It would appear the book is not closed on Assumption Church after all.
At Sunday's gala luncheon at the Caboto Club in Windsor to celebrate the church's 250th anniversary, Bishop Ronald Fabbro announced his intention to re-evaluate the historic church's future.
Assumption Church closed in November 2014. At the time, the Roman Catholic Diocese of London said the repairs needed to keep the church open were too expensive.
An analysis in 2007 concluded the church needed $9.8-million in repairs to its masonry, roof, and load-bearing walls. That cost shot up to $15-million by 2014.
After talking to Windsor lawyer Paul Mullins, Fabbro said an independent analysis would be carried out by a group that will include Fr. Maurice Restivo and officials from the diocese.
It will look at the history of fund-raising campaigns to fix the church and the future of pastoral work in the northwest of Windsor. The group will consult with parishioners, the city, the County of Essex, and the University of Windsor.
"It is my hope that this will lead to a definitive answer about the future of Assumption parish, its location, and buildings, and that we will finally have resolution to this long-term question," said Fabbro. "It is important for the well-being of this great historic parish that we find a solution that permits us to move forward."
Mullins will be offering his services free of charge.
