51°
NORTHBRIDGE, Mass. – A sign in front of the Sutton home of Alain Beret and James Fairbanks says it is for sale. They’d expected to move soon to the former Chester Whitin Lasell estate on Hill Street, oversee its restoration, and open the historic mansion to weddings and other public events.
Their dream was dashed when the property owner, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester, backed out of the deal, and the couple believe it is because they are gay.
Beret said the diocese’s real estate broker sent them an email telling them their $75,000 deposit would be returned because the church wanted to pursue “other plans.’’
However, that email included a thread of messages, one from Monsignor Thomas Sullivan to the broker, which says: "I just went down the hall and discussed it with the bishop. Because of the potentiality of gay marriages there, something you shared with us yesterday, we are not interested in going forward with these buyers. I think they're shaky anyway. So, just tell them that we will not accept their revised plan and the Diocese is making new plans for the property. You find the language."
Beret and Fairbanks have been together for 34 years and married in 2004. Beret is an attorney and Fairbanks has a master’s in administration.
The couple initially planned to purchase the entire 26-acre parcel, its mansion and smaller buildings for $1 million. A house inspection, paid for by Beret and Fairbanks, revealed that the run-down mansion would require about $500,000 in repairs, so they offered instead to purchase the mansion and six acres for $550,000, freeing up the cash they'd need to make the repairs.
That revised plan was suggested by the diocese’s broker, Beret said.
“We have the skills and the experience,” Beret said.
Beret and Fairbanks purchased a historic building in Brattleboro, VT in 1990 and converted that into an inn, which Fairbanks ran. They wanted to expand into weddings and other public events, but the venue was too small, so they purchased and restored a historic home in Barre, VT, Beret said.
“That first year, we had 45 events,’’ Beret said. “My business plan didn’t have that until year five. When we sold the business in 2004, we were hosting 60 weddings a year."
We were stunned,’’ by the church’s decision, Beret said. He said that after giving the church a deposit, paying for the home inspection, and meeting informally with town officials who seemed excited by the sale, they expected to be signing final papers soon.
The property most recently was being used by the church as a retreat. Prior to that it was the House of Affirmation where troubled priests were treated.
Beret said they have hired the Worcester law firm of Carvajal & Nielsen to look into whether legal action is appropriate.
The couple said they’ve lived quietly for 60 years. “We will not go quietly into the sunset’’ on this issue, Beret said.
Comments (14)
To reiterate the Statement from Bishop Robert McManus on President Obama's position on Same Sex Marriage - "President Obama’s public support of the redefinition of marriage is deeply saddening":
"As a society we must take every positive measure to strengthen marriage and the family, the very cornerstone of our society. The people of this country, especially our children, deserve better."
Wow!!! Will you look at this.. Just one day after my last post: Myfoxboston.com Reports:
Posted: Aug 01, 2012 8:44 AM EDT
BOSTON (AP) - A ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST serving at a South Boston parish has been arrested on child pornography charges.
The Rev. Andrew Urbaniak is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday on possession and dissemination of child pornography charges.
Police say the 39-year-old Urbaniak, a priest at Our Lady of Czestochowa parish, was arrested Tuesday following a two-month investigation and the execution of a search warrant that resulted in the discovery of images of preteen girls on his computer.
Urbaniak was held on $25,000 cash bail.
A spokesman for the Boston Archdiocese did not immediately return a message.
The investigation is continuing.
Read more: http://www.myfoxboston.com/story/19166508/boston-priest-faces-child-pornography-charges#ixzz22IuSWBkM
* You hypocrites! You deny these gentlemen the right to purchase this property that would preserve/restore this landmark and offer the community more opportunities because of their lifestyle? Your institution is a bully cult that's falling apart and is continuously getting "Outed". How does it feel?
I think people should contact the Bishop through his contact - Monsignor Thomas Sullivan: tsullivan@worcesterdiocese.org
If you disagree, let them know. To quote Monsignor Thomas Sullivan "You find the language".
The Statement from Bishop Robert McManus on President Obama's position on Same Sex Marriage - Dated: May 10, 2012 - "President Obama’s public support of the redefinition of marriage is deeply saddening".
(I find this to be quite opinionated and subjective, but still within his right with his belief. However, why are the beliefs of other people wrong? Is yours the only religion?)
"As a society we must take every positive measure to strengthen marriage and the family, the very cornerstone of our society. The people of this country, especially our children, deserve better."
(Is that why there are so many divorces which are ever increasing and accepted in your religion, although it's stated as being wrong? What makes you or any other god fearing folk think that you are any better than anyone else. Let he without sin be the one to cast the first stone! You preach about love, tolerance, and acceptance, but that's only under a specific guideline that has been so construed and misinterpreted and translated over the course of so many years)
"I pray that in the end this Administration will act justly to uphold and protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman and by so doing serve the true good of all persons."
(**True good of ALL persons? What you SHOULD be "praying" for is the ability to run your institution in the way you preach about it. Free from pedophiles, lies, hidden cover-ups, judgement and deception - even among your own parishioners. After all, it's funds from their pockets to your donation baskets that makes most of what you have possible, correct?)
(So much for separation between church and state. Money is money after all.. and it blends that line between church and state to give your organization political pull, so please don't try to come off to everyone as being completely and religiously moral. But why should I point that out to you - "You find the language".)
It is hard to believe that this can happen today. That practice is certainly not God's law! But putting this in a business perspective, what a loss for the Blackstone Valley! There is such a lack of function facilities in our region. The plans these two entrepreneurs had for this wonderful space would add so much to the area, especially in light that the the very area we are talking about is to be designated a National Park. I encourage these two gentlemen to pursue their plans and do whatever they can to reverse this ridiculous act. No one, not even the RC Church, should be allowed to practice such blatant discrimination.
