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A historic church in Manitowoc is still the talk of the town, even though nothing has happened in it for about a decade.
St. Boniface Church on Marshall Street is facing closure and demolition after St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Manitowoc merged with six other churches in 2005.
Since then, Bishop David Ricken with the Archdiocese of Green Bay said he is standing by a decree he made in 2023 that would allow the Manitowoc parishes to do what was planned.
Since then, members of the community and the catholic church still believe that the church is in great shape and a piece of Manitowoc history that needs to be preserved and reopened for mass.
John Maurer and Emily Baumann, who spoke with Seehafernews.com, are part of the group that wants to keep the church around, with Baumann calling the building a foot of architecture.
“It was built by immigrants 140 years ago, it’s still standing, it’s still in really wonderful shape which you wouldn’t know because no one is allowed to go in,” she described. “But we actually got a chance to tour it a couple of years ago, and you would be amazed by how amazingly strong the structure is.”
Baumann says if the church wasn’t in good shape, then she could understand.
But to her and Maurer, it’s clear there’s a desire in the community.
Maurer says parishioners could stop a previous decree from having the church torn down in 2015 in which Ricken pulled it back.
But since Ricken withstood his decree this time, the group that wants to keep the church is seeking Recourse to Rome.
Maurer says it’s like going through an appeal in court.
Maurer explained, “If you kind of think of it, we have local courts, we have higher courts, it’s basically like that.”
Mauer and Baumann say the group supporting the church has been working on some restoration efforts that the church needs if the recourse goes in their favor.
Both told Seehafernews.com, “It’s really cosmetic things, plumbing updates, just general things like that. The electrical still works and all that.”
Maurer says right now, their group is working on hiring a lawyer required for this hearing, which is also why a GoFundMe page was created and has since raised a little more than $2,000 out of their $8,000 goal.
According to Bishop Rickens’ decree, the site is no longer necessary for the care of souls in the community, and it continues to be a fiscal burden with the building and artifacts in danger of decay and damage.
