The following comes from a May 17 LA Times article by Jason Song:
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles is exploring the purchase of one of the largest properties in Eagle Rock, the Chateau Emanuel, as a potential retreat and prayer center for priests.
The property, which has a 6,000-square-foot main house with four bedrooms and five baths, three guest homes and waterfalls, was previously listed for $5.99 million, according to a 2010 Curbed LA post.
It is unclear how much the archdiocese is willing to pay for the property at 1554 Hill Drive, but church officials are applying for the “necessary approvals that could lead to the acquisition of the property,” according to Adrian Marquez Alarcon, director of media relations for the archdiocese.
The site could “provide a prayerful and peaceful environment in which priests can strengthen and renew their relationship with God,” Marquez Alarcon said in an email.
The Chateau Emanuel is not the only high-priced property the archdiocese has been interested in of late.
Church officials have been in a property dispute with a group of nuns who wanted to sell a Los Feliz convent to restaurateur Dana Hollister. Church officials favored selling the property to pop star Katy Perry for $14.5 million.
Is this article telling me that in all the many decades of its existence the Archdiocese of LA does not have a priest’s retreat center? Really!
No more contributions to “Together in Mission”, the annual archdiocesan appeal. When the archdiocese goes shopping for high-end real estate it isn’t hurting for money.
Why can’t St. John’s Seminary be used as a retreat center?
“When the archdiocese goes shopping for high-end real estate it isn’t hurting for money.”
Excellent point, Sawyer!
People say the darndest things. “Together in Mission” helps school children in poor neighborhoods and poor parishes. So, your thought is that since the Archdiocese is spending money on a mansion you aren’t going to give to the poor.
Archdiocesan funds are all one account, Father, even though accounting gimmicks might separate them. If the archdiocese can afford high-end real estate, it doesn’t need extra contributions from the faithful.
There are more ways to provide charity than contributing to Together in Mission, Father.
Besides, I’ve had it with Archbishop Gomez, who hasn’t said nor done anything about the homosexual couple with a toddler that brought up gifts at the closing Mass for the Religious Education Congress. Pandering to gays and buying mansions and writing foolish books that scold Americans who want their country to have secure, sovereign borders and to have its immigration laws enforced. Archbishop Gomez has his priorities askew.
Our beloved priests, innocently, or not innocently, say even more DARNDER things! Father Higgins, St. John of the Cross would certainly remember the meaning of clericalism after reading your post. Father Higgins, Perhaps you are not concerned by the fact that many people know that hideaway mansions, such as these, are often called “retreat” mansions, but they are NOT being used for holy purposes. You must either not be aware OR, you prefer to pretend it does not exist, OR you are not that concerned by the appearance this gives to the world. Our Popes have been concerned yet nothing has changed. Expect all mothers, especially, after the scandals, to say the “darndest” things.
Waterfalls, 4 bedrooms, 3 guest homes = room for about 7 priests to attend a retreat to re-connect with God? Not even a decent ‘cover’ story for expensive real estate. Aren’t the numbers of priests heading downward? In the not so distant future will parishes be closed or combined like most of the USA? In the meantime, aren’t there any other options less pricey? Sound like the annual appeal has been very successful.
just a few days ago i saw a headline in the corriere.it announcing ‘pope tells cardinals not to collect properties’. i didn;t open the article, but it echoes other messages he has given by examply of moving into a simpler living situation. a few months back he warned italian churches that if they did not take in refugees they would soon be paying property taxes. i saw a list of available catholic retreat center and noted that the LA area is not bereft of options. if the remake on the crystal cathedral is over budget, can the archdiocese really afford this?
Hmm….this seems like a bad idea. The pope keeps saying he wants a poor church! Jesus went out into the wilderness or desert when he needed time for reflection. This chateau seems a bit over the top. Perhaps the funds could be used to pay the tuition to a parochial school for some children from poor families.
Check it out for yourself–
https://la.curbed.com/2010/11/2/10497078/eagle-rocks-largest-estate-complete-with-bistro
Looks like the Playboy Mansion with a bistro and resort-like pool all shrouded for privacy by three acres and going for about $6 million.
I suppose the old elegant 10 acre Manressa Retreat House in Azuza was sold after the revelations of sexual abuse by a former director who was a Jesuit priest.
Many bishops like to book fancy resort hotels now and hold priest confabs or “retreats” in these setting—but this is not very privateand subjects everyone to some public scrutiny.
Most bishops love big priced real estate in the best locations.
Let’s provide homeless families with a ” prayerful and peaceful environment in which priests can strengthen and renew their relationship with God” Prayer and reflection are so much more meaningful when you’ve spent the night with a roof over your head and aren’t hungry.
Investing in real estate was very good for the Church in Los Angeles in the 50s, and is still now. We do not have Cardinal Mahony corrupt regime anymore so if they have money left from the 640 million Mahony debacle I say invest it.
Gratias, Please consider: making $$ on real estate in the 50’s is NOTHING like the market today. If you by cheap & sell fast you can flip & make a few $$. The housing bubble has NOT gone away. It depends on regions/zip codes. Check it out on line by looking into ‘foreclosures & a zip code’. Todays market has been fractured by the housing crash. Don’t COUNT on getting your initial investment back much less making money for a long time. You are lucky if you come out even. Plus, since the place looks vintage, what about additional costs for re-model & up grades?
Gratias, Please, try not to help them land in hell, by encouraging scandalous mansion purchases.
Jesus did not commission the other eleven apostles to go out and IVEST in savy investment purchases because Judas had failed.
A few steadily tossed crumbs, of very sweet sugar, will eventually blind a person, as to the real reason why he is not fully receiving the whole pie.
Why can’t the Church build a lovely, simple, and PLAIN retreat facility, with a beautiful, deeply-inspiring, traditional Chapel, for Mass?? A big, expensive, VERY SECULAR, “Playboy Mansion” kind of place, just seems out-of-character, for the Church! RIDICULOUS!!
Linda Maria, You are right. It is RIDICULOUS! AND they do not even see it. Before the scandals broke, even Pope John Paul II asked the Western United States bishops (on their Ad Limina visit) to please reflect the simplicity with the austere holy lives and example of the apostles. It was ignored. Instead of all living in community in their rectories, priests are now living in hideaway (behind the gate) homes and beach houses. The reason Blessed Mother Teresa was so influential, respected, and loved by many different people and religions was her Imitation of Christ’s Life. Her personal example of living among the poor and humble. She did not live in fancy mansions with swimming pools and jacuzzis.
Why can’t the archdiocese simply use St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo as a retreat center. The seminary certainly isn’t full to capacity with seminarians, so there must be ample facilities for retreat purposes, and it’s already set up as a site for theological and spiritual formation, and it would cost nothing because it is already owned.
Catholic priests and religious sisters in the Middle East and other parts of the world are being kidnapped, murdered and tortured for upholding the True Faith. Not a single one of those who have been martyred were abducted from an exclusively cushy “retreat” center that resembled the amenities of the Playboy Mansion.
“HOW COULD I WEAR A CROWN OF GOLD WHEN MY LORD WEARS A CROWN OF THORNS AND HE WEARS IT FOR ME?”
SAINT ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY