It was troubling to watch the reactions of those churchgoers who were informed by the Archdiocese of Boston two weeks ago that their parishes would be closing. In the cities and towns that comprise the archdiocese, those places of worship long have been a vital part of the very fabric of said communities, with many families participating in baptisms, weddings, funerals and Catholic education in addition to the daily and weekly Masses celebrated there.

Yet there is a silver lining to this dark cloud, as the archdiocese still finds itself in a unique position to do something positive with the buildings slated for closure. According to area developers, the 65 parishes that are shutting down are leaving behind properties that could have a combined market value of more than $400 million. Although the facilities have been assessed at slightly below $120 million, developers and other local officials have pointed out that municipal assessments can run low because the commercial sales potential of a building often is not factored into churches exempt from property taxes.

Canon law indicates the archdiocese must first seek other religious groups that are willing to purchase the properties, but if none are available, Archbishop Sean O’Malley would then be free to sell to other buyers who would use the buildings to promote the social agenda of the Catholic Church. Banker & Tradesman, for its part, agrees with one local real estate expert who indicated that housing, particularly condominiums, could be a primary use for the buildings.

Using as many of the properties as possible for residential purposes not only would help ease the state’s housing crisis, it also would be in keeping with the church’s mission of providing shelter to those who need it. We call upon the Archdiocese of Boston to continue to be a champion of housing by ensuring that at least some of its shuttered churches are used toward that end.