Catholic buildings/churches being converted to private business

Tellox

As I'm sure most Christians and non-Christians are aware, a lot of Church land has been sold over the past while for both general money flow, and legal matters related to the abuse cases.

In particular, a large section of School land in Waterford was sold to both a legal firm and a medical practice. The medical practice itself is set up within a Church. I found it to be gorgeous - great use of the building, very modern and aestethic. In the past, I attended a rock concert held in a sold off Church, which I also really enjoyed - great acoustics, mental atmosphere.

However, it got me thinking - how do Christians feel about these buildings, obviously built with the intention of honoring a deity, now being used for commercial benefit?

kippy

Tellox wrote: »

As I'm sure most Christians and non-Christians are aware, a lot of Church land has been sold over the past while for both general money flow, and legal matters related to the abuse cases.

In particular, a large section of School land in Waterford was sold to both a legal firm and a medical practice. The medical practice itself is set up within a Church. I found it to be gorgeous - great use of the building, very modern and aestethic. In the past, I attended a rock concert held in a sold off Church, which I also really enjoyed - great acoustics, mental atmosphere.

However, it got me thinking - how do Christians feel about these buildings, obviously built with the intention of honoring a deity, now being used for commercial benefit?

Thats life for ya.......
In fairness, they were used for commercial benefit before being sold as well.......just a lot less obviously.

PDN

Tellox wrote: »

As I'm sure most Christians and non-Christians are aware, a lot of Church land has been sold over the past while for both general money flow, and legal matters related to the abuse cases.

In particular, a large section of School land in Waterford was sold to both a legal firm and a medical practice. The medical practice itself is set up within a Church. I found it to be gorgeous - great use of the building, very modern and aestethic. In the past, I attended a rock concert held in a sold off Church, which I also really enjoyed - great acoustics, mental atmosphere.

However, it got me thinking - how do Christians feel about these buildings, obviously built with the intention of honoring a deity, now being used for commercial benefit?

A building is a building. Just bricks and mortar IMHO.

All over Ireland you find churches (non-Catholic) meeting in buildings that were designed for other uses. For example, one church that I oversee meets in a former tyre depot warehouse. Another meets in a former distillery.

BrianCalgary

The church are wherever people are gathered to worship.

Here we have people congregating in school gyms, community centres and vacant storefornts.

We have non-catholic churches meeting in catholic school gyms.

nozzferrahhtoo

Isn't there even a night club in the henry street / mary street area that used to be a church? I have not been through Dublin city in some time so I am not sure.

homer911

I'd prefer to see a disused church building used for commercial purposes than being pulled down or left to rot

nozzferrahhtoo

Actually, I have been to 100s of live gigs in my life and one of the top 20 was Damien Rice in Glasgow in 1998ish. A tiny converted chapel. Incredible acoustics.

Plowman

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Run_to_da_hills

After the recent danming report we may see a lot more church property being sold off.

The new testiment "Church" as I gather is the body of people and not the structure.

There was some fine churches destroyed in the past including the old Catholic church in Abbeyfeale.

postcynical

Plowman wrote: »

Same here. But it's still a shame when an old church building is turned into a commercial enterprise, especially since (in the RC anyway) it has been specially blessed and consecrated for the purpose of worship.

It reminds me of Jesus banishing the traders from the Temple.

...and deconsecrated (as opposed to desecrated) before secular use. Curiously there are some churches which cannot ever be deconsecrated - not just RC ones either. There's one in disuse in Belfast just down Botanic Road. It's a prime piece of estate but is boarded up and full of vegetation. It will never be used for secular purposes...

Nodin

Tellox wrote: »

Catholic buildings/churches being converted to private business

Most converted churches are CoI, or so I'm given to understand....

philologos

Tellox wrote: »

However, it got me thinking - how do Christians feel about these buildings, obviously built with the intention of honoring a deity, now being used for commercial benefit?

I personally regard it as depressing.

When church buildings themselves are turned into places of commercial profit I can't help but feel dissapointed because they had been places where God was praised before. Demolishing the buildings and building new buildings on top would be better in my view.

PeteEd

The empire music hall in belfast is a converted church, great venue and i bet many more people have rejoiced in it after it was converted!
And got better value for money!

Owen

I was at a house party in Cork recently, in an old church that had been converted in to a bachelor's apartment, open plan, stage for a band, grand piano, kitchen with island, spiral staircase going upstairs ... easily the best apartment/house I've ever been in.

Plowman

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Run_to_da_hills

Plowman wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

It is proably down to local planning laws.

Jakkass wrote: »

I personally regard it as depressing.

When church buildings themselves are turned into places of commercial profit I can't help but feel disappointed because they had been places where God was praised before. Demolishing the buildings and building new buildings on top would be better in my view.

In my former beliefs I would have been more upset because I would have believed that this was liteally Gods house and that he was locked up in a little box at the top of the alter.

However now I understand of God omnipresence and I don't feel that I have to be in a Church building to have fellowship with him. Many of these buildings were cold, depressing, ucomfortable seating, impractical to heat / maintain, and also housed abominable graven images.

Red Alert

I think it's great to see the buildings used rather than being left to rot. Many churches are genuinely beautiful buildings and it's great that they've got life in them.

Just wondering why can't some buildings be deconsecrated?