Text and photographs by Matthew Lomanno
MANCHESTER, NH – On Sunday, September 25, Fr. Thomas Steinmetz, pastor of Our Lady of the Cedars Melkite Catholic Church, handed a check to Bishop Peter Libasci of the Diocese of Manchester as a final payment on a mortgage assumed in 2005. The check for $43,144.82 completed the sale of the former St. Teresa Roman Catholic Church by the Diocese of Manchester.
Also in attendance was Bishop Nicholas Samra of the Melkite Catholic Eparchy of Newton, which encompasses the entire United States. Prior to the check ceremony, all three clergy members celebrated liturgy, which was followed by a banquet attended by many parishioners.
In his remarks, Fr. Thomas gave a brief history of the transaction. The parish’s first church, located on South Beech Street, had become too small to accommodate a growing community in the early 2000s. When the announcement was made that St. Teresa Roman Catholic Church on Mitchell Street was to be closed, Fr. Thomas approached Bishop John McCormack about purchasing the property.
With support of the Melkite bishop, the property was sold to Our Lady of the Cedars parish in 2005 for $1.4 million.
One of his primary goals as pastor, stated Fr. Thomas, has been to pay the mortgage in its entirety as soon as possible. Less than 17 years later, that goal was completed.
Fr. Thomas thanked both bishops—both of whose predecessors had agreed to the sale—as well as his parishioners, whose work, support, and generosity throughout the years had made such an accomplishment possible.
Bishop Nicholas, Bishop Peter, and Fr. Thomas were unanimous in their gratitude that a Catholic church could remain a Catholic church. The bishops also praised Fr. Thomas’s diligence and perseverance in managing the entire sale and congratulated him and the parish upon seeing its completion.
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