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	Church Historian Calls Chancery Move 'Inevitable': Braintree Lease Seen As Consistent with More 'Humble'operations By Rick Collins Patriot Ledger [Braintree] May 25, 2007 http://www.patriotledger.com/articles/2007/05/25/news/news04.txt In the 1920s, William Cardinal O'Connell moved the Archdiocese of Boston's administrative offices from the Back Bay to a piece of farmland in Brighton, a long streetcar ride from downtown Boston. In some ways, that move wasn't much different than the upcoming one to Braintree, according to one church historian. "I remember as a young boy during the 1930s being taken out by street car to Brighton and to me it seemed like a long trip. In those days Brighton was the suburbs," said Thomas O'Connor, retired Boston College professor and author of several books on Boston history, including one on the archdiocese. O'Connor, a South Boston native and Braintree resident, said the archdiocese's pending move from its Lake Street estate to a Braintree office building, although dramatic, is consistent with changing times and expectations. "In some ways it was an inevitable move, in terms of what's happening in the 21st century," he said. "More and more institutions are becoming decentralized and getting away from the idea that everything has to be located in one building forever." And with a Capuchin Franciscan monk now leading the region's 2.1 million Roman Catholics, O'Connor says it makes sense that the archdiocese would willingly reduce its administrative office space, particularly in the face of money problems. "At one time there was this idea that the Catholic Church has to be large and rich and powerful," he said, mentioning Cardinal O'Connell. "Now there is an archbishop willing to live not in a splendid Renaissance palace, but small digs in the South End. It's the idea you don't need elegant surrounding that you could be satisfied with more simple, more humble, smaller operations." The decision to sell the Brighton property was also hailed by Voice of the Faithful, a group of Catholics working to reform the church in the wake of the sex abuse scandal. "We look forward to the continued openness of Cardinal Sean by keeping concerned Catholics informed about his plans to address such pressing issues as the priests' unfunded pension fund," said Robert Ott, chairman of the group's Boston area council of Voice of the Faithful. While the move may be a symbolic loss for Boston, O'Connor said it shouldn't harm the mission of the church in the computer age. "I can't see anywhere that it will impair the managerial operations of the archdiocese," he said. "Braintree is really not in the boondocks, it's not outer space. It will probably be a convenient location for many of the people who work there." Rick Collins may be reached at rcollins@ledger.com
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