Our Lady Of Loreto (Temporarily) Spared The Wrecking Ball

BROWNSVILLE, BROOKLYN — The historic Our Lady Of Loreto church will not be torn down this month after a judge ordered a temporary stay on its demolition.

The city granted demolition permits in March to Catholic Church officials who planned to raze the century-old church on Sackman and Pacific streets and replace it with affordable housing units, city records show.

But Brooklyn Cultural Coalition activists, who are hoping the church can be preserved and transformed into a community cultural center won a small victory on Wednesday when Brooklyn Supreme Court judge Bernard G. Graham issued a stay on the demolition.

The stay extends until a court hearing on May 9, when former parishioner and BCC member Jillian Mulvihill will be given the chance to present her case to save the church.

Mulvihill’s breach of contract lawsuit claims that the Catholic Charities Progress of Corp. cannot tear down Our Lady of Loreto because of a previous agreement made with the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to preserve it.

“I stood there with tears in my eyes,” Mulvihill said of her day in court on Wednesday. “We don’t need more housing. We need a cultural center to celebrate people who live here and now.”

Activists gathered at Our Lady of Loreto Thursday morning to celebrate the temporary salvation of the neoclassical Roman church, which was built by Italian immigrants in 1907 and is rife with history.

“We’ve been feeling downhearted and now we’ve got a little bit of hope,” said BCC spokeswoman Monica Kumar.

“Everyone in this community has honored the beauty of this church,” added activist Miriam Robertson, 51. “We ask that the Catholic Church do the same.”

Locals were surprised to discover the church was slated to face the wrecking ball and stopped by to show their support.

“What’s needed is spaces where our artists can tell our stories and teach our children our ways,” said Felix Cepeda, 36.

Ida Grant, 58, who works in the area, said loved walking by the church on her way to work and was angry to discover it would be torn down.

“I just don’t think God would be happy with that,” she said.

Images via Kathleen Culliton