FALL RIVER — St. Anne’s Shrine is not only moving ahead with ongoing renovations; they want the historic Roman Catholic monument, whose twin spires punctuate Fall River’s skyline, to be lauded as an international tourist destination.
Bob Gauvin, president of St. Anne’s Shrine Preservation Society , went before the Community Preservation Committee on Sept. 16 to secure $100,000 in funding, which would go toward the last $300,000 needed to help restore its exterior. Members of the board digressed adoringly about the building, comparing the shrine at 818 Middle St., at the intersection with South Main Street, to the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal .
“It’s the largest church in the area. It’s a stunning space that has one of the largest pipe organs in New England,” Gauvin said…