The two disciples on the road to Emmaus, – they were talking and discussing all that had taken place and looking for answers. But it wasn’t until the breaking of the bread at the meal they shared that they recognized the one who had been walking with them.
And so on the road of life as we walk together we talk and discuss the options before us looking for answers. But like those two disciples on the road, it’s in the breaking of the bread where we too truly come to recognize the one who walks with us.
One of the things we’ve been talking and discussing as a parish is a decision that is on the table for me as pastor and for us as a parish. Does St. Victoria accept the offer from developers to sell a portion of church land?
As I’ve talked with parishioners over the past few weeks about the proposed sale of land one of the burning questions on people’s hearts is this. How would the proposed sale of land further our mission to reach out as the face and hands of Jesus, particularly to those who struggle to make ends meet?
Good question. One thing I can tell you for sure. Whatever we do I don’t want us to lose sight of our mission to be a parish family that reaches out as the face and hands of Jesus, especially to those on the margins.
In my role as pastor, it is my responsibility to be the one who makes the final decision on matters like this. In doing so I rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit working through the established consultative process which includes parish trustees, parish finance council, parish pastoral council and the parish staff among others.
So, what exactly is the decision that’s on the table? St. Victoria is considering an offer from a local developer who wants to purchase a portion of church land for developing a residential rental community.
If we were to sell, on that property would be constructed 20 twin homes as well as trail access for the whole community. It’d also include a walking trail from the church parking lot to the planned expansion of our parish cemetery. Were we to sell land only 20% of it would be developed, leaving 80% left as is. This means the view of the woods from the worship space would look largely the same.
As this offer is being considered I there are questions that keep coming that I hear from people. I take the opportunity of this homily to share them with you. (Q#1) The first question, the one I alluded to, “How would this proposed sale of property further our mission to reach out as the face and hands of Jesus, particularly to those who struggle to make ends meet?”
As I think about that question three things come to mind. First thing, back in 1998 we as a parish had a choice. Do we not build a new church and so remain the small parish we’ve been in the past? Or do we build a new church to welcome the new growth to come? We welcomed the new growth to come and ever since one of our strengths as a parish is welcome and hospitality. As we have welcomed growth within our church, this development offers us an opportunity to welcome the growing Victoria community into our neighborhood.
The second thing, currently the woods and Church Lake located behind the church are largely inaccessible. The new trail system that would be part of the development would open up that area. That will make it possible for people to enjoy the natural beauty of the land behind us.
The third thing to consider, while the proposed development is not positioned as affordable housing, could we not turn the developers offer into an opportunity to turn it into an affordable housing opportunity? The chance to do that is not there and here’s why.
As you may remember, we had planned to donate land some years ago for affordable senior housing. That did not happen due to the topography with the steep hill and the wetlands below. The engineering needed to complete the project made affordable housing economically speaking unaffordable.
That said, the present opportunity to sell, which would put the retirement of our mortgage debt within reach, offers us the chance to expand our outreach ministry to those in need. Freed from debt, we will then be free to serve with an even greater capacity to reach out to the less fortunate among us. Also, we could then accelerate improvement s on the historic church.
Another frequently asked question is “What other potential uses exist for the church’s land other than the development that currently is being proposed?
Other uses that people have suggested include a new school or a gymnasium-style building. While those appear to be good options the parcel in question is effectively landlocked. Looking out the window imagine yourself at the bottom of the hill. The proposed development is likely to occur even if we don’t accept the offer to sell. T hat would prevent access to the south. To the east is the steep hill. To the west is Church Lake. And to the north the only access is through Victoria Circle.
If you remember access through Victoria Circle created quite a stir some years back when Victoria Circle was proposed as road access for the proposed senior housing project. So, it is unlikely that access through Victoria Circle for a high-intensity usage, such as a school, could be approved.
Another frequently asked question, “What are the timing constraints that St. Victoria is facing regarding the developer’s offer to purchase church land?
The most pressing time constraint is the Archdiocese. They only consider requests for canonically required permission to buy or sell church land twice a year, in May and November.
The developer on the other hand cannot wait for a definitive answer from St. Victoria until November. Without our acceptance of their offer now they would be too committed to their smaller sacle development design to change gears were we to ultimately attempt to agree later.
Another frequently asked question, “Are there any deed restrictions that would affect this proposed sale?
No. A careful study of all documents (in our chain of title) was made by the courts 20 years ago before the new church was constructed. A Certificate of Title was registered at that time listing any restrictive covenants, of which there are none. The Certificate of Title is available in the parish offices for review by any parishioner who wishes to do so.
And a final frequently asked question, “What if we were to wait and hope for a better proposal in the future?”
For reasons I’ve already mentioned including very limited road access to the parcel and very challenging topography, a better proposal is highly unlikely to come in the foreseeable future.
This week there will be an all -parish e-mail summarizing my response to the frequently asked questions raised regarding the sale of church property. The summary is also available as a bulletin insert this weekend. I invite you to share your thoughts on this matter by e-mailing me. If you are in support let me know. If you have concerns, let me know. I would ask that you do so no later than 5:00 pm. April 28.
As I prepare to make a decision on this matter it occurs to me. If a pastor were to make a decision only when everyone agrees with hm, he’d never make a decision. So, for the sake of the parish and all involved I will make the final decision that is needed at this time. I will do so based on your input as well as that of parish leadership.
Where am I on this? As I see it, we have before us as a parish family an opportunity that may not come again. We can either keep what we have been blessed with or share what we have been blessed with. I would like for us as a parish to share what God has blessed us with. Yes, it’s my responsibility to make the final decision on matters like this. But I want the decision regarding the offer to sell land to be our decision. So, I look forward to hearing from you.
It wasn’t until the two disciples on the road broke bread while at a meal that they recognized the one who had walked with them. As we call on the Holy Spirit to guide us in this important decision, may we too come to recognize the one who walks with us. I pray that this recognition, help us be faithful to our call as a parish family to be the face and hands of Jesus in the best way we know how.
