The land and buildings can be sold.
Not always a good move and the Church has a relatively new policy that properties valued over a certain amount cannot be sold. Besides, there are MANY churches in Europe that are older than the U.S., let alone the churches built in the U.S., and they don't tear them down when the demographics change. As usual, the Americans are very short sighted.
Our congregation, with its nasty modern building, is baptizing a half dozen adults and admitting 27 others into full communion this Easter. They're certainly not joining for the beauty of the building or because of sentimental attachments. They're joining because they can look past buildings to one not made with hands.
I abandoned what I now consider a pseudo-communion with probably the best ecclesiastical architecure in the US. Leeks, garlic and flesh-pots still tempt and beckon, but once you've located the fire and heard the voice, buildings matter less than they did.
Maybe his excellency did wrong. But maybe he had shortages and shortfalls to deal with and he had a bunch of unattractive choices to make. Much as I like the NY Post, I would hesitate to trust them to portray in all its painful detail what led to the decision.