I don’t know Sandi Russo, but I do know she was spot on in her thinking when she sent this letter to the Buffalo News for publication. Saint Ann’s needs to be saved.
Make an effort to save lovely St. Ann Church
I just can’t stop thinking about it and I’m not sure why. It is not my church nor the church of my ancestors, but knowing that with each passing day, St. Ann Church and Shrine at Broadway and Emslie Street in Buffalo is one day closer to ruin just haunts me. And the only reason this appears to be happening is money. We have a number of beautiful churches in the Buffalo area, and to allow them to fall into disrepair is heartbreaking.
Why is Bishop Richard Malone so adamant about allowing this to happen to St. Ann in particular? He is not a Buffalo native and has no previous connection to our area. Is that reason enough to have no empathy for its history? This magnificent church was built by German immigrants and is one of the finest Gothic churches in the country. Stabilize it now, then raise the necessary funds to allow for the repairs to occur over time. If the Buffalo Diocese cannot afford to save it, let’s ask the movers and shakers in our area to pool their resources and work together to help make it happen. As the bishop knows, European churches of this magnitude are tourist destinations. I can’t believe that Italy, France or Germany would allow its churches to deteriorate in this manner, and I don’t understand why we are allowing it to happen here.
Sandi Russo
Grand IslandLink to Buffalo News letter: http://www.buffalonews.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/letter-make-an-effort-to-save-lovely-st-ann-church-20160518
I agree it needs to be saved as all these beautiful churches in our community should. It took great suffering and donations from all the wonderful immigrants who built these beautiful buildings as a reflection of their deep faith and commitment to their church and community. We should never turn our backs on their sacrifices.