Archdiocese of Boston finalizes property sale to Boston College

Boston, Mass., Jun 30, 2004 / 22:00 pm

Boston College have announced it has finalized the purchase of most of the Archdiocese of Boston’s headquarters for $99.4 million.

The Catholic college now owns 43 of the archdiocese's 64 acres, including the residence of Cardinal Bernard Law and his predecessors.

The 43 acres include St. Clement's Hall and St. Williams Hall, a retreat house that the archdiocese used for the training of lay ministers.

The property includes the tomb of  Cardinal William O'Connell, whose remains will be removed by the Archdiocese after arrangements with his surviving relatives.

“While change is always difficult, the knowledge that the property will benefit another Catholic institution is reassuring,” said Cullen Buckland, an archdiocesan spokesman.

Archbishop Sean P. O'Malley, announced in April that he had decided to sell the property to finance an $85 million settlement with clergy sexual-abuse victims.

Before deciding to sell the former residence of the Cardinals of Boston, O’Malley, a Franciscan Capuchin,  moved to the rectory of a downtown parish to be closer to the Cathedral.

Boston College will also buy a tribunal building two years from now for another $8 million, and the archdiocese has a five-year option to sell its chancery for $20 million and St. John's Seminary for $38.8 million.