The Management and Reuse of Catholic Churches in Belgium, France, and Italy from a Comparative Perspective

English translation of the abstract and the introduction of the book: Davide Dimodugno, "La gestione e il riuso delle chiese cattoliche in una prospettiva comparata. Un'indagine tra Belgio, Francia e Italia", Edizioni Scientifiche Italiane - University of Turin, Naples - Turin, 2025, 292 pp. The reflection on the issues of management and reuse of buildings of worship, already begun in a first monograph and highlighted previously on Canopy Forum, is completed in this volume through an in-depth study of buildings of worship in Belgium and France. Although these countries have ancient Catholic traditions, they have been undergoing a process of advanced secularization for decades. The comparison with Italy aims to highlight how the different systems of relations between the state and religious denominations and the multiplicity of regulations involved can affect the issuance of bishop’s decrees, which reduce churches to profane use pursuant to Canon 1222 §2. Proposals for solutions for the Italian context have thus been identified, inspired by international best practices based on dialogue, collaboration, and participation.