CV NEWS FEED // A city in Massachusetts agreed on February 27 to rescind a stop-work order that was preventing a Catholic diocese from removing stained glass windows from a closed historic church.
CatholicVote reported that the Diocese of Springfield, Mass., sold St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Northampton to a private developer two years ago under the condition that the diocese could remove and repurpose some objects, including the church’s stained glass windows.
When the diocese began removing the windows late 2023, the city of Northampton issued a stop-work order. The city claimed that the removal of the windows had to be approved by the Northampton Historic Commission, as St. Mary’s is on the city’s historical registry.
The diocese responded in January 2024 by suing the city and arguing that the stop-work order violated the diocese’s constitutional right to freedom of religion. The diocese argued that freedom of religion includes the protection of sacred objects.
The Daily Hampshire Gazette reported that the diocese and the city negotiated a deal on February 27 before a judge settled the case, in which the city agreed to rescind the stop-work order if the diocese dropped the lawsuit.
The diocese also agreed to repair any damage that removing the stained glass windows might cause.
Carolee McGrath, the diocesan media relations manager, said in a statement to The Daily Hampshire Gazette that “the diocese is grateful to the court for its guidance in this matter.”
“[W]e look forward to working cooperatively with the City of Northampton to finalize work needed in advance of the sale of this property and its planned redevelopment,” she said.
The diocese plans to utilize the stained glass windows in a different location as they did with the marble altar, which was donated to a chapel at Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia.
