Parishioners win right to save gutted Collingwood church

Mary Fenelon, convenor of Save St. Joseph's group

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Parishioners of the historic St Joseph's Catholic Church in Collingwood celebrated yesterday after a tribunal refused permission to knock down the shell of the church to extend a school playground, reports The Age.

''We're absolutely over the moon - I felt like crying,'' said veteran St Joseph's parishioner Mary Fenelon, one of those who opposed the application by the archdiocese to turn it into a playground and car park.

''For more than three years we've been battling the bullies up there - door knocking, getting petitions signed, even writing to the Pope. It's a wonderful victory,'' she said.

But the ruling by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Tuesday does not mean the 1861 church in Otter Street - gutted by fire in 2007 just after a five-year $400,000 refurbishment - will be rebuilt.

A spokesman for the archdiocese said yesterday: ''We are disappointed with the outcome of the VCAT hearing, and are now considering the judgment and our position.''

He refused to comment further, but the archdiocese told the hearing there was no reasonable prospect the building would be reinstated as a church.

Costs were awarded against the archdiocese.

A group of dedicated parishioners has been campaigning to have the church rebuilt, supported by the National Trust, the Collingwood Historical Society, Trades Hall Council, the City of Yarra, the Collingwood and Abbotsford Residents Association and other churches. A congregation of about 200 Vietnamese has also worshipped there for 30 years.

FULL STORY Parishioners win right to save gutted Collingwood church (Age)

Source: http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=33035

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