Photo: Will Lew for The Wall Street Journal
From the article of the same name in The Wall Street Journal by Karen Johnson (Nov. 5, 2013):
“Inside the former Saint-Jude Church in Montreal, personal trainers mill about where priests once did and hot-stone massages have replaced baptisms.
In this city, a former Roman Catholic stronghold where Mark Twain once said you couldn’t throw a brick without breaking a church window, questions about what to do with all those churches have lingered for years.”
“The reincarnation of religious buildings has sparked concerns that the church has compounded its problems.
Amid plunging church attendance, the Catholic Diocese of Montreal said it has sold off about 50 churches and other religious buildings in the past 15 years. But about a year ago, the diocese issued a moratorium on further sales, in part because closing churches can lead to even lower attendance, as some congregants don’t move on to churches farther away. (Emphasis added – SC)
“The purpose of this moratorium is to see where we are now,” a diocese spokeswoman said.
“At Le Saint-Jude, owner Tony Attanasio said the health club’s “fully integrated concept” makes his space more than just a place to work out. He said he hopes his center becomes an extension of home for its members, and as integral to the neighborhood as the church once was. Le Saint-Jude includes an indoor garden and there are plans for a restaurant.
“It’s a good reflection of where Quebec is now,” Mr. Attanasio said. “Where the priests would say the Mass, we do massage.””
An eloquent commentary on the current state of the Church. With some practical considerations arising from the Montreal experience that those engaged in similar planning down here may not be taking into account….
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