Diocese of London Bishop Ronald Fabbro.  (Photo by Adelle Loiselle)Diocese of London Bishop Ronald Fabbro. (Photo by Adelle Loiselle)
London

Seminary Renovations But No Cash For Assumption

Thanks to a $23-million donation from the Diocese of Hamilton, the Diocese of London is moving ahead with renovations at St. Peter's Seminary in London.

"They've been supporters of our seminary for almost 100 years," says Bishop of London Ronald Fabbro. "Bishop Crosby is very pleased with the formation we offer his priests."

St. Peter's Seminary is one of only three seminaries in English Canada and takes priests from across the country.

The project is expected to cost $30-million with $7-million coming from three sources: the interest on an account used to support operations at the seminary, the sale of surplus lands at St. Peter's and a future fundraising campaign.

The seminary opened in 1926 and is in need of modernization. The restoration will update the interior of the building and restore the stone walls and slate roof. A new heating and cooling system will reduce its carbon footprint.

The diocese made the announcement as Bishop Ronald Fabbro spoke with students at Assumption College High School in Windsor. During a question and answer session, one student asked Fabbro about the decision to close the historic Assumption Parish. Fabbro responded to the student the decision was based on the inability to raise $10-million in the community for badly needed renovations.

BlackburnNews.com later followed up that question by asking why there are funds for restoration at the seminary but not the oldest parish in Canada west of Montreal and Fabbro refused to comment saying the status of the parish hasn't changed.

A formal announcement about the seminary restoration will be made in Windsor Thursday afternoon.

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