The sale of decades-old churches and property became real for many parishes Monday with court approval of the process.

Forty-three separate parcels of land, including historic RC churches such as St. Patrick’s, were part of the listing released by court monitor Ernst and Young.

It’s just part of the RC Church bankruptcy and sell-off of property to settle sexual abuse claims from the former Mount Cashel Orphanage.

In some cases they’re easily identified, but others are numbered companies or real estate firms acting on behalf of private buyers.

Only a few churches will remain as such, with at least a dozen destined for other uses.

Another 70 or so church properties elsewhere on the Avalon and Burin Peninsulas have yet to be dealt with.

The fate of most metro schools, and whether they can be part of the sell-off, will be dealt with in November.