Roseanne Skoke fights to keep Our Lady of Lourdes open

A devout Roman Catholic lawyer has asked the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia for a temporary injunction to prevent the closure of a Stellarton church.

Our Lady of Lourdes, built in 1883, is one of three churches the Diocese of Antigonish had scheduled for closure on Nov 1.

Roseanne Skoke has worshipped at Our Lady of Lourdes Church for 61 years. Her 85-year-old father never misses daily mass.

The diocese said the building needs major repairs and there is a shortage of priests but Skokeisn't willing to accept those reasons.

"My view is the diocese is targeting the parish to sell the property to pay the debt of the settlements for the sex scandal priests," says Skoke.

One of those convicted was the late Father Jim Mombourquette who was working at Our Lady of Lourdes when he was arrested by police for sex crimes he confessed to involving boys in Cape Breton.

A history of rebellion

Skoke and her devout family bucked an earlier change at Our Lady of Lourdes in 1982 when parishioners were instructed by the bishop to stand rather than kneel to receive communion.

Skoke took their objections under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms "protection of religious freedom" all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada and she won.

The former Liberal MP for Central Novaconsiders the closure of Our Lady of Lourdes an eviction.

"I maintain that because of the abuse I suffered at that time at the hands of the bishop and the priests and the fact we had to take our case all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada," saidSkoke.

"This is the second time in my lifetime that I am evicted from Our Lady of Lourdes. I am not going to accept the authority of the bishop and stand back and allow that to happen to me and my family," she said.

Diocese defence

Last Sunday, Bishop Brian Dunn issued a statement read out by priests in churches across northern Nova Scotia in the Diocese of Antigonish.

"A parishioner has begun a private lawsuit against the bishop and Diocese of Antigonish. The lawsuit alleges persecution and interference with freedom of religion. It claims my actions were abusive and a personal attack on the applicant and her family," Dunn's statement read.

"I do not agree with these allegations and if necessary, the diocese will defend against them."

Skoke does not deny the accuracy of that statement, but says it failed to mention her court filing was accompanied by an affidavit signed by 121 other parishioners.

CBC News does not know how many people make up the usual congregation at Our Lady of Lourdes.

The court has yet to set a date to hear Skoke's argument.

She will argue that"although the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Antigonish holds the vested title to the property they are in effect holding the property'in trust' for the benefit of the occupants and of the parishioners of Our Lady of Lourdes Church. So by announcing the closure of the church with 90 days notice, it is effectively evicting the occupants."

Two other churches in the diocese are also slated to close Nov. 1St. Ann in Thorburn and Christ the King in Trenton.

The Bishop of Antigonish has decided to extend the deadline to keep Our Lady of Lourdes open for an extra month until December.