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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1605408/posts

I just posted this, one of the few good things to come out of the mess. I was familiar with the old Parish these things came from. It was an old Italian Parish turned into a Hispanic Personal Parish, that was slated to close long before the official reconfiguration.

If the local Latin Rite Bishop refused to sell the Church I'm not suprised (you have Hubbard right?) though that is not always the case.

This Melkite Parish is now located in a former Latin Rite Church:

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze4ndg9/index.htm

(they got their Pastor from the Latin Rite too!!!)

Thanks for those link! Now this is as it should be - notice everyone is smiling in the diocesan press release. Wonder how much they paid for the church. It's also interesting to see they are sufficiently funded to proceed with renovation of the former church. (Nice iconostasis under construction!).

We've had to go the fundraising route ... quite slow. Last year, after filing a gazillion papers, we were able to have the future church recognized as a national landmark, thus qualifying us to apply for matching state grants. This too is quite tedious and slow but, with God's help, we'll get the needed monies. Of course the major difference between Our Lady of the Cedars and us is that they are moving into a catholic church. We have to totally renovate the interior to create a sanctuary and install confessionals. We also have to replace the 150 year old roof and fix the stained glass windows ... those that are still intact. The console from the pipe organ has to be moved from its present position and the organ itself restored. We'll get there ... it just won't be tomorrow.

Again, thanks for the links!

I was delighted to see the beautiful new Melkite church. Down here in the south, eastern Catholic churches normally purchase their churches. Why build when there are existing churches to be purchased? Add an iconostasis and...voila!

I really do wish that the eastern Catholic churches had more of a tradition of evangelization. The western church looks at these inner city churches and older parishes as a liability. An eastern Catholic church would look at that same parish and church wish it had something that nice.