A quaint 1898 clapboard-and-shingle church on Cedar Street in Norwood—which was previously slated for conversion into two apartments after sitting on the market for years—will continue its religious legacy. The property was recently sold for $35,200 to the Jain Center of Greater Boston Inc., a non-profit charitable organization representing roughly 80 families, many of whom trace their origins to India.
Dr. Vinay K. Jain, a director of the center and a principal engineer at Stone & Webster Engineering Corp. in Boston, explained that Jainism is an ancient Indian religion and philosophy sharing similarities with Buddhism. A foundational tenet of the faith is strict non-violence (“never hurt anybody,” including animals), which also guides their adherence to strict vegetarianism. Jain noted that Mohandas Gandhi, India’s renowned pacifist leader, was deeply influenced by Jain teachings. The membership is largely composed of educated professionals, including engineers and doctors.
Preserving the Historic Property and Neighborhood Relations
The building has a rich local history, having served as the home of the Italian Christian Church from 1938 until that congregation relocated to a new facility around two years ago. When a previous agreement to sell the building to a Boston builder-designer fell through after extensive remodeling had begun last fall, the church board of directors was eager to finalize a sale. Paul Parrino, president of the church board, expressed relief, noting, “It’s hard to sell a church.”
Dr. Jain stated that the center does not anticipate any friction with neighbors in the residential Cedar Street area, pointing out that weekly Sunday worship draws only a small number of attendees, with larger turnouts expected for only about five major annual festivals. No major structural renovations are planned for the historic 1898 structure, and a formal dedication of the new meeting place is scheduled for September 6. (Reporting by Barry N. Smith, The Patriot Ledger).
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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