Financial problems from within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston have led to the sale of the Catholic Center at 58 Winthrop St. and increased student activity fee funding for the Catholic Community at Tufts (CCT)
According to Catholic Chaplain Ann Penick, the Archdiocesan real estate office has been negotiating the sale of the Catholic Center building with the University. "Tufts has made an offer to buy it, the purchase and sale agreement is currently on hold, not because of Tufts, but because of the Archdiocese."
"I know the University has interest in the property," University Chaplain Rev. David O'Leary said. According to O'Leary, the University and Archdiocese were in negotiations, but he was unsure the cause of hold ups in the negotiation process.
"Is [the sale] on hold or is it just posturing?" he asked. "You wait to see who blinks, that's how real estate is done," O'Leary said.
Penick said that if the University is able to purchase the building, there would be a discussion about who would be responsible for much-needed repairs. "The Archdiocese can't pay for [the repairs] now," Penick said. "It doesn't have the money to put into the Catholic Center."
Selling the Catholic Center would alleviate some financial pressure from the Archdiocese. "If Tufts would purchase it, we would be allowed to stay here, but in effect it would be sort of like leasing the space from Tufts," she said. "In other words, even though Tufts would own the building, Tufts would not be sponsoring the Catholic Center. That would be under the auspices of the Archdiocese."
The Archdiocesan real estate office fielded all press inquiries to spokesman Rev. Christopher Coyne, who was unavailable for comment as of press time.
The CCT, a student-led group separate from the Catholic Center, has also had to grapple with cuts in funding from the Archdiocese.
"We're becoming more responsible for upkeep and programs that are co-sponsored by the Catholic Center," CCT President Anna Brennan said. "The Archdiocese of Boston isn't able to co-sponsor us as much as they used to."
For that reason, the CCT requested more funding from the Tufts Community Union (TCU). According to Brennan, over the past four years the CCT's budget has been between $4,000 and $4,500. This year, after seeking to double their funding, CCT was allocated $7,500.
"We have the most number of students in our religious affiliation on campus," Brennan said. "We pay for all the supplies and everything that's used to run masses at Tufts."
Penick said that budget problems within the Catholic Church have left the Archdiocese scrambling to pay for campus ministry programs. The closure of St. Ann's University Parish in Boston, which serves Back Bay and Fenway colleges such as Northeastern and Emerson, is almost certain. Prior to Tufts, Penick most recently worked as a pastoral associate at St. Ann's.
The most recent Annual Catholic Appeal -- an Archdiocesan fundraising campaign -- is especially focused on campus ministry.
"There is an energy in campus ministry that is very exciting," Archbishop Sean O'Malley told the Pilot, the Archdiocese's official newspaper. "To see young people who are beginning to form their own personal philosophy on life and God is a part of that."
O'Leary said the closure of St. Ann's and the possible sale of the Catholic Center were related to the financial pressures of the Archdiocese. "It's all part of a master plan," he said.
The Archdiocese of Boston has been working to pay $135 million worth of debt -- $90 million of which was due to a settlement with 550 clergy sexual abuse victims. The recent $99 million sale of 43 acres of church land to Boston College helped to pay down that debt.
In March, O'Malley outlined guidelines for the reorganization and closure of local parishes. Over 357 parishes would be affected, whether by closure or accepting new members from closed or consolidated parishes. Sacred Heart church on Winthrop St. in Medford, across the street from the Catholic Center, is one of the parishes recommended for closure.
