Assumption Church to close, but priest hopes not forever

The future of Our Lady of Assumption Church in Windsor's west end may not be as final as initially thought, even though the Diocese of London plans to close the church in November.

Father Don McLeod, the interim priest, told the congregation last weekend that the closure in November is necessary,  but not necessarily permanent.

"The hope is - and who knows if it will ever actually reach fruition - that eventually we will be able to do the restoration that is needed so that the church is both going to last for the long term and be safe," McLeod said. "The plan is maintain it, preserve it the best we can...continue to explore what ever the possibilities may be for raising the funds to do a proper restoration."

The church will hold its last mass Nov. 2.

McLeod said having the building taken over by another body would be the very last resort, though he's been getting a mixed reaction from parishioners.

McLeod said the main church building was completely surrounded by a chain-link fence, indented to tell people to stay back. The entrances are covered by temporary portico roofs.  

"As far as I know at the present time it is not unsafe, but certainly the possibility is that it could become unsafe," said McLeod. "There has been a fear that some of the exterior brick could come loose."

At this time of year the significant temperature fluctuations in Windsor could cause the building to become more unstable, McLeod said.

He said the interior temperature fluctuations can become more pronounced in the winter.

The goal is, McLeod explained, to maintain a constant interior temperature inside the church, that is currently only being used on weekends.

"That's when you can have damage, often unseen damage to interior structure," he said.

Assumption church will close the weekend of Nov. 1. Mass will continue at Rosary Chapel on the Assumption site and at the old Holy Name of Mary Church, on McEwan Avenue.

"There are people who are very unhappy with the plan to move, there are other people who see the wisdom in it, there are a number of people who are bound and determined that in spite of the difficulties we will make this work, that the parish community is bigger than any building and what's important is that Assumption parish continues to be a presence in west Windsor."

Meanwhile, parishioner Kyle Vermette, who is one of the men behind Operation Basilica, an effort to get the church designated a Basilica, is looking into using canon law to force the church to stay open.

Canon law is a Catholic legal system of laws. Top officials in the Catholic church enforces canon law, which includes a legal code, courts, lawyers, judges.

Vermette told CBC News the idea of pursuing a solution through canon law was first pitched on the Operation Basilica Facebook page. He said they simply had to look into every option in an effort to keep the church open.