20220824 St John Cantius Church Massachusetts.pdf
August 24, 2022
Chairperson and Committee Members of the CPC
RE: St. John Cantius Church
Dear Chairperson and Committee Members:
We write in support of awarding funds to restore the exterior of this significant 1913 church.
This beautiful church was built with the investment and the faith of its parishioners over the
112 years it has been a part of your community. It is filled with the memories, blessings,
weddings, funerals, baptisms, and first Communions for countless people. When they see this
church, they see community, history, services, and faith.
From a community, preservation and architecture point of view, these buildings represent so
much and when they are closed or lost to demolition, we are indeed losing more than simply a
house of worship, but a community asset and often a work of art and architecture. These are
often no less than works of art in our midst—no different than art and cultural treasures in a
museum, and that should not be overlooked, undervalued or squandered.
We stand with you and the community towards a good preservation outcome and we are all
collectively hopeful that this historic structure can be thoughtfully reused and repurposed, to
benefit all.
Sincerely,
Ward Miller
Executive Director