St. Paul residence for retired clergy placed in charitable trust

A charitable trust has been created solely to own and maintain the Leo C. Byrne Residence in St. Paul, a commitment to better serving the retired clergy who live there, said Bill Lentsch, chief operating officer of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

The archdiocese transferred its ownership of the building to the Leo C. Byrne Residence Trust Oct. 11. At the same time, the owner of the land on which the residence is located, The St. Paul Seminary, transferred the 100-year lease for the property from the archdiocese to the trust. Seventy-three years remain on the lease, Lentsch said.

Built in 1995, the building needs roughly $6.5 million worth of repairs and upgrades, Lentsch said. Over the years, the building has deteriorated because original design elements allowed moisture intrusion. Heating, cooling and other systems have aged and been difficult to maintain, he said. Transferring the Byrne Residence to the charitable trust will help ensure high-quality use for many years to come, he said.

“This is for priests who have selflessly dedicated their lives to serving others and deserve good care in their retirement years,” he said.

Michelle and Patrick Fox, parishioners of St. Olaf in Minneapolis, began a fundraising effort for the building last year that raised more than $1 million. A group of concerned local business leaders noted the need and have stepped up to help, Lentsch said. The goal is to raise money for the upgrades plus a reserve fund to support ongoing maintenance and operations, he said.

The St. Paul-based Catholic Community Foundation has created a Byrne Residence Renovation Fund that people can donate to as well, Lentsch said. That fund can be found at ccf-mn.org/byrneresidence.

The trust will be overseen by a group of five trustees. Three of the trustees will represent the donor group, one will be a representative of the residents, and one will be appointed by Archbishop Bernard Hebda, Lentsch said.

To help ensure stability and maintain appropriate reserve powers, the charitable trust agreement cannot be changed, nor can the building be sold, without the archbishop’s approval, Lentsch said. Day-to-day services and management of the building will continue to be handled by the archdiocese, he said.

The Byrne Residence includes 29 apartments and a small guestroom, dining facilities, exercise room, community room, chapel and underground, heated garage for the residents.