated correspondence from RCECSJ lawyers, asking for confirmation it will provide the archdiocese access to the church.
In an affidavit, Hundt said he feels the situation will have a chilling effect on other potential buyers for Holy Rosary and other properties owned by the archdiocese.
It has already inspired one other parish to take similar action.
“The RCECSJ recently received correspondence from another parish stating that they refuse to allow their church to be sold and that they have plans to repeat what has happened in Portugal Cove South,” Hundt stated.
The Telegram has reached out to the historical corporation, which has not yet filed a response to the application, for comment.
Justice Garett Handrigan is expected to hear the application in court on April 4.