The potential sale of Roman Catholic church buildings and other properties is presenting a real challenge for those dedicated to the preservation of the province’s heritage.

The Archdiocese of St. John’s is in the process of selling off church buildings to satisfy a recent court ruling for victims of sexual and physical abuse at Mount Cashel Orphanage. That includes the Basilica and other historic structures.

Executive Director of Heritage NL, Dale Jarvis, says many church buildings were built using volunteer labour and funds raised in the community.

He says there may be some difficulty in selling the properties off to the average buyer. He hopes if sold, they’re preserved in a sensitive way.

He says big church buildings are expensive to maintain, and the costs of roof and other repairs can be very high. Smaller churches can be turned into private homes, while larger churches can be turned into community or performance spaces, but they do present challenges for the buyer.