Religious group to buy Concord church

The Archdiocese of Boston and the religious organization that owns the Swedenborg Chapel in Sudbury have signed a purchase-and-sale agreement for the former Our Lady Help of Christians Church in West Concord.

The closing is expected by late April, according to George Gantz, president of the Boston Society of the General Church of the New Jerusalem, which owns the Swedenborg Chapel.

The religious organization, with headquarters in Bryn Athyn, Pa., plans to use the former Catholic church as a worship space.

The sales price was not disclosed.

One of the most sensitive issues to be negotiated in the sale of the building was the archdiocese's request to remove five small, painted, medallion-like sections of stained-glass windows with Catholic religious symbols depicted on them.

Gantz said his church has agreed to let the archdiocese have the medallions and will replace them with ''appropriate designs that will have meaning" for his congregation.

''We are confident we will maintain the character and beauty of the building itself, and we agreed that work could be done after the closing date," Gantz said.

''Terrific," said Selectwoman Virginia McIntyre when told of the signed agreement. ''I'm delighted that they have straightened out all the details. That building needs to be occupied by a good congregation, and everything I know about the Swedenborgs suggests that they are. It's excellent for the town."

Gantz said that the future of the religious organization's Sudbury facilities or the date for moving to West Concord have not been decided.

Our Lady Help of Christians was closed in 2004 and the parish combined with the former St. Bernard in Concord Center to form the new Holy Family Parish as part of the reconfiguration of the archdiocese. The new parish worships in the former St. Bernard Church.

The town of Concord created a historic district last spring to preserve the Our Lady Help of Christians building from demolition or exterior changes.

The church was built in 1903 or 1904 and is one of the most prominent buildings in West Concord.

Sally Heaney can be reached at heaney@globe.com.