HECKSCHERVILLE - The Friends of St. Kieran's, a volunteer group that struggled for the past six years to raise funds to buy the former St. Kieran's Church, grotto and the adjacent parish buildings, announced Monday it's unable to do so.
"We cannot demonstrate there is enough interest and continued revenue stream to move forward. After much thought, prayer and careful consideration, it is with deep regret that Friends of St. Kieran's cannot continue with the acquisition of the buildings. Please understand this was a painfully difficult decision to make and was not made in haste," the Friends group said in a joint statement.
The church, convent, rectory and school buildings, which are side-by-side on Church Road off Valley Road, are owned by the Diocese of Allentown.
"The Diocese shares the disappointment that the Friends of St. Kieran's plans for the former church in Heckscherville will not be realized. Diocesan officials look forward to working with the Friends on the details of the Memorial they are now planning," Matthew T. Kerr, director of the office of communications for the diocese, said Monday.
Kerr said as far as he knows, the diocese has no plans for the buildings at St. Kieran's.
St. Kieran church was closed in June 2008, a casualty in the widespread restructuring and consolidation of Roman Catholic churches. The Friends of St. Kieran's, a nonprofit corporation, had been raising funds to buy the property from the Diocese of Allentown with plans to turn it into a historic site and cultural center.
On Sunday, the Friends held the sixth annual Heritage Day in the Valley, a fundraiser for the cause.
Last year, the Allentown Diocese said it was willing to sell all four properties at the site - the church, school, rectory and the convent - and the land for $28,500. The Friends group could afford that, but not the estimated $1 million it would cost to bring those buildings up to code, according to the newspaper's archives.
The members of the Friends group who compiled the letter are: Catherine C. Clifford, president; Frances Hertz, vice-president; Catherine M. Halpin, secretary; Brian P. Canfield, treasurer; and members William G. Beadle, Judith A. Quinn and Thomas J. Quinn.
"The Friends of St. Kieran's worked tirelessly over the past six years in its efforts to preserve the beautiful, historic St. Kieran's Church, grotto and adjacent buildings. Unfortunately, interest in saving the St. Kieran's buildings diminished as it became apparent the church could not be used for the primary purpose for which it was constructed. The costs of repairing and updating the buildings, insuring the religious artifacts - as required by the Diocese - as well as long-term preservation and maintenance, is a daunting responsibility," the Friends said in their joint statement Monday.
"The Diocese of Allentown has been advised of the decision. However, we have also asked the Diocese permission for Friends of St. Kieran's to construct a memorial that will pay homage to the rich history of St. Kieran, St. John Neumann and the generations of parishioners that contributed to its religious history," the Friends said in the letter.
"In addition, the board asked that the memorial be complemented by relocating the original church bell to the proposed memorial site. It is our hope that the memorial could also be the new resting place of the statues and historical markers currently in front of and attached to the church," the Friends said in the letter.
"Reverend Monsignor David L. James, V. E., Vicar for Synod Implementation, Diocese of Allentown, by letter dated May 21, 2014, acceded to our request to construct a memorial. The specifics still must be planned with and approved by Father Adam Sedar, Pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Church, and Ms. Kelly Bruce of the Diocese of Allentown. Friends of St. Kieran's Board of Directors thank all for their interest and support to date and ask that they join us in preserving the history of St. Kieran's and all its parishioners," the Friends said in the letter.
Clifford could not be reached for comment Monday.