The monastery (from Landmarks Commission filing).
The Poor Sisters of St. Clare plan to tear down their Franciscan Monastery at 920 Centre St., next to the Arboretum in Jamaica Plain, and then sell the vacant land to a developer for construction of 26 townhouses.
The order says it can no longer afford the upkeep on the 1930s cloistered facility and that they are down to just ten nuns living there. And they say tearing down the monastery is part of their religious practice.
In a demolition form filed with the Boston Landmarks Commission, required for the demolition of any Boston building more than 50 years old, the order says that because the monastery was intended as a place for a contemplative, inward life - few people are allowed inside the inner sanctum - that once they are gone from the site, they wish to erase any signs of their presence at the location.
"They believe this to be the destiny of their history at the location," the application states.
Just in case, however, the sisters also warn the landmark commission it better not try to delay or stop the project, because they have the First Amendment on their side.
The Sisters assert that under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution (free exercise of religion clause) and Article 2 of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights (religious freedom) they have a constitutional right to demolish the property following any 90-day delay period imposed by the Boston Landmarks Commission. Additionally, they assert that their US and Massachusetts Constitutional right supersede the authority of the BLC to prohibit the demolition.
With the money from the sale, the order will build or buy a smaller property nearby for the remaining ten sisters to live in.
The application does not say what will happen to the basement burial crypt that is used as a final resting places for deceased sisters.
Once they raze the entire site, the buildings on which went up in the 1930s, they will sell the land to Holland Properties, which wants to put up 20 units in 10 duplexes and 6 units in two triplexes. Unlike the sisters, Holland has no First Amendment rights and would have to win approval from the BPDA and, depending on the zoning on the land, from the zoning board before they could begin construction.
City assessors value the 2.8-acre site at $9 million, although as a religious institution, the sisters do not have to pay taxes on it.
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Comments
The end of the world
By SamWack
Thu, 03/03/2022 - 8:10am
The Poor Clares keep the world from ending? I wondered who was in charge of that. It's good to know it's in good hands. However, I read on Wikipedia that St. Clare is the patron saint of television. This seems like a conflict of interest.
I'd feel creeped out living
By anon
Wed, 03/02/2022 - 9:54pm
I'd feel creeped out living there. Is there a shortage of nuns in Boston?
Many less women religious
By Rob
Wed, 03/02/2022 - 11:49pm
Many less women religious than decades ago.
Many orders with their numbers shrinking - few new vocations and the rest aging.
Some religious orders consolidating regional houses for retirement and senior care.
---
Some types of orders, though, are different. They are communities of place. They are in a family/tradition of vowed religious life, but it's not like some central authority will necessarily consolidate them with some other house. A local group can grow or ebb, but works out their own separate existence.
Why not rebuild?
By Parkwayne
Thu, 03/03/2022 - 11:27am
I don't find this building to be a gem like the former 'Nervine Asylum' up the road but I'm surprised the idea of just converting this to condos wasn't the first move. They'll still get a ton of money for the property and would have a lot less opposition I think.
There's nothing particularly
By Emma
Thu, 03/03/2022 - 11:40am
There's nothing particularly noteworthy about that building. It's very plain looking and probably would need lots of rehab. I can't imagine Boston Landmarks Commission is going to fight tearing it down, but looks like the applicant just wants to preemptively handle any potential arguments to keep it intact. Guess my mom will have to get Mass cards somewhere else once it's gone!
What galls me is that they
By Whit
Thu, 03/03/2022 - 12:32pm
What galls me is that they are waving the first amendment around. It’s an ugly look.
Building too old to rehab
By Gary C
Thu, 03/03/2022 - 3:04pm
As Emma noted, this is not some spectacular architectural gem. It's an old, tired building that would likely cost more to renovate into something of value. What gets built is a reasonable debate, but knocking it down and building new units simply makes the most sense.
You all are too fast for me
By Kaz
Thu, 03/03/2022 - 1:41pm
I came here to joke that someone will have to think of all the trees and I see that half of the posts are about the Arboretum.
Satire is dead.
