Updating on what was previously a rumor, St. Andrew church on Portland Avenue has indeed been sold to a Pentecostal community which currently worships near the Genesee Brewery at High Falls. We have been informed that religious art from the church is gradually going to be removed and stored at St. Michael for possible sale or relocation.
From what we hear, Annunciation isn’t in good shape either. Allegedly the community has overspent its budget to make miscellaneous repairs to the tiny old church building. Our readers have told us that the possibility of closing Annunciation has been discussed in recent months. If this happens, St. Francis Xavier Cabrini will have decreased from five (St. Michael/Corpus Christi/OLPH/St. Andrew/Annunciation) down to two churches (St. Michael/Corpus Christi). This five does not include the several area churches to close prior to the formation of SFXC.
This is a sad time for the people of the former Light of Christ parish. Please say a prayer for them and for all those who benefit from their outreaches.
Tags: Church Closings, DoR If I Only Had a Hart, News and Media
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Yes, St. Andrew Church has been sold. It is a very sad time indeed! I think it is really cold if they take away artwork, etc. from St. Andrew Church and store it at St. Michael Church before parishioners get a chance to bid on them. Parishioners were told that they would be given priority on bidding on church artwork/items (not used directly in the sacraments). I hope the items are tagged so the identity of church can be discerned at St. Michael’s Warehouse among the other churches which have been closed and sold in the Northeast Cluster.I wonder what will happen to the mural of St. Andrew on the back wall of the Library near the Portland Avenue Entrance?
Due to parking considerations, we have been told that Sunday morning mass at Annunciation (old site) will be at 8 A.M. There are concerns to the extent of modifications that will have occurred when Sunday morning mass begins there, such as will it be handicap accessible and will there be handicap bathrooms?
The Pentacostal Church across from the Genesee Brewery will be enjoying our parking lot with handicap parking, easy handicap accessibility into the church from the parking lot (same level), ample aisles, comfortable pew sitting and handicap pew area, new handicap bathroom, and a magnificent church which has been renovated approximately ten years ago. I am certainly not bitter toward them. God Bless them at that church.
I just never understand these sales to heretical churches… why is such allowed? That’s not a rhetorical question; I really don’t get it. Jesus told the apostles to teach the whole world about his Church, yet we sell to breakaways (protestant) and even to Muslim groups… some spreading of the Truth!! Can someone tell me… is there any rule from the Vatican about this?
+JMJ
Where’s the money going. That is a well kept secret!
JLo:
Rule #1: Any small items from the church, including the church , go to the highest bidder!!
Rule #2: Everything is small.
Thank the Lord that St Andrew’s will still be a church even though God will not be worshipped in its new use the way Catholics do. Be thankful it is not slated to become a city owned basketball court.
Isn’t St. Andrew’s the church with the Lourdes grotto on the church grounds? Just think of what the Pentecostals will do with that.
A Catholic: Yes, St. Andrew Church is the church with the Lourdes grotto on the church grounds. I was thinking about that myself. Obviously, the statue of the pregnant Virgin Mary standing and the statue of Bernadette (Saint Marie-Bernarde Soubirous) kneeling will be removed along with the other religious items/artwork. I imagine the Pentecostal Christians will paint over the gold inscription of The Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes above the grotto in due time. The water system piping out continuous water through the grotto has not been in use for many years due to rusty pipes. At Christmastime, for various years, St. Andrew Church has used the grotto to display a creche. Perhaps the Pentecostal Christians will use that area for another display-or-they could simply leave it empty.
There is also gold inscription over the shrine for the Sacred Heart of Jesus (on the other side of the church facing the grotto) which will probably be painted over in due time. That elaborate statue of Jesus with surrounding scenery will be removed also. There is also gold inscription over the area where the oils of the sacraments have been housed which will also probably be painted over in due time.
That large statue and crucifix that is center to the sanctuary, on the wall, which was specially ordered for St. Andrew Church, will probably be removed also. That statue is unusual in that it depicts Jesus still alive looking out from His cross.
I can’t imagine the Pentecostal Christians removing the gold rays around the dove at the ceiling near the altar, depicting the Holy Spirit, but I wonder what will happen to the reddish painted oblong space surrounded by large gold rays on the right side altar which was made to house the tabernacle for reserving the Eucharist.
If Muslims bought the church, there would be a lot of changes made to the church building such as hacking off all the angels which line the church on either side, near the ceiling and removing the beautiful stained glass windows. (I’m not sure if the Pentecostal Christians would go to the bother of removing the stained glass windows of mostly Catholic saints). The Muslims cannot have any artwork, statues, or designs representing beings, faces, etc.-There space has to be devoid of any representations. There is so much other designs or representations that the Muslims would destroy- ie.there are other windows in the church at street level at the back of church and at least one of the alternative entranceways which are beautifully handcrafted leaded windows with silver inlay designs/symbols pertaining to the crucifixion of Jesus.
I have copied the link for those who would like to view information on the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in France and view the site via web cam, and hear the rosary and music via remote, or live via Paris time.
http://www.marypages.com/bernadetteEng.htm
The last Mass for St. Andrew’s Church is going to be on September 4th 02:00 P.M. Any one who wants to see this beautiful church before it is dismantled are invited to the last mass. They will start to remove sacred objects after this mass to get it ready to hand over to the group that bought it. Pray for this community as it’s sheep are scattered. All are welcome to the mass.
I recently heard that St. Andrews is closing. My great-grandfather was one of the founding members and my grandmother and her five sisters donated the grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes to the church. My grandmother also donated a statue of St. Ann. We have not seen it for a while. Does anyone know where it is? This is not just a church, but a community and a part of my family history. God bless.