A committee of the Quebec National Assembly wants a moritorium on the sale of provincial churches until 2008.
There are about 4 thousand churches and religious sites in Quebec that are starting to crumble because there is no longer money for upkeep.
Fifty years ago 8 out of 10 Quebecers attended mass. Now 1 in 10 participate in church. Quebec has lost 1500 priests and the average age of priests and nuns in convents is over 85.
The committe wants a Council on Religious Heritage set up, the province to offset gifts from private donors to save the estimated 3 to 4 billion dollar buildings.
Many have been sold off and gutted for condominiums, libraries, office space and even concert halls.
Father Grenier said attitudes toward churches are slowly evolving.
“Churches no longer belong exclusively to religious orders, but they belong to our cultural heritage that must now include the involvement of governments and the entire community,” he said.
“And this conversion must also include proper funding and not just some pipe dream filled with good intentions.”
