Asking the State to save the Church

According to this news story, "[r]esidents eager to preserve the open space and architecture of Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic church packed the Town House Monday night in an attempt to convince the Board of Selectmen to protect the site from development." OLHC is a parish that the Archdiocese of Boston has slated for closing. As many MOJ readers likely already know, there have been movements in several Boston parishes to resist the closure decisions. I understand that the parish-closing issue is difficult and controversial, but I cannot help thinking that it is a bad idea for parishioners to turn to the State, and ask government officials to (in effect) threaten to take Church property, in an effort to try to pressure Bishop O'Malley into changing his mind about this (or any other) parish closing.

Rick