BOSTON (MA)
Boston Globe
By Ralph Ranalli, Globe Staff | September 3, 2005
Four buyers have agreed to pay more than $12 million to the cash-strapped Archdiocese of Boston for closed parish properties in the Boston area, which are being converted into residential property, church officials said yesterday.
In an attempt to stabilize the archdiocese's finances, which were severely affected by the clergy sexual abuse scandal, archdiocesan officials have closed 62 parishes since summer of 2004, cut 19 percent of its administrative staff since 2002, and are considering reducing pension benefits for priests.
Church officials have said the sales proceeds of the closed parishes would not be used to pay settlements to abuse victims. They allow, however, that donations, which typically cover archdiocesan operations, fell off after the scandal broke.
Geoffrey Richon, a Gloucester developer, confirmed yesterday that he had paid more than $600,000 for the former Sacred Heart parish property in the city's Lanesville section, which will be converted into single-family homes.