Posted on 04/03/2014 1:45:07 PM PDT by Olog-hai
A city board on Thursday gave a Muslim group the go-ahead to remove six crosses from the roof and spires of a century-old former Catholic church so the now-vacant Gothic structure can be used as a mosque.
More than 200 people had signed an online petition calling on the Syracuse Landmark Preservation Board to deny an application by North Side Learning Center, the church’s new owner, to remove the crosses and build a six-foot chain-link fence. …
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
Syracuse’s Holy Trinity has a new owner, and some major changes are coming for the former Roman Catholic church.
As we first reported on Monday, the church, rectory and its old school, currently used for refugee and immigration programs, have been sold to the North Side Learning Center (http://www.northsidelearning.org/), a North McBride Street-based all-volunteer organization founded in 2009.
Dr. Yusuf Soule (http://www.northsidelearning.org/about/board-of-directors/yusuf-soule-program-director/), who heads up North Side Learning Center, confirms that his not for profit program has bought the campus and will lease the former church to a new Islamic society, which will name it ‘Mosque of Jesus the Son of Mary’ (Masjit Isa Ibn Maryam). The group is already working in the sanctuary, which Soule says has leaks in the walls and flooring after being vacant almost four years. Pews and benches, as well as the Christian symbols inside, have already been removed.
North Side Learning has filed with the Landmark Preservation Board to remove the crosses from the steeples and grounds. The reason, in the petitions, “Due to new usage of the church as a place of worship for other religious group than used previously, where crosses on the building are not in line with the worshipping practices.”
The petition also requests permission to to put a 6-foot chain link fence around the property ‘to increase security.’ Soule says the group’s current offices on North McBride at Butternut have seen several car break ins, and there are concerns.
Holy Trinity, on Syrause’s Park Street, was closed by the diocese in 2010 and the parish was merged with St. John the Baptist. Parishoners fought against plans to sell stained glass windows and the building’s hand-crafted interiors. In 2012, the Landmark Preservation Board denied the request to remove the windows.
The petition for the cross removal and the fence installation is before the Landmark Preservation Board at its April session. The North Side Learning Center and the new mosque hope to be ready to open, the end of June.
http://www.sjbhtsyracuse.org/Pages/HOLYTRINITYWINDOWSUPDATE.aspx
Some people don’t feel that way about Alaska.
There was a diocesan - or perhaps NY archdiocesan - policy that encouraged the closing of churches, not because they didn’t have a congregation or because they were in debt (this one was apparently ok), but because they “might” in the future have expenses they couldn’t cover.
The Vatican actually prevented the closing of one such church in Rochester (I think it was) just a couple of months ago, so I don’t think Francis is on board with this “close ‘em all policy.” Unfortunately, Cdl Dolan is a big fan of the suburbs and the creation of mega-parishes, and he has hired a consulting firm that is going around recommending urban or rural churches for closing.
I hope Pope Francis’ view triumphs, since it is obviously the view that you’ve just got to trust God more and get out there and evangelize more.
It’s not like they invaded the town slaughtered the infidels and the church building was a conquest....
They bought it...like any other piece of property....
Would people rather have it sit there and rot....?
At least the FBI can do is plant listening devices while remodeling to worship their demon moon god...
Just like Red China is buying up swathes of land in that selfsame state. Is the USA for sale to every one of its enemies? I used to think the only ones who thought so were people like Bill Clinton . . .
The real question to ask is why the Bishop of the Syracuse diocese allowed a Catholic Church building to be sold to a Muslim organization. That Bishop should be run out of town on a rail.
The second question is why are over 7,000 immigrants who are likely Muslims being imported and deposited in the Syracuse area. It seems to me that our Federal government is out to destroy our way of life.
It seems to me that our Federal government is out to destroy our way of life.
Correction:
It’s OBVIOUS that “our” federal government is out to destroy our way of life - iow, all that is good, worthy and decent about America. And has been obvious for some time.
No. Actually it is a fact recorded in over 2000 years of Human History. Societies which loose the ability to control who moves into their borders, and or allow infiltration of fifth columnists, collapse from within.
And the nation goes deeper and deeper into a cesspool of evil.
I guess so...
...or would prefer the government decides who can own land or property...
The ability to own or buy / sell land is a fundamental principle of a free society...
Exactly!! And soon.
Not to those that would undermine a free society. Certainly a lesson here.
Look at how many are Chinese and Japanese owned...
It would never happen in an Islamic country, because they have to private property rights as we know it in the West.
Freedom of religion is one of the founding principles of the United States. It applies to everyone, so long as those rights don’t infringe upon other rights.
The right of private property ownership is the mainstay of Western society since the Magna Carta. When a government is allowed to control your religious beliefs and your improvement on your private property, prepare for overthrowing that government.
That said, take a look at your local homeowner board, your state water and land use laws, and your federal food regulations.
Then prepare in your heart for what must be done.
* they have NO property rights *
Ping to #54
Emphasis on last ten words of second paragraph.
Never mind the open questioning of what the definition of religion is, since we have one purported religion here that is openly threatening to undermine the freedom thereof.
So long as every other property gets the same right.
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