Nashua group wants to block sale of St. Francis Xavier
By SCOTT BROOKS, Union Leader Correspondent

The Union Leader
News – September 28, 2004

NASHUA — A Probate Court judge is considering whether to allow a
group of former St. Francis Xavier parishioners to argue against the
Diocese of Manchester’s plans to sell their old church.

Judge Raymond Cloutier said the parties should rekindle their equity
case in Hillsborough County Superior Court while he considers the
parishioners’ right to dispute the sale.

The Diocese closed the parish last year, citing “declining financial
health and waning parishioner attendance.” It now hopes to sell the
building to Hollis real estate developer Vatche Manoukian, who plans
to recast the facility as an Armenian Orthodox church.

The Diocese of Manchester closed St. Francis Xavier Church last
year and now hopes to sell the building. But a coalition of former
parishioners opposes the sale. (SCOTT BROOKS)

The St. Francis Xavier Foundation, a coalition of former parishioners,
opposes the sale, and is trying to block it with a lawsuit in Superior
Court and by intervening in Probate Court.

“The parishioners of St. Francis have a direct interest in what happens
to the property,” said Randy Wilbert, the foundation’s attorney.

Diocesan attorney Ovide Lamontagne, however, said the parishioners
do not have standing before Probate Court, claiming the Attorney
General’s Office can sufficiently represent the public’s interest in
the church’s sale.

“This is not their church,” Lamontagne said. “It is a church and a
property within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester.”

Lamontagne said the parishioners, now members of the nearby
St. Aloysius of Gonzaga parish, would benefit from the church’s sale,
which would reportedly net $1 million for the diocese. The diocese says
it plans to direct all revenue from the church’s sale to St. Aloysius
of Gonzaga.

“The former parishioners are present parishioners; they are
St. Aloysius of Gonzaga parishioners,” Lamontagne said. “They will
benefit by virtue of the bishop’s decision.”

Lamontagne said an Armenian Church representative from Jerusalem
has visited the site and was “very positive” about Manoukian’s
proposal. Armenian Church leaders must agree to accept Manoukian’s
gift for the sale to proceed.

The foundation petitioned the Superior Court in April to force the
diocese to reopen St. Francis Xavier. Judge Bernard Hampsey put the
case on hold in May in anticipation of a Probate Court ruling.

Yesterday, Cloutier said the issue should be handled one case at
a time.

“It makes no sense to have two hearings about the same issue,” he said.
“It’s not going to happen.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress