It is the story of the fight to save St. Francis X. Cabrini Church by the over one hundred families who still call it their parish chruch, despite the ruling of the Archdiocese of Boston over four years ago to close the financially sound church.
Longtime parishoner, Margy O'Brien says she came from the generation of Catholics that understood that they were to "pay, pray and obey" their church and not ask questions. But the parishioners of St. Francis have many questions, questions that are not being answered. Their church's locks were changed without notice 4-1/2 year ago when the archdiocese decided to close and sell off the 30.3 acres of prime costal real estate on what is often referred to as the "Irish Riviera" at Scituate, Massachusettes.
Many feel that the closure of St. Francis and its eventual sale is tied into the more than $85 million that the archdiocese has recently paid off for lawsuits resulting from priest abuse charges.
In the meantime, the parish goes on with services, but no mass as the archdiocese refuses to send a priest to the parish. The parish has appealed to the Vatican and offered to buy the property from the archdiocese, but were refused.
I hope you can see the analogy between the fight to save St, Francis X Cabrini and the Bay Beach Properties. The Town of Fort Erie is looking for money; money to pour into the Fort Erie Race Track or to continue to maintain the salaries of staff at Town Hall. The Town believes it is infallible and knows what's best for its citizens, even when the citizens loudly express the opposite opinion. So, the town brings in a "facilitator" to
18 comments:
I understand the analogy but I hope we the fight won't go on for four years. FE always gets their way. The Mentholatum Bldg. is one of many. I have given up trying.there is no chance for the people to fight all that developer money and influence.
Never give up! this bay beach thing is the last straw. what will they try to sell next? Crystal Beach needs more attractions,beach attractions like sand castle competions, calyspo bands,carnival like things,beach volley tournments .The town cries for money try charging a fee to launch boats at the waterfront park. and don't cry poor,the town should act ,and act now. not sell off whats left here. even build a proper museum,not a poor bet on a faling race track.
I see that the zoning applications are in for the car racing track. You know, the one The Editor says is just another pipe dream.
It's true that I thought the motor car track was just a pipe dream. I hope that I was wrong on that. Really. I will print a retraction and mea culpa the day the motor car track opens. So far, unfortunately, I'm still batting a thousand. Do you really think I enjoy being right about things like the Bay Beach Properties? I called that back in 2002 when I started this newsblog. Certain town officials planned on "flipping" the Bay Beach Properties from the day they took possession of them and the Molinaros have been waiting in the wings for years to develop the land.
Because "flipping" was always the intent and was told to taxpayers at the time of acquisition - preserve the beach and recoup the taxpayer investment by "flipping" the uplands.
Yes, we all found out much later (February 2002) that the parking lot lands were to be sold. (Even Tim Haggerty was surprised by this.) The people, once they knew that the "intention" was to sell off the parking lots, got together and expressed their opposition to this idea through petitions and large delegations to the town council. The council was forced, through strong advocacy and people uniting for a common cause, to back down from the possible sale of the parking lots. It had become a campaign issue. The same people that Martha Lockwood referred to in her statement to the Fort Erie Post have been watching this situation very closely over the last eight years because we all knew that the town would try to sell off the properties again. That opportunity presented itself when Doug Martin and Martha Lockwood were elected as well as others who could be "persuaded" to vote to sell off the non-beach Bay Beach Properties. Couple that with overspending and no efficiencies at town hall and the Bay Beach Properties' potential sale price looked extremely good. There is nothing else that the town has to sell. Certain people at town hall are more interested in buying toxic assets like the Race Track and leasing (tried to buy but that was quashed) the Meth Building than to hold onto an asset that will benefit the whole population and future generations. To many of us, it has become the last piece of our fabled Crystal Beach. It should be sacrosanct. It is Fort Erie/Crystal Beach's most important tourist draw and can be improved through community effort into a first class destination. The Molinaro Group is welcome to buy some other privately owned lake front property and develop that with whatever the by-laws and environmental studies allow. Just don't take our beach property!
So its OK for Molinaro to buy other private lakefront property. Isn't that what Crystal Beach Tennis and Yacht Club bought - the private Crystal Beach Amusement Park? Yet Editor and bloggers blame the Town for that as well.
