The Catholic Church, the saying goes, thinks in centuries. So while parish leadership proposes to sell the historic Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, the landmark Italian-American church on Mulberry Street that has been closed and had been facing the wrecking ball, appeals to the Vatican may postpone the church’s fate indefinitely - possibly for years.

“Many parishioners are angry and against selling the church property,” says Mauro DePasquale, president of the Mount Carmel Preservation Society, a group formed to save the church. “On their behalf, Mount Carmel Preservation Society will challenge the sale at every step in accordance to Canon law process,” Mr. DePasquale declared in an email circulated earlier this month after plans to market the church were announced.