St.Clare Monastery property
By Laura Bradley
Thu, 03/03/2022 - 6:03pm
Many of the people who have commented seem to have missed the sentence in the article that says "tearing down the monastery is part of their religious practice" to leave no trace behind of where they lived and prayed for almost a century. I find it maddening and sad that people feel it is OKAY to attack this group of peaceful beautiful people who have lived a life of prayer, in order to make the world a better place. It does not matter if that is not YOUR belief, it is theirs. My family has called and written to the"Poor Clare's" many times over many years whenever one of us has a sad problem or illness among our family and friends. They pray for us, email back, write letters,and always appreciate a note back telling them more about how things turned out.... some readers are blaming a few elderly women here for the problems in the entire Catholic Church....The Nuns have their problems too. As one reader said, they won't be blowing the money, they will likely take care of many elderly nuns, who the Catholic church does not necessarily take care of. The priests have a far richer retirement! Good luck to the sisters, and good for them deciding the fate of their property for themselves.
You can write to Andover now.
By anon
Thu, 03/03/2022 - 7:43pm
You can write to Andover now...
https://cloisteredlife.com/directory/andover
Poor Clare - her hypocrisy is showing
By Daan
Thu, 03/03/2022 - 6:09pm
Well honies, this is a perfect opportunity for you to fulfill the destiny of your order by letting the site be used for the exact purpose it was designed. But God forbid Poor Clare to be anything less then full of mullah.
The destiny thing sounds like a viking's declaration of their gods' fate for them.
This could be a perfect site for an in city meditation and retreat center. Selling it to a developer is just a lazy way of making some bucks.
The women living here have the same right to decent housing as anyone. But claiming a 1st Amendment right to do with the property as they want is a gross abuse of privilege. As an aside the bs of religious liberty as a defense to discriminate, to put people down is part of what I consider public Evil at play. But that is an aside.
The argument concerning architecture is irrelevant. The Little Home for Wanderers was a much more interesting building but money trumped architectural value. Given that precedent we now that architectural value is pretty much nill again in this city. Considering that Boston's billionaire building raped what remained of Filenes, leaving a thin and unimpressive shell, the idea of architectural preservation in Boston is again a farce. The Bicon trashing of Yale Terrace - another example where mulla trumps quality of life.
What "exact purpose"?
By lbb
Fri, 03/04/2022 - 11:07am
I'll bite: what "exact purpose" and "designed" by whom? The "exact purpose" of the Poor Clares isn't a general purpose "in city meditation and retreat center", it's a lot more specific and a lot less ecumenical than that. It is inward-facing, not a public-facing ministry or missionary endeavor.
No, I don't think so. The "lazy" way would be to continue to occupy the building as it is now. Selling the building allows them to consolidate and pursue their mission, which is a life of prayer and contemplation, in a more thrifty fashion.
It's relevant to the disposition of the building once it's sold.
Well, this thread took a bunch of turns…
By MassMouse
Thu, 03/03/2022 - 8:57pm
Bless your hearts…
Bless our hearts?
By Parkwayne
Fri, 03/04/2022 - 8:44am
Gees, first the nuns can't afford their building and now you're stealing their one job? SMH...
Demolition of Poor Clare's Monastery
By Patricia Larkin
Fri, 03/04/2022 - 3:42am
Having been a grateful neighbor of the Poor Clares Monastery for 39 years, I have come to appreciate their contributions to our community. First of all, they are a contemplative order of Roman Catholic Nuns. They pray for us to know and receive the love of God. They have prayed for me (and maybe you?) in times of illness or a close one's death. They pray for our nation and world. They vote. They make the breads that are turned into the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ at Parish Masses. They make Church vestments, ceramic statues and artistic items. They host daily Masses in the community.
Who would deny them their best lives moving forward? Why not let them move to a place which will fit them better? These holy people have been living in a decaying mansion that does not meet the needs of their aging community. They are good and prayerful women who only want to serve God and their Church and community. I'll miss them, but I don't want to see.them struggling to survive in their crumbling home.
Thank you dear Sisters for your contributions to all of us over your years in Jamaica Plain. We hope you stay in JP, but wherever you go may you walk with the Lord in prayerful peace and good health.
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