tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10923291.post1048274112663577410..comments2024-03-26T09:42:38.709-05:00Comments on ArchitectureChicago PLUS: Archidiocese to St. Boniface: Die! Die! Die!Lynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03759748613223711212noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10923291.post-45592225011303330772009-03-07T14:47:00.000-06:002009-03-07T14:47:00.000-06:00Jim,thanks for the thoughtful comments.here is whe...Jim,<BR/><BR/>thanks for the thoughtful comments.<BR/><BR/>here is where we disagree:<BR/><BR/>the church <I>is</I> about buildings, and they <I>are</I> responsible for them.<BR/><BR/>as you well know, the earliest Christians worshipped in catacombs. they had no need of great cathedrals to sustain their faith.<BR/><BR/>in later times, right through to historic Chicago, a great, beautiful church did become a testament to the parishioners' faith. to then say, when times get bad, that the buildings are not important, is disingenuous.<BR/><BR/>if you create something of lasting beauty, you are responsible for it. you don't get to throw it away as if it were yesterday's laundry and walk away.<BR/><BR/>Christianity spans the millennia. Eternal Rome is filled with beautiful churches that are only marginally used, but are lovingly preserved as monuments of faith across the centuries.<BR/><BR/>The Chicago Archdiocese can scarcely see across the decades. If eviscerated congregations were allowed the be the final arbitrator, Old St. Pat's, which was down to a handful of worshippers not long ago, would have been dust, instead of one of today's most vibrant parrishes. And it is one of the vibrant in no small part due to the continuity of its history expressed through its rich architecture.<BR/><BR/>Things change, but the Archdiocese sees change going only one way, and washes their hands of the historic responsibilities by making their abandonment and destruction a cold real estate decision.<BR/><BR/>No one envies the Archdiocese's challenges as one of the largest landholders of historic - and aging - buildings. But they can't have it both ways, declaring that a great, beautiful church that is an essential part of worship and extension of deepest spirituality suddenly becomes worthless and disposable the moment the economics turn unfavorable.Lynn Beckerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03759748613223711212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10923291.post-49204401725421357372009-03-07T13:55:00.000-06:002009-03-07T13:55:00.000-06:00My heart goes out to those whose lives are intimat...My heart goes out to those whose lives are intimately connected to St. Boniface. <BR/><BR/>It is terribly sad that such a beautiful and historic building should suffer such a fate. <BR/><BR/>But I can't help but say that the conspiracy theories and condemnation of the Archdiocese that I'm reading on your comments page will not save St. Boniface.<BR/><BR/>If the city wants to step in and make a deal, say in the form of a land swap in order to take over and landmark the building, that might be a win/win solution. Of course that would take money which the city does not have.<BR/><BR/>The Church's mission first and foremost is to serve the spiritual and physical needs of people, not to preserve buildings.<BR/><BR/>It is an indisputable fact that the Archdiocese simply cannot continue to keep up all the churches in the city that have diminishing congregations. Parish consolidation is a heartbreaking but necessary fact of life.<BR/><BR/>To suggest that avarice is behind their decision to demolish the building is simplistic and misguided in my opinion. <BR/><BR/>The Church has every right to go for the best offer in order to continue to best serve the people of Chicago.<BR/><BR/>Believe me if I had the money I'd make them the best offer to save St. Boniface.<BR/><BR/>Alas... <BR/><BR/>Thanks for listening!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10923291.post-24727235464334305972009-02-03T10:26:00.000-06:002009-02-03T10:26:00.000-06:00The following quote is from Tom Roesers website. ...The following quote is from Tom Roesers website. <BR/><BR/>http://www.tomroeser.com/blogview.asp?blogID=24129<BR/><BR/>"Jimmy Lago the first lay chancellor of the Catholic archdiocese of Chicago…the best Democratic precinct captain Eddie Vrdolyak, who was the county chairman, ever saw: the man who runs the archdiocese--."<BR/><BR/>I wish someone would investigate this!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10923291.post-54263834996945717022009-02-03T02:56:00.000-06:002009-02-03T02:56:00.000-06:00This is infuriating. Perhaps the Coptic church doe...This is infuriating. Perhaps the Coptic church doesn't have the resources, but there's no evidence that they've even been negotiated with in good faith. The thing that is especially infuriating is that the Diocese claims the property is 'theirs'. Didn't Chicagoans--our grandparents and great-grandparents--pay for its construction with their donations and weekly offerings? How dare they!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10923291.post-47957555354621748942009-01-27T14:34:00.000-06:002009-01-27T14:34:00.000-06:00Hmm..weren't the same guys involved in a plot at S...Hmm..weren't the same guys involved in a plot at St. boniface connected with Scholl Hospital?<BR/><BR/>Does Smithfield Properties ring a bell? Stuart Levine? Ed Vrdolyak?<BR/><BR/>Anyone smell a rat in the rectory? or maybe the chancery?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10923291.post-82781579900496921802009-01-26T23:09:00.000-06:002009-01-26T23:09:00.000-06:00Give the Archdiocese money, that's what it all boi...Give the Archdiocese money, that's what it all boils down too,I walk by it and I still pray in front of the Church.I went to grade school and was a parishoner util it close in 1987..and I feel in my heart that it still can be saved.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10923291.post-83800115876219120092009-01-22T19:16:00.000-06:002009-01-22T19:16:00.000-06:00The Archdiocese has no shame. Neither does Alderm...The Archdiocese has no shame. Neither does Alderman Burnett, who has done nothing to try to save this church.<BR/><BR/>The same goes for Mayor Mumbles. Let's hope that Preservation Chicago and its volunteers are working hard on this one.<BR/><BR/>Also, let's hope the local groups (e.g., the Eckhart Park group and the East Village Association) do their jobs and lambaste Burnett and the Daley administration.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10923291.post-7544978354197338942009-01-21T15:46:00.000-06:002009-01-21T15:46:00.000-06:00What can we do to save this and other churches fro...What can we do to save this and other churches from the desperate grasp of the Archdiocese? Who can we email at the Archdiocese to request assistance? Who is the individual at the Archdiocese that is responsible for this????Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10923291.post-3583127670357228822009-01-21T08:13:00.000-06:002009-01-21T08:13:00.000-06:00Thanks for bringing notice this issue. In the pas...Thanks for bringing notice this issue. In the past I have played softball at Eckhart Park. From What I understand, Eckhart is to be closed for to rennovate the fields, which were in pretty poor condition. I wonder if there is any connection. <BR/><BR/>I've often walked by St. Boniface and thought it was a shame that such a beautiful building was in such disrepair. It is nice to finally see what it looks like on the inside.Isaachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00874328760407295804noreply@blogger.com