Parish Council member Mike Pinto had a conversation with Bishop Brennan and followed up with an email that his secretary confirmed was received. This was sent a few weeks ago and Mike is still awaiting response. The email states:

Most Reverend Bishop Brennan, it was a pleasure to meet you last night. I live directly across the street from the rectory and was walking my Dog and happened to see you inside the church. I just called the Diocese and spoke to Ms. Rodriguez (who was very cordial and very easy to speak with). I explained the situation and she provided me with this email address. 

I'm writing about the issue of the convent being converted to a State Dormitory with YAI as the initial tenant. My grandparents and their large families were parishioners at Our Lady of Fatima since its inception., my parents were married at the Parish, I was baptized there, am a current Parishioner as well as a member of Reverend DaCosta's Parish Council. The council was just made aware of this conversion in January of this year and there has been much confusion as to the details of who will occupy the space over the 30-year lease. Some of the confusion stems from the Rosary House-senior home, neighboring the former Convent, which many in the community feel were misled about the long-term use and don't want to have another misconception with a 30-year lease involved.

It's not easy being a loyal Parishioner and Parish Council member as well as a longstanding well respected member of the surrounding community, however, nothing in life comes easy and I was put in this position for a reason. I had a great relationship with Father Donnelly over the years and am trying my best to recruit former parishioners back to the Parish. The situation with the former Convent is not helping. We are a close-knit community and many who are Catholic have left for neighboring Parishes the last few years and those non-Catholics are neighbors with those that are, which is how thirteen hundred signatures from the local community have already been obtained asking for clearer answers, transparency and communication.

There are a # of lawyers in the community who were able to obtain the 30-year lease-as well as Exhibits, Collateral Assignments, Declaration of Covenants and Restrictions, Exemption Affidavit, Addendums, consents etc... and there are a few amendments and stipulations that were suggested to be added to the long-term lease which would not try and stop the project, just make the surrounding community including Parishioners and Parents of Students at Our lady of Fatima a little more at ease with such a long-term lease. I have been quoted as well as misquoted in a few print articles as well as FM Radio news outlets. It was told to me after a year on the council that it was my responsibility to voice the concerns of all of the above-mentioned people which I had not till that point, then started bringing all the issues up at Parish Council meetings as was requested of me. This led to me being the go-to person in the community which has me being in this current position of being interviewed etc...

I have tried many times to raise these issues with Reverend DaCosta one on one, who has listened, and I believe to be a good priest with good intentions, however, there are a few long-term Parishioners who are much more aggressive and force their way into everything which has complicated the situation further. One of them at a May 8th homeowners meeting, poked me in the face numerous times and was screaming at me in front of many stunned neighbors and that person has a daughter who has been very obnoxious as well the last few months which is only complicating things and further infuriating the community.

I sent this note with good intentions of trying to initiate some type of communication to initiate a little bit of a compromise. Again, I live directly across the street, a lifetime community member and still pray by the Our lady of Fatima statue just outside the church frequently as my grandmother would take me there to pray since I was a little boy. I appreciate you taking the time to read this letter.

Sincerely,

Mike Pinto

Hopefully the Bishop does respond to Mike and there can be some type of compromise, otherwise we'll proceed with the next steps.