The parishioners have occupied the church since it closed in 2004. Vigils have held off the closure of the church for 11 years – that’s more than 4,000 days of defiance. They’ve passed the time with prayer and puzzles, and have slept on lumpy mattresses during overnight shifts. The Archdiocese of Boston announced plans to close St. Francis in 2004 because of declining attendance, too few priests, and financial problems compounded by settlements from the clergy sex-abuse scandal.In a press conference, members of the parish said it’s wrong to close their church to pay for those settlements. Another appeal is outstanding at the Vatican, she said.
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They had argued to the court that since parishioners’ donations had paid for the church’s construction in the 1960s and maintained it since, they shared an ownership interest in the property.
The court cited an earlier decision in a related case that said a landowner is entitled to be protected by injunction against continuing trespasses.
But the court agreed with the lower court judge’s conclusion that they are trespassing.
“Four defendants testified that they remained at the church despite repeatedly being asked by the (archdiocese) to ‘move on, ‘” the judges wrote in Wednesday’s decision. The final decision came Wednesday, when the appeals court ruled that the archdiocese-not the parishioners-owns the building and has the right to make decisions about its properties.
“We appreciate the court having taken the time to review this matter and issue its ruling”, said Terrence Donilon, a spokesman for the archdiocese.
It is not yet clear whether the group will be forced to leave, or when that might happen.
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Scituate parishioners who have kept their closed church open for years are vowing to continue their fight after their appeal was denied.
