Yesterday afternoon, eastside councilman Mike Polensek described the destruction of a family church.
POLENSEK: When I stood at St. Andrews, last week, and I saw what was left of it. And I went there specifically to get a brick for my mother. That's where she went to elementary school. That's where her grandparents went to church.
Similar emotional appeals were heard from other council members at a Planning Committee meeting as they voiced their 11th-hour concerns about the imminent closing of some area churches. Old Brooklyn's Brian Cummins floated a proposed ordinance at yesterday's meeting aimed at slowing down the potential destruction of church buildings until there is an assessment of their historic value.
CUMMINS: If St. Stephens or St. Colman's closes, let us do everything humanly possible to save that sacred architecture and interior --- with the Church. It's going to be in their interest and our interest to do that.
All along, the Cleveland Diocese has said it plans to sell the closed buildings, but has maintained its concern that remnants of former churches aren't used for non-sacred purposes. A church spokesman has said it would rather destroy a church pew, for example, than have it used in a bar. Councilman Cummin's proposed ordinance is due to be introduced as legislation on March 16 --- two days after Bishop Richard Lennon is scheduled to announce which buildings will be closed.
