Members of the small community of Christmas Island have filed a complaint of nullity to have Saint Barra’s Catholic Church reopened in Cape Breton.
The church along Highway 223, was the only one on the Island and closed in its bicentennial year in 2015.
"It just wasn't right, there was no grounds at all,” says parishioner Marie Higgins. “Whether it be financially, or otherwise and with the history of the church, there was no reason at all for the parish and the church to be closed.
The parish was part of a sweeping round of closures announced by the Diocese of Antigonish in 2013. The Diocese said the majority of its closures were due to declining attendance and lack of priests.
Parishioners on Christmas Island say they don’t believe the church suffered from the issues addressed by the Diocese.
They also argue the church is culturally significant and claim it was the first personal Scottish-Gaelic parish in North America, when it opened back in 1815.
"We had a perfectly functioning church, all our bills were paid for and we could see a bright future,” says church attendant, Barry George.
Parishioners have appealed the closure on several levels, but all have been denied, so they are trying again under the complaint of nullity.
This complaint asks for a retrial of the pastoral plan the diocese made more than four years ago.
"It's easy to maintain, there's ample parking, we'd get a lot of people back, I know we would,” says Higgins.
Since the church closed two years ago, some parishioners say they’ve traveled significant distances to attend mass elsewhere.
Parishioners say the building is still in good shape and, the church still plays a big role in keeping people connected.
George says ideally the church could bring the community back together again.
"I’d like to see everyone back together again in a church, on Christmas in Christmas Island,” he says.
The diocese of Antiongish wasn’t available for comment before news time.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ryan MacDonald.
