St. Christopher's Former Rectory Auctioned After Four Years on Market

A town landmark has changed hands.

After almost five years on the market, St. Christopher’s former rectory at 1660 Main Road in Tiverton was auctioned last Saturday and sold to the highest bidder for $413,000.

The white 5,505-square-feet Victorian on over three acres with its sweeping wrap-around porch offers commanding views of the Sakonnet River.

In the church bulletin, which will be distributed to parishioners at all Masses this weekend, the Rev. Peter J. Andrews, pastor of and Parishes, described the details of the sale.

“It was a difficult experience for some of us, but the decision was made to accept the highest bid from the rectory auction at St. Christopher last weekend,” said Andrews. “The person who bought the property gets the whole parcel with the house and the piece running on the other side of Main Road for $413,000.

The church property was listed at the height of the real estate market.

“We never dreamed that the asking price then of $2.5 million would be reduced to this in four and one-half years,” he said. “We held on to it hoping things would turn around as so many have done these few years, but with the cost of holding on to it presently at around $70,000-$80,000 per year, and with no one living there or using the property, it seemed time to let it go."

"I am torn personally about having to let the house go at such a low figure," Andrews added, "but I am very sure that it will prove to be the right thing as we move forward.”

Both parishes are strong and healthy in their foundations and futures, according to the pastor.

“The challenges we face in both places do not change this perspective, but rather focus it, since the things that we look forward to addressing are more a matter of fuller participation in each of our faith lives, and in our communal effort to change our little corner of the world for the better in Jesus Christ,” he said. “I think the struggles that we deal with as individuals and families both in and out of church circles, can be seen as great opportunities to take inventory and ponder those things that we have always possessed, and yet have left in the shadows because we are so distracted by the excesses and abundance in life.”

But he added that Christianity teaches them to think differently about the things that would overwhelm others without faith.

"Jesus himself brought to us the whole philosophy and spirituality that in order to gain, we need to lose, to live we need to die, and to have we need to sacrifice,” he said. “Holding on to what might have been, could have been, should have been is all wasted energy that can rightfully be used to develop a clear sense of what will be.”

According to LoopNet.com, a commercial real estate site, the property was auctioned by Joseph W. Accetta & Associates, Inc. The new owner was not disclosed.