Michigan nuns' bid to purchase John Paul II Cultural Center falls through
April 04, 2011
The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, have backed away from a plan to buy the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, DC, explaining that their order was unable to find financing to complete the purchase.
The enormous Cultural Center, located near the headquarters of the US bishops' conference, has been a financial drain since it opened in 2001. Never able to attract enough visitors to become self-sustaining, the Center has run large deficits, and is now only open to visitors by appointment.
Construction of the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center cost about $75 million, and the Detroit archdiocese lent another $17 million to keep the project afloat. The building is now valued at $37.7 million.
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Posted by: extremeCatholic -
Apr. 05, 2011 5:06 PM ET USA
I could understand a bishop or archbishop getting carried away with the desire to honor the late Pope, but I cannot imagine the lay diocesan financial council (required by canon law) supporting the expenditure as prudent.
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Posted by: -
Apr. 05, 2011 11:11 AM ET USA
The building is wholly unsuited for a convent.
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Posted by: hartwood01 -
Apr. 04, 2011 11:24 PM ET USA
I had no idea that center took so much of Detroit's money. (Any amount would be too much,especially built outside of Detroit.) Those poor people, getting it once again in the neck by irresponsible clergy who cared nothing for the poor wager-earner. Boy, that brings back the distaste I felt for the insular Bishops and Cardinals of the 70's and all their antics.
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Posted by: AgnesDay -
Apr. 04, 2011 8:34 PM ET USA
Maybe we could do the same thing to the Center that the US bishops have done to so many parish churches in the past 30 years...
