EAST SIDE
Catholic Diocese sells two closed churches
Two former Catholic churches on the city’s East Side were sold Tuesday, becoming the ninth and 10th properties in Buffalo bought by other groups since Bishop Edward U. Kmiec launched a huge downsizing of the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo in 2006.
Both will continue to be used for religious purposes.
New Life Harvest Church of God in Christ purchased the former Holy Name of Jesus on Bailey Avenue for $130,000. The former Precious Blood Church on Lewis Street was bought by David Keaton, a Baptist minister, for $112,000.
“He plans to use it as a church as well,” said Kevin A. Keenan, diocesan spokesman.
In all, the diocese has sold 28 parish properties across eight counties, and Keenan said more sales are pending and could close within a few months.
Twenty-eight properties, including five in Buffalo, remain on the market. Some of the vacant properties have been added to municipal tax rolls.
Holy Name Church, which closed in 2007 in a merger with St. John Gualbert parish in Cheektowaga, includes a 9,375- square-foot sanctuary, a rectory and a massive hall, school and gym building.
New Life, currently on Rickert Avenue, was seeking a new location on a main thoroughfare, said the Rev. Leonard Lannie, its pastor.
The congregation has about 70 members and plans to open the buildings to the community.
“I see a lot of the blight in the city, and I hope our church can be a beacon of hope,” Lannie said.
The hall and school will need to be renovated, he said, and the church plans to do so.
While some small congregations previously have struggled maintaining large properties, Lannie said the huge school building would not pose a problem.
“It’s not a stumbling block. It’s more of a stepping stone,” he said.
Precious Blood merged with several other parishes in 2007 to form St. Clare parish, at 193 Elk St. The property includes a church, rectory and small hall.
Keaton could not be reached to comment.
Proceeds from the sales go to the merged parishes, which have been maintaining the buildings, and most likely would be used to pay off debts, Keenan said.
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