"Gay Couple Shunned by Church"...what a joke!!!!! The Catholics need to look inside their own "fraternity" and clean house.
Here's a glaring example of the inconsistent message the ROMAN CATHOLIC hierarchy sends regarding homosexuality. This RC “church” in San Francisco has received the glowing acolades from the LGT community. Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, 100 Diamond Street , San Francisco, CA 94114 / The following EXCERPT is taken from an article at the LifeSite.com website (a Roman Catholic site) entitled 'Rainbow Sash Movement thanks Archbishop Niederauer for tolerating parish’s homosexual activism' of Dec. 6, 2011 . . and I QUOTE: “Homosexual websites have dubbed Holy Redeemer one of the most “gay-friendly” parishes in the United States. Its website describes the church membership as “married, gay, lesbian, transgender…radical, traditional, questioning, fervent.” Its pastor, Fr. Stephen Meriwether, was placed on temporary leave after allowing the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to hold a bingo fundraiser that observers reported gave away pornographic DVDs and “sex toys.” Fr. Meriwether previously blessed his parish’s representatives in a Gay Pride March. In 2008, the parish’ lector, Philip Carrizosa, “married” his homosexual partner.” Fr. Meriwether has since been re-instated. The HIERARCHY are quite comfortable being propped up by a priesthood that is in the main homosexual while simultaneously defining homosexuality as unnatural and depraved. Once more the so-called “princes of the church” are speaking out of both sides of their mouth. Clearly, the Roman Catholic position regarding homosexuality is untenable! Sadly, most of "the faithful" . . the lowly laity . . haven't got a clue and they don't have the time to study the matter out and connect the dots. If they did, many more would rush the exit doors. Such hypocrites are in no position to pass moral judgment on others!
ROMAN CATHOLICISM is not CHRIST's CHURCH!
"Gay Couple Shunned by Church"
Pretty absurd when one considers that the Roman Catholic priesthood/hierarchy is in the main comprised of homosexuals. But then that's supposed to be a well-guarded secret!
********
*Dean Hoge, one of the most respected researchers on the subject of the priesthood found in a 2001 survey that 55 percent of priests said that there clearly or probably was a homosexual subculture among priests.
*Source: Dean R. Hoge (2006) Experiences of Priests Ordained Five to Nine Years. Washington D.C.: National Catholic Education Association.
I just laughed & laughed to read this (homophobic) 'denial-of-sale' story!
Do this bad shepherd’s, (the bishop's), parishioners realize their (hard earned) thithe- money, given to feed the homeless/clothe the naked, etc., (the classic issues for which such donations are given…), could wind up being used’, by default, when the diocease is forced, (via ‘federal housing anti-discrimination’ lawsuit) to surrender this house to the couple, by way of an out-of-court settlement?
Shame on these superficially pious intolerant-monotheists!
How dare an organization, known worldwide for making all sorts of ‘child-rapist-friendly excuses’, deny this hardworking couple the same freedom to purchase a home as 'straight' people enjoy?
I left Catholicism circa 1965.
I guess-ti-mate I’ve since withheld $25-50K!
Since I re-affiliated to NeoPagan belief, some 100,000 nuns have left...
With the 'L.C.W.R.-nun-vs.-vatican-dogma-harassment', more of the, (remaining 50-70,000) nuns will leave!
An estimated 20-30 million believers have left!
More are ‘voting, with their feet’, every day!
Vocations have dried up like a cup of water in the Saharan desert!
I call it the new ‘buttocks-free’ worship-environment! Way to go, bishops!
BTW:
Religious scandal, (c/o www.bishopaccountability.org’s ‘current events-archive’), of the week:
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2012/07_08/2012_07_26_IrishTimes_Churchin.htm
You should check into it. If they took the deposit they should honor it. I think your ideas for the place are great. Maybe you could have a friend buy it then they sell it to you. I think what they are doing is terrible, you have my support.
Messrs. Beret and Fairbanks, you have supporters here in town! Deeply saddened that a fight for your rights is still necessary in this day and age, but especially when it comes to dealing with a church. Just because people are ignorant, don't give up!
"Judge not, lest ye be judged"' isn't that right, Monsignor Thomas Sullivan?! You are a poor excuse of a human being never mind a man of the cloth. Shame on you! You are what is wrong with society!
And this is worse than what this property was used for until the Catholic Church closed it down? It was a where they sent the pedophile priests!
I used to deliver the newspaper there as a kid and was shocked when I heard it wasn't alchoholic priests, deacons and other religious men drying out, like people were told for many years.
Wrong!
Marc you could not of said it better.
I'm no lawyer, but it seems to me once a price is agreed upon AND money changes hands, that constitutes a contract. Personally, I hope Mssrs. Beret and Fairbanks and their attorney pursue this breach of contract by the Diocese.
I can't believe that in this day and age homosexuals are still being discriminated against, it really says a lot about the Catholic church, What does the Catholic church care how the property is used once it has been sold and considering what it was used for previously by the Catholic church they should welcome them with open arms, this absolutely disgusts me! This would be so great for the town of Northbridge, we do not have anything like this in town, I really hope that these gentlemen get the property and sue the pants of of them.
This is awful. I hope they end up with the property. I may be wrong, but I believe in MA homosexuals are a protected class and cannot be prevented from purchasing property when the reason behind it is to discriminate against them.