Why don't you whining crybabies buy the property?
As to the CBTYC site, formerly the Crystal Beach Amusement Park, the council of the day did not even entertain the thought of buying the property for a public park, nor did it endorse or support the efforts of some to lobby the Provincial government to make it a provincial park. There was a group that was trying to buy the land, but they had no money. It seems the height of absurdity that the public should have to buy a public property in order to save it, but that is an option that is being considered.
Sharon didn't know where to put this,
Save our Hospital
Prayer Meeting
Douglas Memorial Hospital
Thursday 8 p.m. May14th
Bring Candles and everyone is welcome
We have also been informed that at 9pm the NHS will be removing our Operating Room equipment
Save our Hospital
Prayer Meeting
Douglas Memorial Hospital
Thursday 8p.m. May 14th.
Bring candles and everybody welcome
We have also been informed at 9pm NHS is removing our Operating Room equipment
Terry Whitfield
If the developers want to build on the water front then they can go and buy the properties along the parkway,the coal docks, and other lands. How about it boys? if your going to talk the talk. Walk the walk. Go home Molinaro you have already lost! Lockwood, Martin resign!
PS thanks for the info on our hospitals ER funeral tonight Terry, to bad our Idiot council is busy being "told what to do by staff"
ER at DMH ....RIP
Thank you Mrs. Whitfield for sharing this with us. As it is late notice to this group, I hope you have a good turnout.
Thank you for appreciating our town's needs.
Olives
Actually there WAS a group WITH money but the CONcil of the day choose to support the developer instead.(I love the creative wording used by some bloggers)
As for the TOWN ASSKISSER. Is that the best you can do? call people that do not want their community ruined by slimeball developers, corrupt and stupid politicans and asskissers like yourself crybabies?
Just watch what the people of this community will do and once the next election is over you will be the one crying because your corrupt ass will not be fed by the taxpayers any longer.
Editor, seems the Town asskissers are very very nervous. Is is because they are begining to realize that they are going to lose the golden trough and that the OBC days are numbered?
Editor, let it be known that the people of this community have Educated allies with resources!
To the Town Asskissers and the OBC. Remmeber all those new homes your developers buddies built?
Us "out of towneres have arrived"
You want to play big city politics?
Ok then. We are here.
"Prayer Meeting at Douglas Memorial Hospital
Thursday 8p.m. May 14th.
Bring candles and everybody welcome"
One of the great powers of prayer is it can work "long distance".
On this one we are ALL united!
Thanks to those that demonstrate that tonight at the hospital vigil.
Sincerely,
The McCarthy's
This is a sad day for Fort Erie as the report of the dismantling of the ORs at DMH was even covered on CHCH-TV News. The prayer vigil was hastily thrown together, but I hope there is a good strong turnout. Also covered in the same newscast was the need for a passport or enhanced license to cross the border that will go into effect on June 1. Enhanced licenses are available to Canadian citizens at a cost of $40. The licensing centres will take applications starting May 19 with delivery promised by June 1. One would still have to renew their driver's license to continue to drive legally. That costs $75. Many changes coming our way.
My thanks also goes to Terry Whitfield,Sorry I could not make it as I had to attend the focus group at town hall,and I can say that the people really are not in favour of the design,it looks good but will it be a white elephant,parking was a concern,the storms we get and the damage the lake can cause were also a concern,and will the project make the rest of Crystal Beach look worse than it is,I hope that all the bay beach properties stay in the publics hands as is with a new enhanced entrance like two sand castles or feature at the entrance. At least I got to really really voice my opinion,thats for sure they know I made it clear this development will not benifit Crystal Beach.
I am sure that the developers, designers, engineers, etc. are so dumb that they completely ignored the effects of waves, wind, storms, etc.
There are many other areas within town that this development can locate-not necessarily a beach property, but a property with a view of the river. There are several vacant lots located in the Fort Erie area that would benefit from such a development. A plan to develop the coal docks a few years ago was quashed- should be revisited or even the Horton Steel Property would work as well.
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