In his Jan. 18 message published in The Observer, Bishop Malloy argues that Rockford’s Historic Landmark ordinance may infringe upon Constitutionally protected freedom of religion in that it would force the Diocese to expend “religious funds, gathered from all over the Diocese, to maintain the exteriors of aged and empty buildings.”

First, from a legal standpoint, I would advise the Diocese to review the many cases that have upheld the Constitutionality of Historic Landmark Preservation Ordinances applied to religious structures. From a religious standpoint, I would invite us to recall from the Gospel what Jesus said, "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God." Mark 12:17. Most importantly, I would strongly encourage Bishop Malloy to find inspiration from a nearby Catholic Diocese that found value in Historic Landmark status instead of fighting it.

The Madison Diocese has embraced Historic Landmark status for a former seminary and has financially benefited from that designation. The Bishop O’Connor Catholic Pastoral Center was partially converted in 2016 to market-rate housing through a partnership between the Madison Diocese and a private developer. This development leveraged historic tax credits and resulted in a $21 million redevelopment, adding millions to the property tax base, and providing revenue for the Diocese.

For further information on the project, you can check out an article written about it through the link below.

Madison’s current Acting Bishop, James Bartylla, was involved with the project at the time and expressed his hope that “the project could help other dioceses think creatively about unused or vacant properties,” and that it could help a Diocese realize that “there might be an opportunity to continue ownership while finding something that works for both the diocese and the community.”

We now have nearly 3,000 supporters of our  Petition to save the Chancery and the other related buildings on the St. Peter’s Cathedral Campus. Thank you so much for that support! Our Church members and our community members have so many gifts to share! Right now, let’s pray that Bishop Malloy is open to learning about Madison’s experience and is open to receiving the support that we are offering for this opportunity for our Church and our community!