Letter to the Editor: St. Anne’s closure financially motivated

While my time at St. Anne’s hasn’t been as long as others, I feel a sense of love & belonging to this sacred building. St. Anne’s is a symbol of past, present, and future. It is a symbol of faith, hope, and love. A place for everyone from all different backgrounds. The Bishop says demographics have changed, but I see a church of one people of all different ethnicities together as humans with the same purpose. To serve God & the son of God, Jesus. A place where people come to pray and forget the troubles of life. To connect with the Lord & pray for a difference. Miracle after miracle have taken place on these very grounds and are well documented. For the Bishop to say “it is just a building” is an insult to our ancestors and generations to come. We all know the Bishop has some difficult decisions to make, but closing St. Anne’s just seems like a sin. St. Anne’s represents the entire community of Fall River. People come and go as they please. Lighting candles, praying, and spending time with the Lord. While we understand the pews are not as full as the past, that doesn’t mean people are not using this sacred building. This is the only church that allows such actions to take place. I will end with this. Bishop Da Cunha, you are making a huge mistake. We know your decision is nothing more than financially motivated. We deserve a chance to save our church. You owe that to us. Think about the countless donations St. Anne’s has received with nothing to show for it. Parishoners have been donating for decades to St. Anne’s. Please reconsider your decision to close St. Anne’s.

Respectively, Richard Affonso